Day 198-2011 : Bomb Blasts! Hmmm...OK.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

It was around 7.15 in the evening.  I was at work, in the closing stages of a hour long conference call.  I receive a  message on my Office Communicator from a colleague, which says..'3 bomb blasts in Mumbai'.  I respond, 'OK'.  

The conference call gets over.  My immediate response is to try and 'google' what is happening out there.  However, I am in a series of back-to-back meetings with my staff and people overseas for the next one hour and hence cannot find out more.  In the next 30 minutes, while I am in the midst of a staff meeting, I receive 4-5 text messages (not phone calls...!) on my phone enquiring if I was safe.  I also see a missed call from Mom.  During the next conference call with people overseas, my multi-tasking self  casually 'googles' the web for news on the blast. 3 bomb blasts in Dadar, Opera House and Zaveri Bazaar; 17 injured, I read.  I think, 'Looks like a small blast'.  I also try to watch the reactions of my colleagues from glass wall of my cabin.  There seems to be flutter on the floor and people look a bit nervous.  A couple of them are worried about their near and dear ones, as they were supposed to be in the vicinity of the areas where the bomb blasts have occurred.  After a few minutes, everyone looks normal and is back to work.

The series of meetings and conference calls finally gets over.  I answer a few curious questions about the blasts from my overseas colleagues and assure them that all is well.  News travels fast these days.  I simply refresh the the 'Google Search Results' page.  It now tells me: '....8 dead, 70 injured.'  I call Priya and find out that she knows nothing about what is happening in the outside world, being with the kids at home.  I ask her to switch on the news channels and keep me informed of all that she gets to know.  I call back my Mom and assure her of my safety.  I am still not done for the day, so I continue working for sometime in the office, which includes impromptu discussions with my team and some of my peers about the blasts.  It has in the meantime also been determined that all staff in my team are safe.  Those who were supposed to be travelling to work are already in the office premises, those who had left for their homes a few hours ago, had safely reached their homes.  I try to tell one of my peers that we should be worrying about staffing for the next day.  My apprehensions are brushed off, 'Kuch nahi hoga...jo hona tha aaj ho gaya.  Kal sab normal hoga!'  I hear that the office transport has started plying the buses and the cars again after temporarily stopping it for an hour or so, 'as there were no more news of any more blasts in the city.'  I pack up for the day and walk down to the parking lot.  On my way, I call a couple of relatives in Mumbai to find out if they are safe.  They are.  One of my cousins reports hearing the sound of the Dadar blast, while on her way to the temple.  

I reach home to find Priya watching her favorite soap.  She informs me that she switched to the soap only a few moments back as she was getting bored of the same news and video clips being broadcast by the news channels repeatedly, in loop.  I switch on the news channels while having food.  '15 killed; 102 injured', the newsflash announces.  The news reporters are shown urging eye witnesses to narrate what happened, some have even recorded videos of gruesome scenes just moments after the blasts.  The scavenging reporters take great delight in being able to show these 'exclusive' clips.  I get fed up, get a sick feeling, put off the television and go to bed. 

Thursday, July 14, 2011

I get the newspapers and am staring at a bold 'AGAIN' on the front page.  The next few pages are all describing the details of the blasts.  I do not have the patience nor the inclination to read the reams of pages describing the blasts from everyone's perspective; the Mumbai Commissioner of Police to the beggar on the street.  I call office to check if everyone's reported to work.  Everyone has.  I get ready for work and on my way, see that traffic was as normal as it is on other days.  I am told there would be extra vigilance and security measures on the roads and at my work premises.  I find no difference.  The security guard at the main gate, as  usual, checks for a bomb in my car's boot (as if that is the only place where one could hide it..!) and lets me go.  I reach my desk and see everything is business as usual.  

Do you feel angry and frustrated reading the sequence of events above?  As is evident from the narration above, most Mumbaikars don't.  Apart from the people who are directly impacted by the explosions, nobody else seems to be feeling the pain and no one seems to care.  Is there a sense of vulnerability in the people of the city due to the repeated strikes by terrorists over the last few years?  The answer is, no. It seems to me that fatalism has taken over.  

Is this the famous 'resilience' of the city at play?  The answer is again, no. This is   how 'numbed minds' react.  Numbed by the audacity of the extremists at being able to strike almost at will, in the choicest of places.  Numbed by the continuing inaction and a lack of will, from the polity leading to such strikes.  Numbed by the sheer helplessness and lack of preparation of a police force, paralyzed by corruption and procrastination.  Numbed by the senseless exploitation of such incidents by the media.

The hundreds of crores invested in intelligence and equipment is obviously of no use.  Perhaps, this is the most effective way to prevent these terrorists from doing mindless acts of terror like this.  The terrorist might just decide that there is no point orchestrating such acts, as the common man seems to be numbingly indifferent to it.  

Take care.

Day 191-2011 : Investors On Strike!?

This was how an extremely articulate business leader described the current state of global financial markets a couple of weeks ago.  The BSE Sensex has fallen to a little less than 18900 from the highs of around 21000 six months ago!  This downward trend is seen in other major markets in the world.  Gold prices have appreciated exponentially and crude is again closing in on the $100 mark.  Countries in Europe are struggling to stay afloat.  Greece almost defaulted.

So what is happening?  The answer is:  Exactly what was happening a year ago!  The PIIGS (the group of European countries namely Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece & Spain) were in trouble exactly a year ago, when they were about to run out of cash and the IMF and some of the other eurozone countries bailed them out.  These countries are again out on the streets with the begging bowl...at least Greece is, and I am assuming Portugal will soon follow.  The austerity measures and structural reforms agreed by these very countries have not worked and have in fact been huge flops.  Instead of uniting the entire country in these times of crisis, the austerity measures have been a subject for heated debate and, specifically in Greece, public unrest.  Pro-austerity pundits believe the policy makers have not gone far enough for them to work, and the other side of the argument is that the austerity measures have in fact worsened the sovereign credit crisis.

The future of Euro as a currency is in question again as it is very clear that the inability of these countries to control their currency is one of the reasons for the crisis.  The United Kingdom, though impacted by the latest crisis, must be standing in the sidelines with a smirk on its face.  The fact that it did not join the Euro, is seen as the prime reason that it is not in a bad shape compared to others like Ireland.

Interestingly, everyone fears that the response of the market participants to the latest crisis is going to be very similar to that of 2008.  Everyone tries to de-risk, hold tight and clams up, thus causing liquidity issues in the financial system.  Investors on strike!  The declining volume trends of trades executed in the exchange-traded as well as the OTC markets over the last few weeks are very good indicators of what is in store next.  Is it going to be 2008 revisited?  A couple of key indicators are definitely different this time compared to 2008.  Unemployment rates as well as the level of public debt of major world economies, are both higher this time, thus reducing the ability of the global economy to absorb systemic shocks like a sovereign debt default or a banking system collapse. 

Hence, my view is that the world at large cannot afford a policy mistake like the Lehman bankruptcy this time around.  Sovereign policy makers as well as key corporate functionaries in today's interconnected financial system, will need to respond in a co-ordinated manner, to understand and control this emerging challenge.  There is far too much at stake...as everyone knows. 

Take care!

Day 184-2011 : Paradise on Earth - Final Part

I have finally reached the end of my boring travelogue on our trip to Kashmir.  Blogging is a time consuming hobby, so please bear with me.

The only agenda on the final day was for the whole group to fly back to their homes.  As we left the hotel everyone had mixed feelings.  On the one hand, the relief of going back to familiar environments was evident, but, on the other hand, people were surprised at how quickly the last 6 days passed.  We made new friends, which is a big plus for group tours, and everyone was promising everyone else that they would be staying in touch. 

There were worries that we could meet heavy traffic on our way to the airport as the J&K capital was being shifted that day from Jammu to Srinagar!  We were told that if we did meet those government convoys carrying the entire officialdom (people & paper), it could take hours to get out of the jams.  Thankfully, the drive from the hotel to the airport was a short one.

I have to however, mention an interesting fact, as it was a first for me.  As we approached the airport, our vehicle was stopped at a security gate about 1 KM from the airport.  The procedure was to screen all the baggage at this distance and then load it back into the vehicles to travel the rest of the distance to the airport.  In all, there were three rings of security layers by the time we reached the check-in counter. 

After going through all of that we finally boarded the flight.  We did not have to change flights this time and were back in Mumbai after 2 stops (Jammu & Delhi).  Tired and not looking forward to getting back to the daily routine.

All of us, especially the kids and me were now sporting a tan (see picture above)!  We also had cold rashes on our faces due to the extended exposure to the cold and dry weather.  They are all now gone, but it did take quite a few days for people to stop commenting on my 'looking like a red tomato' look!

While I have been writing this travelogue over the last few weeks, the global economy has again started showing signs of stalling.  Countries are being described as 'group of PIIGS'.  At least I have done my bit for the economy by burning a  huge hole in my pocket for this trip.  Is it however, going to be 2008 revisited?  Watch this space.

Take care!

Day 176-2011 : Paradise On Earth - Part 6

Sonamarg! That was our destination on this, the penultimate day of our wonderful holiday.  We kicked off our day trip just after breakfast.  It was a 2 hour drive to Sonamarg from Srinagar.  We did stop on the way at Kangan for something that we had by now got addicted to - Kahwah!

The landscape en route to Sonamarg are simply breathtaking! Tall snow-capped mountains sometimes lined with pine trees and sometimes just brown and barren were simply a sight to watch.  We also stopped briefly to take in the beauty of the surroundings.  Of course, we also couldn't resist a good snow ball fight!  Priya and the kids on one side and me, fighting a three pronged attack valiantly, on the other side.

Finally we reached Sonamarg.  The mountains were all covered with snow.  There were many tourists (and their vehicles) at the site.  We immediately embarked on an 'expedition' to trek our way up the hills.  No sooner had we started off, we were surrounded by men offering their services to accompany us to the top along with their sledges.  Our short walk and the rarefied thin air made us realise that we would need them.  Especially with the two kids.  So we hired them.  I thought we hired two of them, but realised that four of them were walking alongside us within a few moments.  The expedition party was becoming bigger.  We used the sledges, the men pulling them on our climb up the mountains.  The kids were loving it and so was Priya.  I climbed for most part of our journey, as the guy was finding it really difficult to climb while pulling my sledge.  We reached the top and the sight was amazing!

We then had to make the mandatory snowman, of course!  We did that and then started our descent.  The plan was to use the sledges on our way down.  Considering that it was quite steep, it was indeed a bit scary.  But it took us a fraction of the time to slide down the slopes compared to the time it took for our laboured climb up!  After a bit of haggling, the 'sherpas' were paid off.  I however realised, after speaking to others, that we paid about four times of what some of the others paid for the same services.  Looked like we had been taken for a ride by the locals...literally and figuratively as well!  But I do not mind it.  For us it is a once in a lifetime experience; for the locals it was only one of the few ways they could earn their livelihoods in a terrain like this.

After a very tasty lunch, at probably the only hotel in sight, we started our drive back to Srinagar.  Once we reached Srinagar, the ladies were all in a frenzy keen to do some shopping.  The men folk weren't interested.  So it was decided that the men would retreat to the hotel after dropping the women at the main market for the shopping.  After the shopping the women would join them at the hotel.  Priya was back in a couple of hours, just in time for dinner.  However, she seemed worried.  Two out of the four women had got lost in the crowded market and had not yet reached the hotel.  Moreover, Priya narrated an incident which she witnessed in the market.  A government vehicle which was towing away illegally parked vehicles in Srinagar's main market area was attacked by a stone-pelting mob.  She was, very justifiably so, very frightened.

The busy day however took its toll and after dinner, we had a good night's sleep.  I must say, the hotel was very comfortable as well, compared to the one that we were in at Gulmarg. 

My dream holiday had almost come to an end.  All that was left of it was the flight back to Mumbai the next day. 

Take care!

Day 163-2011 : Paradise On Earth - Part 5

It is amazing that even after a month and a half since we came back from Kashmir, I am still able to recall the smallest of details of the trip. 

So here we were on Day 5.  The agenda was to get out of Gulmarg and drive down to Srinagar.  Actually a lot of people who were with us in the group were quite happy (and relieved) to check out of the hotel!  We made a couple of stops on our way.  The first was at Tangmarg, after descending from the hills of Gulmarg, to return the rented warm clothes!  Priyanksh had lost a gum boot the previous day, somewhere between getting off the Gondola at Kongdoori and boarding it again on our way back.  After paying for that we were on our way to Srinagar. 

Just before we entered Srinagar, the convoy stopped at an emporium.  It was quite a big one, with almost everything that anyone would want to buy as a tourist from Kashmir!  The moment I saw it, I knew that this was going to be our first major touristy spend on the trip.  After an hour of frantic shopping, Priya looked satisfied that gifts for everyone had now been bought.  My spend control tactics helped and thankfully it was not a very large sum that I was looking at, at the end of the adventure!

We reached Srinagar and checked into the hotel after the shopping.  After a good lunch, we were off to see the sights of Srinagar city!  The first stop was the Shankaracharya temple on top of the Gopadari hill.  It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is said to be one of the oldest shrines in the city.  Priyanksh had dozed off in the vehicle on our way to the temple.  Hence I offered to baby-sit him while Priya and Suryanksh went to the temple.  This was the first time in the 5 days that we were in Kashmir, where the security environment became a bit obvious.  The temple is a heavily guarded monument.  All of us had to get down from the vehicle at the bottom of the hill itself, for the BSF to sanitise it, before we continued our journey to the temple atop the hill.  Even within the temple none of our modern day gadgets were allowed.  Even cameras were banned.

After the temple, it was the turn of the gardens.  Srinagar is a city of gardens and shrines.  Up next were short visits to the three main Mughal Gardens in Srinagar.  The Nishat Bagh, Chashm-e-Shahi Bagh and the Shalimar Bagh were beautiful.  They are well maintained by the government agencies and are a treat to watch.  Nothing spectacular, but neat and clean.  Being a holiday, all the gardens were choc-a-block with visitors on that day.

Also, after we visited all three of them, it dawned on me that Mughal Gardens are all step gardens, with common architectural themes.

It was now quite late in the evening and we were all tired and very keen to get to the hotel to call it a day.  Not the ladies though.  The ladies in the group were planning on some additional shopping in the city area of Srinagar.  We stopped at another emporium for another round of shopping.  But as soon as we entered the place, I knew that this was a place, not to be in.  Everything was priced very high, with no value for money.  It took us exactly 5 minutes to get out of the place.  We men, very tactfully I must say, convinced the womenfolk that shopping on the next day, which was a Sunday, might be a better idea.  Mission accomplished, we were back in the hotel and looking forward to a good night's sleep.  Next up was the final leg of this wonderful trip...Sonmarg!

Take care!

Day 149-2011 : Paradise On Earth - Part 4

Day 4 was to be an early start, as we had to drive from Pahalgam to Gulmarg.  After an early breakfast, we boarded our vehicle (a TATA Winger) for a 5 hour drive!  The early rising part is what Priya hated about this day.  She could not understand why would anyone want to rise as early as 6 AM on a vacation trip.  Actually, even on a normal day, 6 AM is a bit too early for her.  She obviously loves her nine winks!  However, the promise of our first view of real snow (not ice) and possible snowfall, was good enough for her to sacrifice her sleep.

Pahalgam to Gulmarg was an uneventful drive, except for the fact that we stopped for refreshments on the way, at a cricket bat manufacturing factory.  By now, refreshments for us meant Kahwah!  Kahwah is a traditional green tea recipe made in the Kashmir Valley, Pakistan, Afghanistan and other places in Central Asia.  And it is wonderful, full of various herbs and dry fruits; very refreshing! The bat factory was basically a place where logs of walnut trees were being cut into bat size logs.  These were then stacked together for further processing to be chiseled as the bats that we see cricketers playing with.  Seeing and holding a 'Mongoose' for the first time, I just could not resist buying it.  Good willow, I hope I get to use it some time soon!  Not to be left behind, Suryanksh got one for himself too.

Father & son with the new acquisition - a Mongoose!

We touched the outskirts of Srinagar, on our way from Pahalgam to Gulmarg.  Before climbing the 'ghats' of Gulmarg, we stopped at Tangmarg, to hire / buy woollens for everyone to cope with the snow on top of the mountains in Gulmarg.  After checking in to the hotel in Gulmarg and having lunch, we were off on our mission to experience the beauty of Gulmarg.  Gulmarg is, by the way, in Baramula district in Kashmir and is very close to the Line of Control (LOC) between India & Pakistan.  We had to take the Gondola ride to get to the snow-clad slopes of Gulmarg.  The Gondola ride itself was very interesting.  It is the highest cable car in the world, reaching 3950 metres.  We stopped at Kongdoori station, where the Phase 1 of the Gondola ends.  Phase 2 of the Gondola takes you to the top of the Kongdoori mountain.  It had begun to rain when we were in the Gondola.  When we reached Kongdoori, the sight in front of us was breathtakingly beautiful; well worth the early start, Priya confirmed!

As if on cue, as soon as we reached the snow-clad slopes, it started snowing, something we had hoped for when we decided to come to Kashmir.  Gulmarg offers one of the longest and highest ski slopes in Asia.  Yours truly tried his hand with the skis and so did Suryanksh.  Myself and Suryanksh had a great time playing with the snow and making yet another 'bonsai' snowman!  Priyanksh was too tired for the fun and games and hence slept off!  Priya was of course, left holding the baby, literally!

After having a great time in the snow, we had to rush to take the Gondola ride back to the base and reach our hotel in time.  By now the rain was pouring really hard and reaching the warmth of our hotel was a relief.  Now, I have to mention here, the real struggle for resources, in hill stations like Gulmarg, to run our day-to-day lives, some of which we take it for granted in the cities that we live in.  It was freezing cold in Gulmarg, the water in the pipes was just short of becoming ice and guess what, the boilers to heat the water in the hotel could not work because there was no electricity supply.  The hotel was surviving on just one generator.  Usage of water was ruled out for the kids.  Moreover, most of the other things in the hotel also did not seem to work, right from the bulbs (which they replaced) to the television (which they couldn't)!  Thankfully, we were here only for the night and the gas heaters were great!  But, hats off to the locals, who actually live in such difficult circumstances.

After a good dinner, and an impromptu birthday party (for one of the kids in the group) in the dining hall, we were lulled into deep sleep by the warmth of the gas heaters!  Another day ended, actually zipped through.  And we had only a few more to look forward to.  More about them in the next post.

Take care.

Day 142-2011 : Paradise On Earth - Part 3

Day 3 in Kashmir and we find ourselves in Pahalgam.  Pahalgam is one of the most beautiful places in Kashmir.  The scenery, when I woke up in the morning and looked out of the window of my hotel room, was amazing.  The rising sun was shining bright on the snow lying on the mountains...radiant!

After breakfast, we headed out to a place called Chandanwari.  We did not know what to expect, but when we reached there, we realised that we are going to meet snow, point blank range for the first time.  It was a steep climb made a little dangerous by some of the snow slowly turning into ice.  And guess what, we made our first snowman here!  Now, making a snowman is not as easy a task as it sounds, especially without any gloves.  The palms of our hands started freezing after the first few scoops of the snow.  However, we finally managed to erect something that might resemble an emaciated and gaunt snowman!  Suryanksh was mighty upset (which is seen in the picture below) that we did not carry a carrot for making the snowman's nose, in spite of him telling us that repeatedly for the past one month!  Small twigs would have to do for the nose as of now!

We came down in a sledge when descending the slopes.  It is a bit scary (given that these are hand-made wooden sledges) but also an exhilarating experience.  It took us exactly a minute to slide down the slopes which we had climbed in about forty minutes.

On our way back to the hotel, we visited the Betaab Valley, christened so because the Sunny Deol - Amrita Singh starrer, Betaab, was shot on location here.  Again, more beautiful landscapes.  The locals have tried to maintain the landscape as it was in the film.

I have been asked to also describe my interactions with the local Kashmiris.  To be honest, for the first few days, I held back myself from picking their brains, just to test the waters.  Only after being comfortable of the fact that Kashmiris are not necessarily hostile to their countrymen who do not happen to be Kashmiris, did I open up.  The people were extremely friendly and helpful!  Kashmiris respect tourists, because their livelihood depends on tourists, at least for a vast majority of them.  There is acceptance of this fact peace brings prosperity.  I spoke to a shop keeper, who was very happy that the situation in the last five months has been relatively peaceful thus allowing the tourism industry to function.  Priya went to buy Rajma (imagine buying Rajma from Kashmir for taking it to Mumbai!!!!) in a grocer's shop near our hotel in Srinagar and the shopkeeper, after learning that she is a tourist from Mumbai, offered her tea and insisted that she have it!  It is a place where tourism drives a lot of things and there is no tourism for 5-6 months when it is snowing.  I was told that they lock themselves up in those 6 months in their homes and do nothing.  Hence the window to earn for their livelihood is drastically reduced.  It is ironical that in such a beautiful place, the people live a very hard and difficult life.  One or two of them though, from the younger lot, did come across as someone who considered themselves different from Indians, especially when they were negotiating for money!

After lunch and the mandatory afternoon nap that my better half has to have, we went for a visit to Aru Valley.  The drive to Aru Valley is so jaw-droppingly picturesque, I was spell-bound by the landscape.  It was a very narrow pathway and in fading light, especially while coming back, the driver of our Maruti Omni showed great driving skills!  I was impressed.

Another day had gone by.  As I was dozing off after dinner, I couldn't help but think that I had not bargained to be presented with such wonders of nature when I decided to come to Kashmir.  Little did I know that there was more to come.

Take care.

Day 137-2011 : Paradise On Earth - Part 2

Day 2 of our trip to Kashmir.  We checked out of the house boat to take our transportation for Pahalgam.  Unfortunately it was a very long wait on the banks of the Dal Lake in some very hot weather for our vehicle to arrive.  I am told it did arrive but was towed away by the J&K Police for parking besides the Dal.  After a long with it did arrive and we were off to Pahalgam.

As soon as we got out of Srinagar, the first thing that struck us was the landscape!  Amazing, picture perfect, fit for a post card etc. were the adjectives being used.  The long drive was interrupted a couple of times by barricades manned by village locals and J&K Police to check all the vehicles passing through that route.  One of those stops was very close by to an apple orchard!  Rows and rows of apple trees...but, unfortunately, no apples yet on the trees.  We also stopped half way through at Avantipora to visit the Avantiswamin Temple. It is a heritage site maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.  After another drive through picturesque fields growing mustard, glaciers carrying melted snow from the top of the mountains and beautiful snow-capped mountains framing them, we reached Pahalgam.

After lunch and a quick nap, we decided to go for a mountain trek on ponies to a place called 'Switzerland Point' known for its breathtaking beauty.  Though it was a good bright day and the sun was not expected to set before 8 PM, I knew we had started late for the trek (6PM).  We could see only people coming from the opposite direction and that confirmed my fears that we had started a bit later than normal.  After some normal pony riding, we reached a terrain where the ponies were now actually managing a steep climb with their slender legs, at a brisk pace!  It was exciting and dangerous as well, given that neither me nor Priya know anything about horse riding.  Of course we had a couple of men guiding the ponies through the steep climb, but you never know when the pony is going to decide 'enough is enough'!

We reached Switzerland Point in fading light, but it was well worth it!  Fantastic scenery and landscape, right out of Yash Raj Films movies.  After spending some time there we began our descent on the ponies.  The descent, it was turning out, was even more dangerous than the climb.  Add to that the fading light, and we had enough to worry about.  Suddenly, the pony on which Priya and Suryanksh were on, missed a step and buckled under the imbalance of its riders.  Priya and Suryanksh fell down from the pony.  Thankfully, there were no injuries but the fall did scare us all.  After this most of the steep terrain was traversed on foot by Priya and me in complete darkness.  Once we were on flat terrain, we resumed the pony ride and reached the hotel by about 8.30 PM.  

Speaking of the hotel, I thought it was a wonderful hotel for a far-flung place like Pahalgam.  It is called Paradise Inn and looks like it has been built very recently.  After the dinner, we just wanted to hit the bed after a long day!  The next day promised to bring us to the sights and sounds of some of the nearby places of tourist interest in Pahalgam.  More about them in the next post.

Take care.

Day 127-2011 : Paradise On Earth - Part 1

It has now been four days since I came back from Kashmir.  I still cannot get over the dazzling beauty of the place; I guess, I never will.

This is the story of my holiday trip to Kashmir.  Like any story, a good build-up helps.  So here goes.

It was a very late decision to take a holiday.  Myself and Priya had been mulling over where to go to, for quite some time.  One thing was certain: After 5 years of not taking any holidays, we were determined to take time off and travel to some place.  We felt confident that the kids were now big enough to take the risk!  Finally, we decided that given the time constraints and two sub-five kids, booking a domestic holiday package was the best option.  As to where to go to, we decided to start right at the top.  Kashmir!

The preparations began a week ahead of the departure date.  All the pre-trip shopping for the mandatory stuff to carry along was, to say the least, painful!  Finally, we are all set.

The itinerary was a shocker!  We learnt that we had to endure a five hour plane ride, departing at 6 AM (with 2 stops!) to get to Srinagar.  We got there on time though, after the two stops at Delhi and Jammu.  It was hot (dry heat) in Srinagar, when we landed.  Our first stop was a house boat on the famous Dal Lake.  A thirty minute drive to the Dal and a minute ride on a Shikara took us to our house boat; HB Young Light.

Now a house boat, if you have ever been to one, is an interesting place to stay.  It has an external sitting area, a common drawing room and a clutch of rooms (very similar to a hotel room) for guests to stay.  The number of rooms in a house boat depends on how big the house boat is.  The largest house boat, I was told, on the Dal was a 7-room house boat.  Ours was a 3 room one.  A comfortable contraption, it has all the amenities that a normal hotel room might have.  The fact that it is in the lake, takes some time to get used to.  One has to be very careful, especially if you have small kids, as you might actually step into the lake if you do not mind where your foot is!  Another irritant is the swarm of insects (harmless mosquitoes, we were told).  You need to cover yourself and use insect repellent creams.  One might also feel a bit claustrophobic in a house boat, but it is a great place to stay for a couple of days for city-slickers like us.

HB Young Light: The Common Room

I had been warned that the people in Kashmir might not be very welcoming.  I was happy that this was not the case.  The people are great!  The owner of the house boat, Muhammedbhai, insisted that we consider the house boat as our own home and give him a shout at any time of the day, if we need anything at all.  The owners of the house boats generally live at the back of the house boat itself.  Notwithstanding the earlier warning about Kashmiris not being hospitable, I think the people of Kashmir are realising that tourism is their lifeline.  Of course, in the evening, the owner produced multiple relatives who were selling one or the other thing.  Clothes, saffron & other herbs, handicrafts, etc.  The hard-sell was a great 'put-off' for me.  But, it was their livelihood.

The evening was spent rowing about in a Shikara all over the Dal Lake.  The Dal is one of the biggest lake that I have seen, next only to maybe, Loch Ness in the Highlands in Scotland.  Over a lakh households actually live on the lake!  The Dal has an economy and a community of its own.  It is huge!  I was amazed to see the little causeways in the lake which led to the different parts of it.  Everything is available on the lake.  Right from grocery shops, mobile photo studios (on Shikaras!) and handicraft unit to private farms on which vegetables are grown.  There are floating gardens on it too.  The Dal is infested by wild growth of weeds all over.  A huge investment has been made to continuously dredge the lake to take these weeds out which inhibit the proper functioning of this large aquatic body.  The Dal Lake really impressed me!  The views of the surrounding mountain ranges and the house boats, from a Shikara are spectacular. 

We did stop by the Nehru Park and a couple of shops on the lake.  Also, we did a mobile photo shoot (a first for me) in a Shikara wearing traditional Kashmiri costumes, the prints of which were delivered promptly in the evening. 

Thus our first day in Kashmir ended on the Dal Lake.  I did have a good night's sleep in the house boat.  However, when you spend hours together in a Shikara, you get the gentle swaying sensation of a boat even when lying flat on your bed!  It feels like you are sleeping in a 'thottal', if you know what I mean.

Next morning, we were to drive to Pahalgam, a 5 hour drive!  The next post will be all about Pahalgam and its surrounding places. 

Till then...take care!

Day 116-2011 : A Locha Called IPL..

We definitely need Lalit Modi back!  At least the IPL does.

Just a couple of weeks ago, in the euphoria of the World Cup win, I was actually looking forward to the IPL.  A lot of friends said it is overkill; an overdose of cricket.  I somehow was actually not feeling that way and was looking forward to more cricket.  The World Cup win probably making me want more.

A fortnight into the competition and I am not so sure anymore.  With ten teams and a competition that runs for more than 1.5 months, this tournament is going to take some viewing.  And the format is convoluted too.  I just cannot understand it.  With every team playing every other day, it is beginning to get a bit confusing.  Forget about the matches, following the points table is getting to be difficult.  Add to this the player changes this season.  It took some time for me to figure out who is playing for which franchisee.  And I am not sure, I still know of all the changes.  A Gambhir playing for Kolkata, Yuvraj for Pune and Dravid for Rajasthan!  Two new teams, Pune and Kochi, which by the way, has its own identity crisis to figure out, of being a team from Kerala or Gujarat!  I am now really feeling 'cricket fatigued'.

So two new teams.  What else is new?  Cheer leaders...of a different kind!  Fully clothed cheer leaders in traditional Indian costumes are doing duty for the Pune Warriors.  I am not sure if that is going down well; with the crowds as well as the ladies themselves!  Imagine dancing in the sun fully decked up!  The SET MAX hosts have a couple of new inclusions as well, one of them actually trying to do a Mandira Bedi with noodle straps and a strategically placed 'Pallu'.

Notwithstanding all of this however, there have been a couple of great performances this season.  Paul Valthaty...(who!?!?!) has emerged as the King for the Kings XI Punjab team.  The knock he played against the Chennai Super Kings was tremendous.  No wonder Greg Chappell has been talking of the Indian bench strength.  Sachin's first T20 century was a knock to savour as well, especially because it showed that he is still learning and evolving.  Yes, he played some helicopter shots aka Dhoni with equal effect!

Though I am not inclined to follow each and every match, my favourite teams this season are the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings.  At the start of the tournament, I expected them to play the finals.  Currently, one of them is at the top of the points table and the other at the bottom.  Now that I have shifted base to Mumbai, my loyalties have now shifted to the Mumbai Indians! Of course, having a strong team helps too!  I am rooting for them to win this season.  But there are still a whole load of matches to be played before we reach the finals...we will just have to endure them.

By the way, tomorrow me and the family go away to Kashmir for a week's vacation.  Now, you know what to expect in the next post then!

Take care!