A different perspective

Times of India has started the "Love Pakistan" campaign starting today. These are the same guys, who were reluctant to post the article below in their publications, written just after the 26/11 incident. The article tries to articulate the 26/11 story from a different perspective. Our Press and Media typically goes with the Mass or Herd mentality and try not to look at an issue objectively. Now the same guys have started this campaign...... Isn't this Media or Press hypocrisy........

Thanks to The Week, which published the article as "Letter to the Editor" after editing the contents, in their issue dated 4thJan 2009. Please see left side of this Blog.

FULL TEXT OF THE LETTER. It was also published in the NDTV website and The Times, London…

Dated: 6th Dec 2008
Subject: 26/11 effect on UK
Dear Sir:

While I write this mail, I am in a place called Slough on the outskirts of London, UK. I landed here just after the 26/11 Mumbai carnage and am seeing an unprecedented coverage of this incident in this part of the world. Right from the time I stepped into Heathrow airport, I have been asked by almost everyone I came in contact with, about my opinion on this event. But before I can air my opinion, I get messages laced with sympathy.

One such interviewer was a Pakistani taxi driver, who became very emotional on this subject and wanted to know why India was suspecting its neighbour. He felt the Western world was responsible for the act and not his country. I could only hear him out lest I ignite undesired passion. I reminded myself, that while we are in a foreign country, both the Indians and Pakistanis live in peace together. Maybe the Pakistani driver wished this 26/11 incident did not happen, which could spoil this friendly relationship and hence became emotional and started defending his motherland. Ofcourse their livelihood also depends on IT professionals like me visiting UK and using their services.

However, everyone agrees that this dastardly act should not have been carried out. I can see people being very sympathetic towards Indians thereby isolating the Pakistanis. The local Press was also responsible for making the English cricketers to travel to India to play the 2 Test matches. The Pakistanis again felt why just India when they could have travelled to their country as well and play some matches.

From the words of the Taxi driver, terrorism is widespread and why just blame the Pakistanis for it. The Irish Republican Army or the IRA was the mother of terrorism and why is the world not suspecting them, he felt. There are no answers sometimes. Terrorism in whatever form should be condemned by all and the perpetuators of such crime should be isolated. This is my opinion, if I was allowed to speak.

Yours Truly,

Arvind Kamath
Bangalore
(now in Slough, UK on business)

A foreigner's perspective of India

This time my travelog looks through the eyes of a foreigner, who visits India for the first time.
For the first time visitor from the western world, India is a very unique experience and I am sure this experience remains in their memory for a long long time.

Recently I had the opportunity to take a client from the United Kingdom, on a road journey from Bangalore to Chennai. They wanted to experience India by not opting for the 30 minutes flight. Little did they know that a trip to Devanahalli from Electronics City is a journey in itself!
We started in the afternoon to beat the traffic. The road to Chennai did not impress them at all since they felt being in a developed world. They expected some cows and dogs to cross the road ; elephants to pass by and some odd snake charmers seated beside the road. The road in fact beats any international standard and I was in awe since this was the first time I was travelling to Chennai by road after the dacoity incident that happened in the year 2000 (see my blog – Horrendous experience of my life). It seemed we were looking at perspectives quite opposite to each other.

But hey presto, after some time near Hosur, they saw couple of overcrowded buses, the chaos of a small Indian town, dogs crossing the streets, cows walking gingerly on the road, autos or tuk tuks as they called them running helter skelter. “Organized Chaos” is how they described the traffic condition. The drivers are so organized in creating chaos that they hardly come to blows despite honking and missing each other by few millimetres, they felt. This is India, I told them. At the local bus station they saw a sea of humanity. I was wondering how they would have felt being at Dadar Station (Central Mumbai) at 6pm in the evening.... All said, the experience was really unique.

On the way to Chennai we took a detour to Sripuram near Vellore to visit the famous Golden Temple. I was not really keen to take them to a temple but was recommended strongly by my colleagues. Why not then, if these guys want to see the real India and as we know India lives in its villages. The road to the temple was dotted with small houses on both sides of the road. This gave them a real glimpse of the Indian village. On the way we stopped for an Open Air toilet break amidst dense shrubby area. This to them was a unique experience.

We reached the Golden temple at around 5pm in the evening. My experience here was contrary to what I had thought. Maybe I was more surprised than them to visit this place, which seemed like a Fort Knox converted to a temple – 100% GOLD. A Mahalakshmi temple called 'Sripuram' is made of more than a tonne of pure gold. The temple was built in 7 years from 2000 to 2007 by a 30 something Godman who calls himself Narayani Amma. Devotees hail the temple as 'one of the wonders of the world' and say that it is the only temple covered fully with gold.

More than 400 gold and coppersmiths are said to have worked for seven years to craft the Rs 6,000 million gold temple located on 55,000 sq ft of land on a 100-acre salubrious environment. As per records, the temple has more gold than the Golden Temple of Amritsar. The temple is surrounded by a huge landscaped garden with Idols of Gods and Goddesses. I was taken aback by the cleanliness within the premises which proved the old saying “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” just right. The entry to the temple is well planned right from taking off the footwear to the entry into the sanctum sanctorum and back again. Mobiles and Cameras are strictly not allowed and the tight security ring ensures this discipline is followed

Its advisable to visit the temple at dusk so that you can enjoy the beauty of the lighted golden temple. Messages by 'Amma' have been laid out along the path to the temple alongside messages from the Gita, Bible and Quran. "When one enters the Sripuram, their focus is just on the magnificent temple. But when they leave, they cannot do so without taking some messages and gaining some wisdom,"

My guests from UK were impressed and could not take their eyes off the magnificent golden temple. They asked me if all temples in India were like this. Although the older temples in India have rich historical and cultural significance, little thought has been given to cleanliness or orderliness. This certainly was a very unique experience not just for them but to me as well. On the way back from the temple they enjoyed the village fair and got a taste of real India once again.

Exotic Andaman Islands

The name Andaman conjures up images of freedom struggle and political prisoners suffering at the hands of the British rulers. Andaman derives its name from Hanuman (the Hindu Monkey God) and it was nicknamed Kaala Paani or Forbidden Land. Andaman Islands, does not immediately strike to us as a tourist destination, which could give the Maldives or Pattaya or Mauritius a run for its money!! Maybe we should start calling it The Great Coral Islands for the pristine clean coral beaches…….

I had planned the journey from Chennai to Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, by Indian Airlines (now called Air India) flight at 6am on 27th of September 2009, little realizing that the strike called by the Pilots would play havoc with the flight schedules. Just the previous day, the flight to Port Blair could not land due to bad weather conditions. At the check in counter, we got some good news that the flight to Port Blair would be operating that day, albeit delayed by about 90 minutes. I opted for seats at the left side towards the tail for better view of the Islands during landing.

Andaman and Nicobar islands are located in Bay of Bengal spread across the total distance of 800 kms approximately. The Andaman archipelago includes almost 200 islands but only about 40 islands are inhabited. The nearest country is Burma or Myanmar, which is just 300 kms to the North and the nearest country to Nicobar is Sumatra in Indonesia at a distance of 150 kms. The nearest Indian cities are Chennai, Vizag and Kolkatta at a distance of about 1300 kms. Daily flights are available from Chennai and Kolkata. Ships ply weekly once from Chennai, Vizag and Kolkata.

As the flight began its descent, the view of the Islands through the misty white clouds, is just breath taking. The journey time to Port Blair is just 2 hours and we landed at the Veer Savarkar International Airport under perfect weather conditions. We were fortunate once again. The journey from the Airport to the Resort took us through some of the busy streets of Port Blair, which is the capital city of the Islands. I always take a closer look at roads to judge a city and I was not disappointed here, maybe due to low density of traffic.

We checked in at Megapode Nest Resort managed by Andaman Tourism Board. The Resort is located over a hill and offers a splendid view of the Sea below. The Nicobari cottages are really worth the stay. Despite being a Government run Resort, the service level was very good and the courteous staff members ensured a very pleasant stay.

We had a day to ourselves and since the weather was pleasant, we decided to plan a trip to the Cellular jail, which had our Indian freedom fighters imprisoned from the mid 19th century till about 1940s. The guide explained the history of this Jail, which can soften anyone’s heart, after hearing the hardship endured by our great freedom fighters. Hardship included extracting oil from kernels taking the place of bulls and cutting trees to make furniture. Any refusal met with stringent punishment from the jailors. Veer Savarkar’s cell is a landmark in this complex. He had spent 10 long years in a small cell, most of the time chained. His brother was also jailed at the same time but both brothers never met during those 10 long years. In the evening a special light and sound show is organized in the same complex. We opted for the Hindi version and must say, we were all left speechless after hearing the gory history narrated by Bollywood actor, Om Puri. It was one of the highlights of this Tour.

Since the Islands are to the East, the sunrise is at 5am and by the time it is 5:30pm it is pitch dark. So we cannot plan any outdoor activity after 5pm here. Next day we visited Chatham saw mill, which is the oldest and biggest saw mill in Asia. It is managed by the Government and here we could see huge trees brought from the forest reserves converted to processed wood.
Later we took an hour’s cruise to Viper Island. Main interest in this island is the open space jail which was constructed before the Cellular Jail. Viper Island, named after the ship wreck event of a British trading ship named “Viper” in 19th century. The ruins of an old discarded jail, built by British in 1867, with yellow colored bricks and the gallows are seen in this Island. The island is not inhabited by human population but one can see cattle grazing in the lush green meadows. Tsunami 2004 had destroyed most of the Island.

The other important place to see is the Ross Island, which was the capital of Andaman And Nicobar islands during British rule. The British occupants had constructed some marvelous buildings here including a water treatment plant and hence this place was known as the Paris of the East. This island is now under the Indian Navy and is just 20 minutes by cruise from Port Blair. This was occupied by the Japanese army during World War II and Netaji Bose had unfurled the Indian flag at this very place in 1942. However the Japanese had bombed this place before occupying it and he hence we see only ruins now. The Earthquake in 1941 took its toll on the Island. Tsunami 2004 had also left its mark by destroying what was left of the Island.

In the afternoon, we left for Havelock Islands by Ship. The journey is just 2.5 hours but physical endurance is challenged due to the ship’s design that offers less ventilation. People prone to sea sickness beware. But at the end of the journey you touch Paradise. Never before I have seen such a beautiful stretch of white sandy beach, almost unspoilt, kissing the crystal clear and azure waters. We stayed at Silver Sand Resorts, which is just 4 kms from the harbor. Since the tourist season starts only in October the Resort was half occupied. This ensured undivided attention by the very friendly resort staff. The eco friendly rooms were all built using local timber and the restaurant is just near the wide and open silver beach. I have reached Paradise, I felt. The offer of a body massage was too tempting to be ignored. I required this tonic before taking a dip into the vast Andaman Sea, just a dive away from our Cottage. The place reminded me of the film Blue Lagoon. The island had very few tourists and the beach is surrounded by thick green forests all around. It’s almost like a virgin territory still unspoilt by human population.

Next day we woke up at 4:30am to catch a glimpse of the first rays of the Sun. The sun rises at about 5am but due to cloud cover that day, we could not enjoy the marvelous sight over the Andaman Sea. At sunrise on January 1, 2000, picturesque Katchal Island was in the news. Many rich and famous people from around the world had converged on it for a glimpse of the millennium's first sunrise.

After breakfast we set out for Radhanagar Beach by road. This beach is one of the most popular beaches on Havelock and was named "Best Beach in Asia" by Time magazine in year 2004. This beach surely scores over Pattaya or Mauritius but somehow not enough marketing has been done by our Government to sell this destination as a premium tourist spot. The white silver sands and calm turquoise water can charm even a non sea lover to take a cool dive into its waters. The hilly background with a splendid green cover provides succor to every nature lover. The color of the sea water varies from early morning Sun light to evening dusk and offers a great sight. One can enjoy cool tender coconut water near the beach. After some rest we set out for Kala Pathar beach, so called because of the big black rocks dotting the sea shore. Tsunami has destroyed the beach and one can see dead trees gently swaying in the shallow waters. For dinner we went to Wild Orchid Resort. This Resort has a menu written on a white board, since it contains mostly sea food whose rates keep fluctuating depending on the catch of the day. We tasted Tempura, Prawns and Red Snapper fish. The service is excellent and the sumptuous food was relished by all. That day we had no power for almost the whole day at Havelock since the local generator, that supplies power to the Island was damaged. The resorts normally have their own generators.

Next day we planned a trip to Elephant beach known for its Corals and a paradise for those who love snorkeling and scuba diving. The charges per person are approximately Rs 750 and Rs 4,500 respectively for about 30 minutes of fun in the sea world. The journey from Havelock to this beach by a small boat is approximately 60 minutes although the local guide mentioned just 30 minutes to us. I can never forget the boat ride, which was very dangerous thanks to bad windy conditions and choppy sea. I thought that was my last boat trip of my life. My wife and kid who accompanied me required courage and I remained calm all through the journey. Once we reached the beach everyone heaved a sigh of relief. The Dive master arranged for my snorkeling gear, which covers the face and nose. We have to breathe through our mouth and ensure we don’t gulp in the salty sea water. Snorkeling is done over the surface of the sea and one need not know swimming since the safety ring is thrown over our body. The diver took me some 100 meters from the shore where the water was atleast 6 meters deep. I can never forget my first such experience in snorkeling after dipping my face into the sea water. It was a fantastic experience to see the wonderful sea world that included beautiful corals and colorful species of different types of fishes. I felt as if I was in a beautiful aquarium along with the fishes. I could not resist another round of snorkeling just to see more of the beautiful world God has created beneath the sea waters. I can easily rate this as my most thrilling and enjoyable moment of my life. Never imagined that marine life could be so beautiful, hitherto seen only on television shows. I wanted to do scuba diving too but time was short and we had to rush back to Havelock Islands to catch the ferry back to Port Blair.

The 2 hours ferry ride to Port Blair was very uncomfortable since this ship was fully air conditioned and there was no way to get fresh air unless we climb our way to the topmost open deck. The facilities on board was woefully short to take care of any sea sickness kind of ailment and simple things like “puking bags” were not provided. Once we reached Port Blair, we all felt as if we touched Heaven. We were driven back to Megapode Nest Resort for a second innings but this time we were upgraded to Nicobari Cottage due to non availability of standard cottages and heavy rush of tourists. This is perhaps one of the best accommodations at Port Blair since the cottage overlooks the Sea providing a grand view of the Harbor and lush green forest cover. We could sight the Megapode birds found only in this Island and Parakeets.

Next day, we were scheduled to visit the North Bay or Coral Islands, which is about 20 minutes journey by sea from Port Blair. This island is also very famous for Corals and undersea adventure including snorkeling and scuba diving. This time I didn’t go snorkeling but opted for a trip on a glass bottom boat. This 30 minutes trip costs Rs 300 per person and it takes us 200 meters from the shore to the place where we can see corals of all sizes and colors. We could see giant mushroom corals and sponge corals through the glass bottom. Since the boat was motorized we could not see many fish varieties. Since I had already experienced the grand underwater world at Elephant beach earlier I was not too excited. But my folks on the boat were left spellbound after seeing such beautiful corals, still undamaged despite the Tsunami of 2004. No jetties or harbors are permitted near Coral islands since the concrete and steel can damage the sensitive corals. I wished these Islands remained unspoilt forever so that future generations could see such a beautiful creation.

In the evening we set for Chidiyatapu, about 30Kms from Port Blair towards South. This is a must visit place for Sun set viewing. However the clouds played spoilsport yet again and we could not enjoy the ethereal sight. The beach was ravaged by the Tsunami and we can see huge trees that had fallen into the sea water and the concrete wall broken into pieces. That day the Governor of Andaman Islands was at Chidiyatapu to inaugurate a new Zoo, where animals brought in from mainland India, would be displayed. The entire stretch was barricaded and I felt as if the British rulers had revisited us after seeing ordinary mortals braving the sun and the rain. The rains can come in any moment without a warning and can vanish at its own free will. But thankfully, rain did not affect any of our schedules during the entire 5 days stay.

For dinner we had been to Light House Residency and TSG Emerald. The former serves some of the best sea food this side of the Bay of Bengal. We have to choose the fish, the catch of the day, displayed in a dry tank. The Chef prepares the fish items and serves piping hot to us. We had some mouth watering Lobsters, Seer fish and Snapper for dinner.

On the Mahatma’s birthday (2nd October), we were scheduled to return back to Bangalore via Chennai. I had booked our return flight to Chennai through Kingfisher Airlines and hence was not much worried this time about the Indian Airlines pilot strike, which had just ended. With a very heavy heart and fond memories of the Enchanting and Exotic Island called Andaman Islands, we said goodbye with a promise to come back again soon.

The Port Blair airport is very spacious and less crowded. In a day there are about an average 4 flights landing and taking off. The airport is under the control of the Air Force and so night flights are not allowed.

To view the snaps taken at Andaman’s please click on this link below…..
www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=onc2i1x.9dhsnp49&x=0&y=-2ih5uw&localeid=en_US

Trivia
• There is no sales tax or VAT levied in the Islands. So you will find food and stay cheaper without a levy of above stated taxes and luxury tax etc.
• Due to the length of the air routes and the small number of airlines flying to the islands, fares have traditionally been relatively expensive, although cheaper for locals than visitors
• It can rain any moment after bright sunshine, so carry an umbrella always
• Try out restaurants in Port Blair city and Havelock. They are not so expensive and the sea food is just too good to be missed.
• The local people are very friendly. Tip them generously since they rely on tourists for their income. The tourist season is very short (October to March only)
• Engage a guide especially at the Cellular Jail. They can explain the historical relevance in detail and demand very less fee (average Rs 10 to Rs 20 per person only)
• Do not miss the Light and Sound show at the Cellular jail (5:30pm in Hindi and 6:30pm in English)
• Hindi is spoken widely. The Island is a melting pot of all regions (Burma, Bengal, Andhra, Punjab, Bihar, UP and Tamil Nadu). Bengalis are a majority and hence we could see Durga Puja pandals all over Port Blair
• Of the slightly more than 400,000 people that live in the Andaman Islands, a small minority of about 1,000 are indigenous Adivasis of the Andamans
• There are no taxes on food bill. So what rates you see on the menu is the price you pay
• Electricity can play truant especially at Havelock. So please be prepared for a humid day out
• It can get very humid and hot sometimes. So carry light cotton dresses with you to the Island
• Do not forget to carry swimwear and sandals. Even a non swimmer will be tempted to rush into the azure blue waters.
• Hire local travel agent for local transportation. I did not see adequate public transportation including auto rickshaws even at Port Blair.
• Port Blair has almost all the Public Sector Banks represented here including ATMs. But do not expect the Restaurants or Resorts to accept Credit Cards every time/everywhere.
• If the Islands had been in the control of US or Singapore, it would have been the greatest Holiday destination in the World today. Where else can you find unspoilt coral island and white sandy beaches not encroached upon or damaged by human population.
• We can find very less foreign tourists in Port Blair but majority of them at Havelock. The hippies have not yet discovered this place and thank God for that.
• Most of the houses here do not have locks. It is said that in Havelock there have been no police cases so far involving the locals
• Avoid traveling at night especially at Havelock. It is very lonely and street lights almost non existent.
• Wild life is very scarce in the Islands although forest cover looks very dense. Not even monkeys.
• Be prepared to tour most of the places by boat or steamer or ferry. Take an Avomin if you suffer from sea sickness and also be careful when you cross boats to embark or disembark.
• The Island gets its supplies of fruits and vegetables from the mainland. You can see lot of paddy fields, coconut trees and plantain cultivation though
• The backside of a 20 rupee note has the North Bay Island imprinted on it
• Kanhoji Angre, a Maratha admiral had his base on the island in the early 18th century. He was also called the Napolean of the East.
• Veer Savarkar who was imprisoned at the Cellular Jail from 1911 to 1921 wrote several books during his stay here.
• The southernmost tip of India is the Indira Point (earlier called Pygmalion Point) in South Nicobar Islands,
• The primitive tribals like the Jarawas, Onges, Sentinelese still exist in remote Islands. Some of the tribes are still unconnected to the outside world
• The mobile signal can be weak in some Islands like Havelock etc

• Do not look for souvenirs at Andamans. You can buy only sea shells which is not worth carrying.

Horsley Hills - My future Karmabhoomi ??

We see people from towns and villages, following the herd mentality, crowding bigger cities and metros jostling for space with dreams of making it big and striking gold. Here I am, thinking in the reverse following Gandhi’s quote “India lives in its Villages”. When people from smaller towns sell their land and settle down in cities, I thought this is the right time to invest in land and fulfill my dream of setting up a farm house in the midst of Mother Nature.

I set for a place called Horsley Hills near Madanapalle, close to the Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka border. I also took my family along, promising them a great weekend and was accompanied by a friend, who knew the place like the back of his hand. He had booked us in a Guest House at Horsley Hills so that we can take some rest before heading back home.

Madanapalle was our first destination. It is 120 kms from Bangalore and I was surprised to encounter excellent road all through despite heavy rains this time of the year. The traffic was sparse and the road was real smooth, making me step on the gas and drive at 100kmph consistently. Tirupati is 125 kms from Madanapalle and is often called the midpoint between Bangalore and Tirupati.

Madanapalle is a fast growing city at the center of an agricultural region noted for its fruits and vegetables, especially tomatoes. It is the birth place of the famous Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti who founded the Krishnamurti Foundation. It is also known for its high quality silks, which are spun into exquisite sarees and other types of clothing. Rabindranath Tagore translated Jana Gana Mana from Bengali to English and also set it to music in Madanapalle. Madanapalle is also famous for the Besant Theosophical College named after Dr. Annie Besant.

Since Madanapalle is situated at a higher altitude, it has a relatively cooler and pleasant climate than the surrounding places, making it an attractive place for people to build their houses and settle down after retirement. This thought had been going on in my mind after spending all my years in polluted cities and metros.

Jiddu Krishnamurthy founded Rishi valley public school, which is 20 kms from Madanapalle. This is an International school, attracting students from all over the world, regarded as one of the leading residential schools in India. After visiting this Institute, I wished I had a time machine that took me to the 1970s so that I could learn here amidst Nature’s splendour.

After visiting couple of farm lands in and around Madanapalle, we headed for the real destination - Horsley Hills. This Hill station also known as Andhra’s answer to Ooty is located about 1,300 metres above sea level. It is about 35 kms from Madanapally and 150 kms from Bangalore. On the way, one comes across a small town named Angallu, which is famous for its Cattle bazaar especially goat and sheep. A little away, one can find silk farmers rearing silkworms for commercial purpose.

The road to Horsely Hills is very scenic. It is surrounded throughout its entire length with dense growths of trees. Horsely Hills is the departure point for the Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary located some 80 kms away. It is named after a British officer named W.D. Horsley, the Collector of Cuddapah district. He visited this place around 1840 and was impressed by the beauty of the hills and chose this spot for his summer residence. Now the Governor of Andhra Pradesh uses this house as a summer residence and hence this house is called the Governors bungalow.

AP Tourism has constructed a huge Resort around the Governor’s bungalow called Haritha. It offers excellent accommodation facility at value for money rates. The rates range from Rs 1000 for a double bed accommodation to Rs 2000 for AC accommodation in Governor’s bungalow. It has a Restaurant, which serves good food at very affordable cost and surprisingly I found the service level very high despite being run by the Government. Haritha offers lot of facilities within the large area, which includes Swimming Pool, Massage centre and many outdoor activities like Rock climbing etc. The Environmental park houses some wild animals and a huge park. I could see only greenery for acres together. The land is blessed with bountiful rainfall and excellent climate throughout the year. Please carry light woolens since the place can get very cold sometimes. There are very few places to stay here and hence the Resort is full on weekends. It is advised to book well in advance to avoid disappointment.

We encountered very heavy rainfall at night and thought we will not be able to start for Bangalore the next day. We were proved wrong. The weather had changed dramatically the next day. It was bright and sunny and reminded me of a naughty boy sleeping after a prankful day as if he did nothing while being awake. We left this place with a heavy heart promising to come back again in the near future and stay for atleast 3-4 days.

I hope my dream of owning a farm house close to Horsley Hills, growing fruits and vegetables and keeping pets for company, is fulfilled very soon.

An horrendous travel experience

This is a real life incident that happened in late 2000. I was working for a leading ERP product and implementation company and was assigned to a Dutch company based out of Bangalore. The client had scheduled a Meeting at Chennai (350 kms from Bangalore) and I was invited along with couple of their Senior Managers. Normally we would take a flight from Bangalore to Chennai for such Visits but this time due to cost cutting pressure, we were all booked in a Luxury Bus.

We boarded the Sharma Transport bus KA-01-A-115, bound for Chennai, on the fateful night of Friday November 10th 2000. The departure was delayed since one family going to Chennai for a marriage ceremony reported late. From 10:00pm to 12:00 midnight we were discussing the plan for next day and slowly went to sleep. At about 1:00am we got a big jolt, as if the Bus was being thrown aside.

The dacoits, armed with country made pistols and daggers, took charge of this bus in IC814 style, as the bus was nearing Kolar (once famous for its gold mines located some 70 kms from Bangalore). They first pushed the Driver into the gangway and then one of them drove the vehicle on a deviation from the highway, near Narasapur. The Bus was finally parked at a lonely place about 1km from the main highway. All this time the passengers were sternly told to raise their hands.

At the time, the grand thespian from Kannada film industry Rajkumar was kidnapped by dreaded dacoit Veerappan and we feared if this gang belonged to him and were hijacking us to his hideout. The hijackers, all 5 in numbers, occupying the last row in the Bus were well complemented by 4 or 5 others, who had followed the Bus from Bangalore on a Van and a motorbike.

At gunpoint, the passengers were asked to hand over whatever valuables they had on them viz. cash, jewellery, credit cards, wristwatches, etc. Before this, the gang ensured that all mobile phones and pagers were handed over to them. Later each bag was checked with more precision than the security staff at Airport, for more cash and goodies. Resistance from any passenger, was met with rude language and threat to take the passenger out and shoot him. The ruthless gang ensured that all the passengers were left penniless.

There was no doubt, that the gang hailed from the northern part of India, who spoke chaste Hindi. None of them wore masks or gloves, which showed how gutsy they were. One among them was kind hearted, who ensured that peace prevailed and also requested his accomplices to behave well with the ladies and kids. Surprisingly the 3 ladies and 2 kids in the bus did not panic at all. Fortunately nobody was harmed physically except for a few blows rendered to those passengers who tried to conceal some cash.

The entire ordeal lasted for about 50 minutes. The Driver of the bus was asked to hand over the bus keys and then the hosepipe connecting the Fuel Tank was cut off. The gang decamped from the site of the crime after ensuring that the luggage in the undercarriage of the bus, too, was not spared. Fortunately it was a full moon night and the visibility was good.

All praise for the Driver, who repaired the Bus in about 40 minutes time and drove the bus alongwith passengers to the nearest Petrol pump, some 7 kms from the crime site. The passengers then approached the police wirless van parked nearby. Message was flashed on the wireless immediately. The police party arrived within 30 minutes of reporting the incident, including the Superintendent of Police. Special mention to be made of the STD booth owner, near the Petrol pump, whose shop was opened at the request of passengers at about 3:00 am. Considering the state of the passengers, he accepted whatever money was given to him. I called up home to inform my family about the incident and heaved a sigh of relief.

The buses along with passengers were taken to Kolar Rural Police station at about 4:00 am. The crime details were recorded and the entire process was completed by 6:00 am. By then the Udaya TV crew members had arrived. The owner of Sharma Transport also arrived at the Police Station and ensured that the passengers reached Bangalore safely. He also ensured that passengers called up their home to inform about their safety and Tea/coffee with refreshments was arranged on the way back.

I could save my gold chain due to some quick thinking, while the dacoits were busy looting other passengers. My new watch was taken alongwith whatever money was available in the wallet save the Credit cards. I was penniless all the way home. My folks at home were already tuned into the latest Morning news, which flashed our Story. I could see myself on the small screen giving an interview. For a moment nobody realized the agonizing time I had to undergo the whole night until I narrated the complete story. You got a second life, they all echoed.

My tryst with Cabbies around the World

For me travelling is part of my life not only because my job in the Information Technology industry warrants it, but it’s also my favourite hobby.

The first touch point in the new city you land is the Cabbie unless a friend or a family member is waiting for you to be received. My experience with the cabbies around the world ranges from an emotional bonding to a forgettable experience.

Before I landed at Singapore, I was given a earful on the efficient city transport infrastructure especially the cabbies, who are supposed to be very honest, disciplined and expect nothing less or more than the fare that is displayed on the meter. It was the Chinese New Year eve sometime in January 2004 and with nothing much to do that evening, I was very keen to see the Night Safari located some 20 miles away from the City centre. It seemed like the city was in a holiday mood already and I could hardly see Cabs on the wide Singapore roads. The ones that I hailed refused to ply because of the long distance that would have cut short their celebration time. Finally an elderly looking cabbie stopped and offered to take me to my destination. I was very glad but it was short-lived. The cabbie switched off his meter and demanded a fixed fare that was 150% the actual approximate fare. All for the honesty and efficiency of the Singapore cabbies, I was left to ponder. I had no choice but to engage his service and enjoy the evening at the “must see” Night Safari including a dekko of the Singapore’s famous citizen, Ah Meng the Orangutan.

Later that year, I was sent to Houston, USA for a month’s consulting assignment. The cabbies in the US are well known for demanding the extras on top of the actual fare. After all US is known for its regulated Tips culture unlike other Western countries I have visited. But I did not expect this experience when I took a cab from the George Bush International Airport to The Woodlands, a suburb 20 miles away from downtown Houston. I knew the fare would be approximately $60 and kept $5 bill handy for the “Tip”. When the cab stopped at my destination, the fare was displayed as $62. I handed over $65 much to the annoyance of the cabbie. He expressed his anguish and frustration upon getting a tip of just $3 and started demanding $10 from me. I had no choice but to handover $70 which was still short of his demand. He departed, maybe with a thought of never taking an Asian passenger again. What is the difference in this cabbie and the Autowallahs of Chennai, I felt? My mind was immediately transported to Mumbai, where the cabbies took pains to return even a Rupee back to the passenger.

Closer home, I had a wonderful experience with the Srinagar cabbies, when I was sent to that city for a short assignment. This was in 2005 and the tourists were still apprehensive about planning a holiday to this paradise on Earth. I was a little apprehensive, when I landed at the Srinagar Airport but after interacting with the locals, I felt it was as safe as any other city in India. People were very warm and friendly and went out of their way to help any Tourist. My cabbie was very soft spoken and he hardly drove the cab above the 40km/per hour limit. I was wondering why he was different compared to others who drove on the Srinagar roads at high speed. Later I came to know, that he had couple of bypass surgeries and was not willing to take any chance by driving rashly. He was the only bread winner for the family and his absence from work meant his family had to go almost hungry. The lean tourist season had affected their business very badly. On the day, he dropped me to the Airport for my onward journey back home; I wished him good health; good tourist season and offered a tip equivalent to the US dollars I had paid to the ungrateful US cabbie. After some reluctance, he accepted the tip. The smile on his face brightened the entire environment around him and even my delayed flight back home had no moment of anxiety within me.

Last year (June 2008), I was asked to attend a Seminar in Munich, Germany. Summer in Germany is a unique experience, when people are in the best of spirits literally. A trip to Munich is incomplete without a Visit to the Hofbräuhaus, the famous Bavarian style Beer hall. I enjoyed Munich as much as the warm and friendly Münchners. I would never come across a city again, I thought, wherein people gave lot of importance to time be it the Hotel chef who served my Cheese and Egg Omelette in 3 minutes flat as promised or the friendly cabbie who arrived at the Hotel lobby 15 minutes before the appointed time to take me to the Airport. Somewhat Asian looking, I picked up a conversation with this cabbie, who had earlier greeted me Guten Tag (Good Day in German). The cabbie turned out to be an Afghan, who had settled down 6 years ago at Munich. He tried to speak with me in broken Urdu and became very emotional when I asked him about his homeland and his thoughts on India- Afghanistan relations. Most of the cabbies, be it in India or abroad, are often well read and I think their political opinion is well sought after since their attachment to the print media is more than anyone else. The newspapers give them the right company, while they wait for their next Customer. This Pathan, too, was well read. He felt bad about the war in his country and was very glad about India’s role in transforming his country. He echoed the feelings of his countrymen, by showing lot of interest in Bollywood and India’s rich cultural heritage. When I got down at the Airport, the Pathan embraced me in true Afghan style; wished me happy journey back home and asked me to pray for his country. Maybe the thought that my flight to India passes over his Motherland’s airspace, excited him more……

Early this year (February 2009), I was in London for couple of weeks on an official trip. The Asians must be forming almost 80% of the cabbies in the UK just as in US or Australia or UAE. Most of the cabbies in this sleepy suburban town called Slough, where I stayed, are from Pakistan. Normally these cabbies desist from making any political statement about India-Pakistan relationship but rather feel that we should live as friendly neighbours and squarely blame the politicians for the current state of affairs. I have seen the Indian and Pakistani cabbies mingle so freely in a foreign land as if they belong to the same hometown. Maybe it has got to do with the common language and culture that bind both these countrymen. Most of these cabbies have to send money back home and hence work almost round the clock, unlike the locals who prefer 8 hours shift and a relaxing weekend. Someone in the office, where I worked, slipped a Visiting card of a Mr. Khan, London Taxi Driver. Let me try Mr. Khan’s service for the journey back to my Hotel, I thought. Little did I know that this Khan would become my “un”official chauffeur for rest of my stay in Slough. He ensured that I never engaged another cabbie, by offering me a reasonable fare and prompt service at all times. Once while driving back to the Hotel, we stopped for a few minutes, while my friend had to make some purchase in the local store. I asked Khan as to why he was slogging so hard. His eyes moistened and he began by telling me his story. He had come to London 20 years ago after his marriage. His 3 kids were born in the UK and had adopted the English culture that included pubbing and dating. They could not be disciplined since he feared they may go to the local Police and complain against him. Two of his kids were girls of marriageable age and he feared they would run away with local British boys. He was hence planning to take his children to Pakistan and get both the girls married, without their knowledge. He was slogging to earn the air fare for his large family and the marriage ceremony back home. I could not say a word since I did not know how to react and what to suggest. I felt he was wrong in not letting his daughters know about the plan but after all he was a parent and wanted his kids to follow the culture of his motherland, which is fast diminishing in a foreign land. He had to leave the next day for Pakistan and asked his brother to be his replacement for rest of my stay at Slough. I wished him good luck and hoped he took the right decision.


Yours Truly,

Arvind Kamath
Bangalore

About the Author:
Arvind works for EDS, an HP company and is based out of Bangalore, India. Prior to HP, he was employed by Infosys Technologies. Both these companies gave him an opportunity to see the world, while on consulting assignments.

Glimpses of Europe

Travel Tale – Europe

My dream of visiting almost all the Western European countries in 13 days was fulfilled when I successfully completed this tour on Tuesday 7th November. I had earlier seen European cities viz. London, Amsterdam and Frankfurt but this tour gave me an opportunity to see all the other leading European cities like Paris, Brussels, Cologne, Rotterdam, Lucerne, Innsbruck, Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence and compare them.

My journey started with a quick tour of London covering Madamme Tussaud’s wax museum, the House of Parliament, Tower bridge, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. Famous for unpredictable weather, London did not provide good photo opportunity due to mild showers. We started for Paris in the evening by Eurostar. The journey through English Channel took us just 200 minutes to reach Paris.

Paris was all glitter and charm and is known for its famous night life. The city of rich and famous also offers gastronomic delight, with some of the best cuisine in the world. The trip to Eiffel Tower and River Seine at night will remain etched in my memory forever. The Eiffel was all decked up like a beautiful bride. Eiffel by day was quite different with its robust charm. We were taken to the top of Eiffel in just 10 minutes and the view of Paris from such a great height was really mind boggling. The city looks so beautiful that you do not feel like taking your eyes off. Champs Elysees is the most famous avenue in the world and is used for major national celebrations much like our Rajpath. It also houses Arc De Triomphe (Victory Arch) where we salute the tomb of the unknown soldier. We visited the Louvre museum ,w hich was earlier the palace of Napoleon. It is the world’s largest museum that houses the original Leonardo Da Vinci’s Monalisa painting.

The trip took us to Netherlands, a rare country that is below sea level and has no mountains. Also known as the windmill country, Netherlands is also famous for Madurodam or miniature Netherlands reflecting the entire country in 1:25 frame. It has miniature Airport to windmills to soccer stadiums. The tulip gardens were closed during this time, that is something which we missed. On the way to Netherlands we had a small halt at Brussels known for Belgium chocolates and Mannekin Pis, the statue of little boy.

The real tour of Europe started as we entered Switzerland. Just before entering Switzerland we halted at Munich and visited the old Cathedral supposed to be one of the largest in the world. Switzerland is the land of cheese, chocolates and snow clad mountains made famous by our Bollywood films. We visited Mount Titlis and enjoyed the cable car ride. The journey to Mount Titlis by cog wheel train from the base was breathtaking. It started snowing on the way and green turned to white in few minutes. This was a remarkable sight. The same day we also visited Jungfraujoch, which is the highest railway station in Europe. Our guide swore by the beauty of Austria and till we reached this country nobody knew what was in store. The journey took us through Black Forest mountains, famous for the cake by the same name. We visited the cuckoo clock factory and then the Swarovski Crystal Museum. We saw the biggest crystal in the world and Chetak the horse all decked up in crystals. We discovered that Austria is a very beautiful country but has been overshadowed by Switzerland thanks to lot of publicity. The road to Innsbruck through snow clad valleys still remains the most memorable road journey for me.

Italy was the last country on the itinerary and we started with Venice, the romantic and quaint little city on the Mediterranean Sea. The city known for the gondola boat ride and the Venice Square made famous by the latest Bond movie was just the right recipe for a great Roman Holiday. Next we visited Florence and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which still remains an architectural wonder. Last on the trip was Rome, the icing on the cake. Rome is a beautiful city with well paved roads. It boasts of some of the best preserved buildings having great architecutural value. The Rome Colloseum reminded us of the brutal games being played in ancient history. The place is in ruins and was recently voted amongst the seven wonders. City of Rome also embraces a small country named Vatican City spread over just 22 square miles and is revered as the most religious place for the Catholics.

After coming back, many asked me as to which place or city I would rate the best. I had a tough choice between Paris and Rome but Paris ranks at the top. Among countries, Austria is much more scenic and beautiful than the much hyped Switzerland. Also the timing was just perfect for this tour. Snowfall had just started in Switzerland and Austria. Whereas England was gloomy as ever, the best weather was encountered in Italy. The time was however not perfect for Netherlands since the Tulips were not in full bloom. I also happened to visit the 1st and 4th smallest countries in the world - Vatican City (population of 800) and Leichtenstein (population of 3000) as also 2 modern wonders a) the Eiffel Tower and b) the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The best moments during this tour was encountered at the Lido show at Paris. I would rate this an experience of my lifetime although it cost me a fortune. The food especially Indian food was available at all these places and I rediscovered my love for coffee. The cleanliness, efficient traffic manners, warmth of the people were other highlights. Since I trraveled by road from Paris all the way to Rome, I experienced some of the best expressways in the world - the Autobahns of Germany with speed limit of 180kmph ; Autostrade of Italy etc.

Most romantic moment was on Top of Europe - Mount Titlis at Switzerland
Most sad moment - after seeing Diana's memorial at Paris near the the underpass where she died;
Most funniest moment - seeing Aishwarya Rai's wax statue being moved from next to Amitabh to close to Brad Pitt at Madam Tussauds (from the last time I visited Tussauds in Sept 2005)
Most thrilling moments- at the top of Eiffel Tower getting complete view of the most beautiful city, Paris >> the train journey to the highest railway station in the world at Jungfraujoch, Switzerland - 3kms above sea level >>> train journey by Eorostar through the English Channel from London to Paris
Most disappointing moment - Gondola ride at Venice where the smell of the canal water was just too much to bear >> paid toilets almost at all places in Europe sometimes costing Rs 60 per usage (1 Euro).

SriLankan Holiday

Sri Lanka. The name conjures up images of a war torn country, poor country, “what is there to see in that country” and so on…

When I planned to visit Sri Lanka, I was met with some opposition from my family members but ultimately I was able to convince not just my wife and kid but also my parents, who agreed to be part of this journey. But this country can throw up a surprise if you visit this place with less expectations of a great holiday destination.

From the time we stepped into the Bandaranayake International Airport at Colombo on the afternoon of 28th December till we entered this airport again to leave for India on 2nd January, we were really enchanted by this beautiful Island and its truly lovely people.

The flight from Chennai to Colombo takes just over an hour. The view from the aircraft is really breath taking especially when the plane glides through the Indian Ocean and the beautiful lagoon to land at Colombo. Don’t miss the tip of Sri Lanka. The first impression we get of any country, is the Airport. I was bowled over by the Colombo airport which beats any International Airport in India currently. Be it the choice of duty free shopping or the smooth Emigration facility or the cleanliness and friendly charm of the officials. It resembled any mid-sized US airport to me. Our guide cum driver for the 6 days tour, Thilak, was waiting anxiously to receive us at the Airport. After converting our US$ to Sri Lankan rupees we were all set to tour Sri Lanka. Indian Rupees is not acceptable here and the conversion works out to 110 Sri Lankan Rupees for 1 US$ (Re 1 = Sri Lankan Rs 2.30 approx)

We were greeted with folded hands (like our Namaste) with an AYUBOWAN or May you live long (equivalent to our Ayushmaan Bhava).

The Tour started with a 5 hour long journey by Road to Sigiriya. We never felt as though we were outside India. The road to Sigiriya; the houses; the fruits or vegetable vendors all looked very similar. It seemed like a mixture of Kerala, Goa and coastal Karnataka. Thilak was quick to remind us after we left Colombo, that there was a blast near the Police headquarters. We were unfazed after seeing the smile on the faces of the local Lankans. On the way we stopped for a break – Tender coconut or King Coconut as they call because of the size and light orange color. Never have we tasted such sweet water before. We were also surprised to see Mangoes being sold in December. Although they look green and uncouth from the outside, they did taste very sweet and juicy.

We reached Sigiriya Resort at 7pm (Sri Lankan time zone is same as India). The Resort staff was extremely friendly and the smile seemed to be fixed on every Sri Lankan face we met. One of the staff members whispered in my ears that we had Ramu and his film crew for company. Yes, the famous Indian Film Producer Ram Gopal Varma was staying at this resort with his entire crew including Nisha Kothari and Nitin for about a month. They are shooting for a Bollywood film named Agyaat or Unknown. The Receptionist wanted to know if Ramu was a famous personality in India. When I told her that he is a maker of Rangeela, she was astonished and asked me to meet him seated at the lobby. Ramu later tells me that the story revolves around a film unit on a shoot, which gets trapped deep in a forest. The crew members get killed one after another. However, no one knows whether the killer is a person or an animal. The entire film was being shot in the deep jungles of Sigiriya. Films apart, the stay the Resort was very memorable. We had wild monkeys and iguanas for company. The swimming pool had a great backdrop – Sigiriya Rock (see the snap).

Day 2 we were set to climb the 5th Century BC Sigiriya Rock and Fortress which is a World Heritage site. The entrance fees to most of the sight seeing places in Sri Lanka could be very exhorbitive. Here it was SLR 2,500 per person but after we showed our Indian Passports we were given 50% concession. There are around 2000 steps to the top of this fortress which has a small lake. I decided to cut short the journey to the top and settled down for just 1000 steps which led us to the Frescoes or Wall paintings akin to our Ajanta cave paintings. On the way we saw ancient fountains, rocks that resembled a cobra and breathtaking scenery from the top. We retuned back after a grueling 2 hours of trekking. At Sigiriya we also enjoyed the elephant ride through the fringes of the jungle.

In Sri Lanka, you can try these delicacies like a) Hoppers - which is similar to our Aapam, b) String hoppers - which is similar to our Idi apam, c) Stew Sambol - which is a coconut chutney in various form, d) Pittoo, which is very similar to our Kerala Puttu. However these delicacies are available only in 3/5 star Hotels and not at common Restaurants. But food still remains a concern for us Indians since you do not get any Indian delicacy at the Hotels/Restaurants unless it’s a Speciality Indian Restaurant, which are few in entire Sri Lanka. We had to settle down for some Continental Lunch/Dinner on many occasions.

Day 3 we set out for Kandy – 4 hours drive from Sigiriya. Kandy was the Capital of Sri Lankan kings and now it is the 2nd largest city in Sri Lanka after Colombo. Kandy is known for the world famous Temple of the Tooth Relic, which has the tooth of Buddha kept inside it. This is also a world heritage site. Before going to the temple we witnessed Sri Lankan traditional dances to the beat of the drums at the Cultural Center. The temple is heavily guarded and entry is restricted to just 1 hour in the day and late evening. The tooth is kept within the Relic and hence not exposed to the visiting public. We liked the overall ambience and the setting within the temple. A real visual treat if you like History especially Gautam Buddha and Buddhism. At Kandy we also saw the Indian High Commissioner’s office located near the serene and beautiful Kandy Lake. Kandy is a beautiful city and the weather was just right. You will notice almost all the billboards sporting their favourite Cricket players and Jayasuriya seems to be their hot favourite and must be their top model. Cricket is played at every nook and corner of Sri Lanka and sometimes on roads at some places.

Day 4 we set out from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya (combination of our Munnar and Coonoor near Ooty). Nuwara Eliya is a 4 hours drive from Kandy. On the way we visited Dambulla Golden Temple dedicated to Buddha. It has the biggest Buddha statue in the world. The distance from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya is short but half the distance was to be covered through ghats leading us to 1,850 meters above sea level. The temperature suddenly dipped to around 10-15 degrees Celsius. The road to Nuwara Eliya seemed as if we were traversing through thick green carpet of tea gardens… so soothing to the eyes. We visited a tea factory and were shown the entire process of making Ceylonese tea. It tasted bit different from our Indian tea…little light. Do you know that Sri Lanka is the largest exporter of Tea in the world? Most of the tea pickers are Tamilians and hence we can see small Hindu temples around Nuwara Eliya. The entire ecosystem around Nuwara Eliya was breathtaking. Its green cover and forests with almost zero pollution makes it a great place for healthy living. No wonder Ravana built his famous Ashok Vatika near Nuwara Eliya, where he kept Sita under his custody after abducting her from Tapovan (near Nashik-Maharashtra). We did not visit the Botanical garden, which people say was built by Ravana but we did visit Sita Eliya, a temple dedicated to Sita and as per local Tamil folklore she was kept there in captivity by Ravana. The temple is surrounded by a forest and a small waterfall. However Sri Lankans do not associate Ravana with their country, which came as a surprise to us. In fact Sita Eliya is not recommended on the travel itinerary and many Indians thus miss out on this important place of worship.

We had to spend the New Year’s eve at Nuwara Eliya . We were put up at St Andrew’s, one of the oldest Colonial Resort type Hotels in Nuwara Eliya dating back to mid 19th century. The entire country seemed to celebrate New Year which is a great occasion for the Sri Lankans. People burst crackers till early morning and dance on the streets. I decided to skip the New Year program organized by the Hotel and instead played a game of Snooker with my son and went to bed early.

On the 1st of Jan we left for our final destination that is Colombo. We were eagerly looking forward to seeing this old Port city of Colombo. It took us almost 7 hours to reach Colombo from Nuwara Eliya, a distance of 180kms through long winding roads.

Colombo is a very beautiful city. Clean and wide streets; no cattle on the roads; no honking but disciplined traffic; vehicles respect pedestrians. There are some parts of the old City which resembles any Indian city especially the bazaar areas. The new City is swank with tall buildings lining up the city roads. The beach along Colombo city is not that great but the view of the Harbour is really breathtaking.
There are couple of Indian restaurants and finally we were able to eat real good Indian food. We visited an old Dutch church; a Hindu temple; Independence Square and Convention Center. On this day, the Sri Lankan army captured Killinochchi and the Maldivian President was also visiting Colombo. There was tight security in the city, which was very similar to what I witnessed at Srinagar. There is an army man every 50 metres. However they were very polite and not once they inconvenienced us. Our guide introduced us to them as friendly neighbours and we could see the smile on the young faces…most of them young ladies. We could see children playing cricket on the Colombo streets which were deserted due to a local Holiday. We took time to shop at Odel, a swanky Mall in the city. Here you can shop for great clothes and fashion accessories.

We left Colombo and Sri Lanka for India with a very heavy heart. Although we heard there was a blast again on the day of our return, we were glad that our trip was very eventful and successful. We faced no hardship and we really enjoyed the warmth and genorosity of the Sri Lankan people. Now we know why they greet us Ayubowan since they live life happily despite the internal turmoil this country is facing. I hope they come out of this phase very soon. They love Indians and love our Bollywood films very much.

Some highlights of Sri Lanka:

· The inflation rate is very high. You may find the rates at Hotels or Restaurants or Entrance to sightseeing places very expensive. A decent meal for 2 can cost you SLR 3,000 OR Indian Rupees 1,400. Most Hotels serve Beef and Pork and alcohol is served almost everywhere.
· Auto fares are SLR 60 minimum (they call Tuk Tuks). You need to learn the art of bargaining to deal with some Vendors or Auto drivers.
· Most of the vehicles – the autos, the cars and the buses are India made. However taxis are mostly Nissans or Toyotas. The trains look very old fashioned except the Colombo locals which are made in China.
· Fish is available in plenty and so are various fruits and vegetables. We visited a Bazaar at Kandy and it was very similar to our Indian bazaar.
· Petrol costs SLR 100 per litre which is almost similar to Indian rate after conversion. Rice, their staple diet, costs SLR 135 per kg average which we thought was expensive for the average rice eater.
· Indian rupees is not acceptable in Sri Lanka. Carry US dollars instead.
· You don’t need a Visa to visit Sri Lanka. You can get a Visa on arrival and it took us just few minutes to get one. The Customs and Emigration folks are very friendly.
· Sri Lanka is very tourist friendly. You will see lot of Europeans and Japanese tourists and very less Indians. This was surprising.
· The toilet facilities are very good and even the remotest place have clean toilets unlike India.
· Shop for Tea; Medicinal or Ayurvedic products and Clothes. Batiks and handicrafts are expensive.
· Sri Lanka is also known for gems and jewellery. Emeralds from Sri Lanka are famous. However the prices are exhorbitive unless you know how to bargain and get a good deal.
· The local people speak Sinhalese and it is not at all similar to any South Indian language except for some words, which are derived from Sanskrit like amba for mango etc. The script is similar to Kannada/Telugu but only in appearance.
· Tamils form 15% of the population and we can see most of the sign boards in Tamil
· There are no milestones on Roads with distance mentioned. You have to wait for a major junction to see what the distance is to the destination
· Roads in small towns are not very good and could be bumpy. But very few speed breakers could be found and people respect the traffic rules
· An average air trip costs Rs 10,000 per person and a travel package another Rs 15,000 for 6 days tour. Jet Airways, Sri Lankan Airlines and Air India Express fly to Colombo daily from Chennai. Kingfisher is starting a flight from Bangalore to Colombo in end January.
· We asked Thilak the average salary of a Sri Lankan. We were told it is SLR 25,000 TO 30,000 per month for an average Sri Lankan.
· They have a strict dowry system like in India. The bride has to give property, gold, cash etc.
· Do not ask about Ravana or Ram or Sita with the local Sinhalese people. Most of them have not even heard these names. Their history books talk nothing about the old Ramayana folklore. Only the ethnic Tamil people are aware about Ramayana and the key actors.
· Don’t ask locals about LTEE and Tamil Eelams in detail. Some of them may think we empathize their cause and hence better to avoid this discussion.
· The current President of Sri Lanka, Rajapakse is well respected by the Sri Lankans especially for his bold stand on LTTE
· The local TV channels do not show Indian TV channels except for some Colombo Hotels.
· Ghajini and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi were being shown in their theaters. We could see long queues for tickets. The Bollywood films have English sub titles.
· On TV, the Bollywood films and serials like Saas Bhi Kabhi…. are dubbed into Sinhalese and shown on local channels. Most of the TV channels show Sinhalese serials and there are very few advertisements. Smoking and Drinking scenes are blanked out.
· Greet people with a smile; folded hands and say Ayubowan. This is the jadoo ki jhappi for the Sri Lankans especially coming from their friendly neighbours.


I hope you enjoyed reading this long and lengthy travelogue. Please await my next write up till I identify and visit another exotic location…..

Wish you a Very Happy New Year.

Rgds,
Arvind

Srinagar Diary

On my flight to Srinagar from Delhi, a very apprehensive me pondering hard, what awaits me at the city. A city, which everyone forbade me to visit going by various press reports and the recent October earthquake which shook the entire State that was already in turmoil. But I was proved wrong. It was a very pleasant sight to see a normal city going through the hustle bustle of daily grind at 12:30pm on a clear Monday afternoon.On my way to the airport, I was greeted by people looking very cheerful despite the hardship they had to undergo all the years. The wide and beautiful road that took me to the City center looked so normal and made me feel as if I was in a Delhi suburb. It was only after I saw security personnel every 100 yards, which made all the difference. Srinagar, a city that once was the toast of Bollywood producers and the honeymooners alike, today looked like a protected bride. The people, however made all the difference with their warmth and generous smile. Even the coldest winter in a decade (-6.5 degrees celsius temperature) could not take away this warmth. On checking in at the Hotel, my home for the next 5 days, I was made to feel like I was the bridegroom visiting my in laws after many years. The hotel staff at the Reception were excited when I mentioned I came from Bangalore. Oh, you come from the IT capital of the world, they gushed. The hotel had all the facilities I could expect in a 5 star hotel, contrary to my expectation. That night on Tuesday, December 13th at 3:15am I felt the experience of my life. The earthquake, which had an epicenter in Afghanistan, shook the city out of its sleep. When I came out of the hotel room, I was greeted by the hotel staff which ensured that all its guests were safe even at that time of the day. We did not dare rush out of the hotel as the temperature was lesser than -6 degrees celsius outside. If the God above us willed we will be very safe, is what the hotel staff said and assured us of safety in case there were aftershocks. Switching the Television on, we saw that the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.8 on the Richter scale and this time, God did not will to take away any life. He had certainly heard their prayers! The years of turmoil and the earthquakes that shook this beautiful state, has certainly made the people very tough and they could face any trouble or problem that posed before them. The next day I visited Dal Lake and was pained to see almost all houseboats with Vacant board hanging outside the majestic boats. A top tourist destination for years was reduced to this state. This was only due to unfound fears of people like me who now prefer to visit other countries than holiday in Kashmir. The state has everything to offer and can easily offer tough competition to Swiss locales which we see in Yash Chopra films. The place has people with large hearts and this makes a big difference when it comes to tourism. I could hardly see any form of terrorism or experience anti India bashing throughout the five days I was in Srinagar. Where dont we see terrorism in today's world... New York, London, Madrid, Paris, Delhi. Have people stopped going there? We have seen the terrorism of worst kind in Bangalore, a city which prides itself to be a safe city and the IT capital of the world, where a lady employed with a MNC company is raped and murdered by the company's own contract staff. That evening I took a stroll near Lal Chowk, the city hub. I was enthralled to see the market place and the lively atmosphere. When the shopkeepers came to know that I came from a distant place, they took more care to offer the best service. This city demands better tourism facilities and the local Kashmiris want us to visit them. The general feeling of the people contained positive hope that the new Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad would take the State to its former glory. I could see that change happening. Almost all leading private air carriers flying to Srinagar, new International airport, wide and beautiful roads, flyovers etc. are certainly positive signs. On my day of departure, I could clearly see the moistened eyes of the hotel staff who bid adieu to me. They wanted me to visit the place once again with my family. Let us restore Kasmir to the earlier glory - The Crown of India. The Government should take positive steps to promote tourism in Kashmir and bring us closer to these wonderful people and the place once described as the Heaven on Earth.

Yours truly,
Arvind Kamath
Bangalore

Bhubaneshwar Trip

This was my first visit to Bhubaneshwar, the Temple City of India and was very apprehensive before landing here since I had heard lot of stories about this place – both good and bad. From the aircraft the city looked flooded due to incessant rainfall since last couple of weeks but looked neat and compact with a small town look. Bhubaneshwar airport is small but well maintained. I was greeted by a board that read “ Infosys welcomes ARBINDH KAMATA” . My name was already translated to Oriya language by the friendly cab driver J The drive to airport to Infosys campus (about 20 kms) took just 25 minutes with no traffic jam. The roads are wide and well maintained with good amount of greenery all around. Being a travel freak, I made the team miss the Saturday afternoon siesta. We set off for local sight seeing starting with the main temple – Lingaraj temple. We were already warned about the priests who pester a lot and make you pay “dakshina” forcefully. The ancient temple houses the Shiva Linga which is “swayambhoovu” – which means orignated from the Earth naturally. The city gets its name from this temple. We also visited the famous Buddha Stupa at Dhauligiri just on the outskirts of this temple. This place is related to the famous War of Kalinga fought by King Ashoka. Later we visited the Khandagiri and Udayagiri, famous for rock cut caves built by Jain monks. On Sunday we started early morning for Konark. We were lucky to have a localite within the group - Daisy Smita who belongs to Bhubaneshwar. Thanks to her we could ward off local guides and priests. We started with visit to the magnificent Sun Temple at Konark, which is the most stunning monuments of religious architecture in the world. From Konark, on our way to Puri we visited the Chandrabhaga beach. The route to Puri is extremely picturesque via the Marine drive and in about 30 minutes we reached the abode of Lord Jagannath. On reaching Puri we visited the temple of Lord Jagannath. None of the temples here allow cameras and entry is restricted only to Hindus. Being the tallest temple in Orissa, it is one of the most magnificent pieces of monuments of India. After the darshan we had lunch and then spent some time at the vibrant Puri beach. On our way back from Puri we stopped at Pipli famous for various kinds of handicraft items like lamp shades, wall hangings, umbrellas etc. Thus came to an end my visit of Bhubaneshwar, Puri and Konark carrying back sweet memories of these places. Even the rains could not dampen our spirits but certainly affected quality of our snaps.