The CoMbO !

Now that's called a comBo dinner ...

The Shadow of Friendship ...

Ever since I left college, I hardly find time or the right place to catch up with my evergreen buddies. In the past few years we have travelled a long way and we are separated by many miles but the memories pops up in the mind as if things happened yesterday and not far from reach.

It so happened on Sunday I found Kanu online, he is one of my close buddy in those college days and I couldn’t believe that we are out of touch for a long time. I was really happy to know that he is rocking in US. And the other day I found Mihi another buddy in that list. The ever changing life helped me to find so many nice people around as I walk through it; always a pleasure knowing them all. I lost and found them in different phases of my life, but what always remains with me is all those memories, the lessons they taught me, the moments we spend together, last but not the least the names we used to call each other (hahaha ...). In that 1 hr of talk with Kanu I could very well realize those things. The past years were folded into that hour, we started recollecting the entire list of friends name in the group, surprisingly till then I never thought of some of the friend’s name. We were so happy talking with each other, as if after ages.

The shadow of friendship will remain forever.

Did we really missed or forgot something ? While saying bye to each other, difficult to say. We have already learned that the deeds never separated us, in this case it happened to be the distances and sometime our own circumstances. We will continue the journey as a part of this small world of ours, that's an untold promise. The memories and the moments will remain as fresh always.

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival. - C. S. Lewis

It happened again …

Sometime I wonder about the habits people caught with. It happened to me again in the near past. A perfect start of the day the weather was awesome and made me spare more sleep time then usual and guess what I missed my bus to office. Knowing I can find plenty of BMTC buses for the 14 Kms journey to my work place waited in a very relaxed mood at a bus stop. After seeing all those over crowded buses I started counting the time, still getting late to my workplace. Finally I got into a bus which has some space to seat and got down at the last stop which is 3 Kms away from my work place.

I was already an hour late and not in mode to wait further, searched around if I could find some auto and here it goes the whole story …

Me : Auto, ITPL chal raheho ?

1^st Autowala : Sir, double meter otherwise I will not go ….. wooooooooooooossss …

2^nd Autowala : Sir, double meter otherwise I will not go ….. wooooooooooooossss …

3rd Autowala : Sir, 50/- rupees otherwise I will not go ….. wooooooooooooossss …

4^th Autowala: Sir, 10/- rupees extra dena hoga (after negotiating)… wooosssssssss…….

For all of them my answer was nope, meter pe chalo, extra kyon ??

I started wondering what’s wrong with these guys it’s hardly far away and they don’t feel ashamed of asking money well above one can imagine. As far as I know the meter auto fetches only 15/- rupees. I looked around myself just to check whether am I looking like a foreigner to them !!! I know this is a common problem faced by many if you don’t know the local language, and surprisingly I found my office tag on my shirt which I normally don’t put while using public transport. My wild guess, these guys are getting smarter and they know from whom they can suck extra money.

And there I clicked with one Idea, removed the tag and called the 5^th Autowala and you guessed it right he puts the meter down without asking or demanding anything extra and finally reached office.

The Wonderful - Coorg

One of the best places to visit in Karnataka is Coorg (Kodagu, Kodavas). After a much waiting and couple of drop plans finally we were all set for the trip. And this time the ‘Mini India Group’ was all set for one of the exciting trip ever. Coorg is a very famous place in Karnataka, I guess in India too for its incomparable scenic beauty, lush green valleys, coffee plantations and mountain ranges.

A sign Bord on the way to Madikeri

Coorg is situated on the Western Ghats of Karnataka in South India. It’s around 250 Kms from Bangalore and 120 Kms from Mysore.

A beautiful View from Raj's Seat, Madikeri

It has a rich tradition, a distinct culture and lives life to its fullest. We had a great experience though staying in a home of unknown people but they treated us as if we are part of their family.

A long view of Madikeri town.

A beautiful View from the Hill Top, Talacauvery

Abbi Falls ..

The cauvery

*All the Beautiful Photographs Copyright Hello World - Alok, 2007

Namdroling Nyingmapa Monastery

Nyingmapa Monastery is situated around 170 Kms from Bangalore, is renowned as a center for the teachings of the Buddha. Today the monastery is home more than 5000 monks and nuns. Last week, I had a chance to visit this beautiful place and witnessed a world of peace.

A great place with a wonderful atmosphere around, it’s the place to find some great values of life. The four thoughts and the three doors they are so true in life that helps to rediscover oneself.

The main temple.

Monks & Prayer Wheels

The light house, spreading the faith all over.

Karanji Lake Nature Park

Last weekend had been to a wonderful place in Mysore, the Karanji Lake Nature Park. Though its not a very popular tourist place, people like me having the inclination towards nature’s beauty will definitely find this place worth visiting.

View of the entrance.

Karanji means fountain in Kannada. This lake was virtually dead and restored back to life with the grants from Asian Development Bank through Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation Ltd. (KUIDFC) during 2003. The 90 acre lake is a heaven for more than 90 species of birds.

A lesson for all of us, the invaluable life.

Lake side view.

The view alongside the lake, absolutely beautiful.

No words can explain it, see it to believe it.

*All the Beautiful Photographs Copyright Hello World - Alok, 2007

Pencil - Maker's Lessons of Life (6 Points)

It was amazing to see how this pencil maker’s story attached so closely to our life and sometime we learn lessons of life from things that doesn’t posses a life of its own …

The Pencil-Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. There are 6 lessons you need to know, he told the pencil, the six lessons.

1. You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, you'll need it to be a better pencil.

2. You are going to correct any mistakes you might make.

3. The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.

4. On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.

5. You are going to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone’s hand.

Each one of us is like this pencil. Now its time to know what could be the 6th Lesson can anybody??

The incident happened today

I was on my way towards the road near my house. I found, couple of foreigners got down from an auto rickshaw. As I was nearing them one of fellow asked me about some nearby place address on that road. By the time I finished saying the way to the place, what I saw another girl from the group how was carrying some empty bottles trying to put those in a big letter box located opposite side of the road thinking that’s a dustbin. And all of a sudden she discovered that it was a letter box and started wondering where to dispose those bottles. It wasn't funny but serious. She told that they couldn't find a dustbin anywhere on of this long road and started assuming that they found one.

As far as I know there is not a single dustbin on the road and the whole road solve this purpose. Now you can imagine the situation of the poor girl searching for a dustbin again …

A Friend in Need ...

A good thought to start the day with a smile on the face. The effort put towards any help can never measured, whether its successful or unsuccessful .

A friend in need, always a friend indeed ...

The Dawn in Chennai

I got up early in the morning today to see the sun climbing the sky behind the sea. I didn’t have to walk far as the beach house we are staying at Chennai is just 5 minutes away. This is one of the very few occasion where I was completely lost to the sea, to find myself. And when I started clicking the camera I found the things that most of us die to see.

View of the Beach house swmining pool

Sunrise @ Chennai 6.10 AM

Sunrise @ Chennai 6.15 AM

I am blogging live from the unconference event and it is going to finish in couple of hours. I am having some good time out here, really enjoyed with all the buddies.

A Song, A desire & A life ...

This is my all time favorite song, almost daily dose for me. KK is an amazing singer, too good in this song.

Yaaron dosti badi hi haseen hai
yeh na ho tu ... kya phir bolo ye zindagi hai

Koi tu ... ho raazadaar
begaraz tera ho yaar
koi tu ... ho raazadaar...

Yaaron Mohaabaat ... hi tu bandagi hai ...
Yena ho tu ... kya phir ... bolo ye jindagi hai

Koi tu dilbar ho yaar
Jisko tujhse ho pyaar ...
Koi tu dilbar ho yaar

Teri har ek burai pe dante vo dost
Gum ki ho dhup tu saaya bane tera vo dost ...
nache bhi wo teri khushi meinnnnn ...

Yaaron dosti badi hi haseen hai ...

Belur & Halebidu Trip

A very quick decision and we were all set for the one day trip to Belur & Halebid. The interesting part of the trip was to look back to the history and explored some of the magnificently crafted temples. The guides at those places are very prompt to tell all that you missed in the book :)

Belur is around 230 Kms from Bangalore and since it was a one day trip we spent more than half of the day in traveling but nerveless the trip was well arranged by KSTDC. The serenity of Belur is attributed to the celebrated temple of Channakeshava built by the Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana in 117 A. D.

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At the entrance of Channakeshava temple.

Inside view of Channakeshava temple.

Another side view of Channakeshava temple.

Halebidu was the capital of Hoysala. It has one of the finest Hoysala temples. This temple is more like the Belur temple but this is a Siva temple. The guide told us this temple was not completely built though it took more then 190 years and then the story of destruction of the Hoysal Kingdom, something that I found very intresting.

The madap, the fine arts @ Channakeshava temple

On the way to Belur we also visit Shravanabelagola. It is a legendary pilgrim center and shrine of the Jains. The monolithic statue of Lord Bahubali, standing atop on the Vindhyagiri hill is 18 meters high and is the tallest monolithic statue in the world.

Entrance at the hilltop, Shravanabelagola.

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*All the Beautiful Photographs Copyright Hello World - Alok, 2007

The Photographer was back :)

The good thing was I could manage to find the time for the photo activity around Bangalore with the Exilim. Click ... Click ...... n Click ......

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The fountain inside the office campus.

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My favorite food place ' Mast Kalandar '

Badami house