HISTORY-SHEETER!

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TRAVEL JUNKIE
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Nupur Amarnath heads for the caves at Ajanta



There’s something about the past. It's always glorious and it's always great. Since you haven’t lived in it, you never know the real truth. That is you never have a chance to dissect it and basically are at a loss of benchmarks to criticise it. And maybe, it’s all better this way. You know just living with the fact that it’s great and glorious because then you can revel in it. You are spared the dark side because it has happened and it hasn’t happened in your life. You might say I’m getting lost with this whole argument. I have a point. But the point is am I getting to it? This is the realisation that was only strengthened after my recent (with 2007 starting, I wonder how recent) trip to Ajanta caves.

Always a sucker for all things historical, Ajanta has been on my mind right from the time I first saw the one picture coyly avoiding my gaze from the yellowed dog-eared hand-me- down NCERT textbook. And sure as hell, that was the first painting I looked out for in the caves. And as is my habit, be very sure that the Ajanta trip is going to be all about me. Ajanta has been on my mind ever since my sister and friend moved into the vicinity. So one fine weekend (weekend warrior, moi) I booked myself on the train to Aurangabad at Nashik and landed at my friend’s and literally bulldozed him into going to Ajanta.

Deciding to set out bright and early, we were en route to Ajanta with driver Zafar and a treasure trove of songs that obviously I bellowed to my heart’s content. My rendezvous with Buddha (my idol escapist) and history was on road. After many bad renditions of songs happy and sad, we reached the complex where you park your car and board an AC bus (yes, we love our comforts). When an adivasi woman with nothing but a sari on, and nose rings the size of a mullet, got on to the bus, I knew history had started. As the woman made as many guttural noises as the bus, we were at the hub. But not ready to begin the tour just yet as before the mind is fed, the stomach needs to be fed up. After eating bad aalu-paranthas (an insult to the North-Indian in me), we finally climbed the stairs to the world heritage site and Rs 75 gave us our entry into the past.

After much haggling with and over the fact whether we wanted a guide, we decided to try exploring the caves on our own. Considering the entire way was well done up with stairs and pathways, we really felt a guide would be unnecessary. There from the walls of the first cave was my picture _ my handsome prince from the history book still avoiding my gaze. But sure enough, it was him and I was again a student of Class X reading up on the glorious Ajanta, only this time I was there.

At the second cave, we ran into Johnny Bhai. A cut above the rest, JB was hired for Rs 300: a little for our knowledge and a lot for our amusement. As he began his first discourse on the carved figures by referring to the veena as the guitar, “Veena aapki bhasha main kehte hain, guitar hamari language main!” we knew JB was the right choice. Making sure that he would click us at all the places he thinks are picturesque, we were left wondering whether he’s a guide or a photographer. Making points with us by referring to us as his kids, the 67-year-old has literally grown up in the caves. And what a place to grow up!

To say that Ajanta awed me is not even necessary. As I walked through cave after cave with literally dropping jaw was proof enough. Yes, man’s tenacity and perseverance simply leaps at you from the caves. As much as the fact about man’s intrusion. I mean if you ask me, why not just let the mountains be? But just as we have a tendency to leave our mark somewhere, even the moon is not spared, so do the people in the olden times. The caves are daunting at the least and they really make you feel small in the light of human effort. Maybe, it’s just as well some person woke up one day and picked up his chisel and decided to take a go at the mountains. I mean, would I have gone visiting had somebody not done something this spectacular? Isn’t it that if you have seen one mountain you’ve seen them all? Probably, that’s me being cynical. But Ajanta was a trip back to the time when resources were few but enterprise was immense.

Clearly, I can’t say what are the lessons learnt or even if I had gone to learn some lessons. But looking and remembering the time when my voice was echoing in the caves, I was transported into a world where the disciples of Buddha would get together and chant. You can feel the history. It’s there in the stones, in the colours and in the carvings. And as you get ready to leave, it’s there in you.

WHAT THE MIND REMEMBERS



The inkwells: Each cave had these ‘little’ (in comparison to the whole cave) inkwells where the painters would pour the colours to paint. Even after all these years, the colour hasn’t quite worn off and green is still green and red is red. Hell, you can’t even say the same thing about most of the modern-day glossies.

The roofs: I never expected to see rock to be so dynamic. Hats off to the artisans of Ajanta who managed to give a 3-D effect to the roofs. Carved in shamiana style, the rock of the roofs actually seemed to be moving in wind. How did they manage that? And the best bit, you may miss that if you are standing in the middle of the room. You have to see the roof from the side to feel its dynamism. It is magical.

The tales: For most like us who have grown up on the staple diet of Amar Chitra Kathas, you may be able to recognise and identify some familiar jataka tales. From the story of the four tusked white elephant to the story of the king and the jackal, the walls of Ajanta are well worth a read. And it’s even more fun to hear it from your guide who recites in a sing-song fashion, very reminiscent of the peddlers of the local buses, which I don’t know whether frequenters of Weekend Warrior are familiar with. Obviously, I’m considering them to be the high-end-big-spender-big-car demographic! Which makes me wonder what am I doing writing a piece for it!

The pillars: You’ve to give it to the wily craftsmen of yore. They really knew how to turn a phrase in stone. When they talk about all the pillars of the society, the craftsmen have actually hewn figures supporting the pillars from the sadhu to the couple to the errant couple to the king, they are shown supporting a pillar each. Interesting!

The Buddha: Besides Shiva, I always thought Buddha was the handsomest Indian God. Or maybe after years of seeing him depicted in more than flattering tones in Amar Chitra Katha and his carvings at Ajanta now, my ardour for him has only gone up. This coupled with the fact that you just can’t have him, not because he’s dead, but also because he was a celibate (why do you think Amrapali fell for him) only helps to make Buddha all the more desirable. So seeing him cave after cave is actually a site for sore eyes. Little wonder there are more takers of the Hinayana cult (where they worship his imagery) than the Mahayana!

The spine: One of the two Mahayana caves in Ajanta has a mixture of Mahayana and Hinayana sects through sculpture. The interesting fact is the spinal design on the roof. Since the Buddhists worship through meditation and the spine is the crux of the kundalini, you could feel it undulating on you from the top. A little gory for my taste as it reminded me of a scene from Hannibal where Ralph (pronounced Rafe) Fiennes moves the dragon tattoo on his back in a most grotesque fashion. Couldn’t have been very peaceful, I would say!

(The writer, Nupur, may not be a die-hard Weekend Warrior, but she won't miss a chance to hit the road! Hell, she even considered auditioning for MTV Roadies! Better sense prevailed, and she decided to jump on the Nashik Road-Aurangabad train instead.)

AS THE MIND CLEARS, THE EYES SEE MORE.

CHAMBA (Uttaranchal), December 30, 2006!

Parbat ke pichche, Chambe da gaon...Trashy tramps and harebrained hunks of the gloomy world of net geeks, behold! This is Chamba and I'm all set to take a walk, err, drive in the clouds...My first time on the hills. Not scared, but a little queasy. Reason: people from my office boys to one of the Directors in the company _ all from Uttaranchal _ have been telling me all sorts of stuff regarding the road. It isn't a double road, I know, but till Ananda (yes, the spa), it's fine. Not counting Khatauli/Muzaffarnagar/Roorkee and all the villages on the way to Rishikesh. There on, it's a two-hour drive (70km) of pure hills.
Here are some time-tested tips Pushkar, the Chairman's driver, has given me:

1. Make sure that your brakes, windshield wipers, defroster, heater, and exhaust systems are in good condition. Ensure that your brake and transmission fluids are filled and have been changed within the interval recommended for your vehicle. Frequent brake use can overheat the fluid and you can lose braking efficiency when it is most needed. Also check the tread on your tires and ensure that they are properly inflated.

2. Don't go down a mountain road any faster than you can go up it. Don't use your brakes to hold your downhill speed. The only time you should step on your brake pedal is to slow while you are shifting down to a lower gear. Resist the temptation of zooming down a hill.

3. On steep upgrades, downshift to a lower gear, watch the temperature gauge in your vehicle, and turn off the air-conditioning if it starts to overheat. If you need to cool the engine, find a safe place to pull off the road, park it and keep the car at a fast idle. Do not shut off the engine, and never remove a hot radiator cap. A faster way to cool an engine is to turn on the heater, but usually that option is a bit unpleasant for the driver.

4. Don't "hug" the centre line. Most mountain roads are narrower than Interstate highways. Some drivers have a tendency to hug the centre line, but this driving technique is both unwise and irritating to other drivers. If you are hugging the centre line, and another centre-hugging vehicle comes around a curve from the opposite direction, both drivers may overcorrect and create a hazardous situation.

5. Always remember that the car going UPHILL should be given the right of way. Always allow plenty of time for passing vehicles to make it back to their lane. Keep in mind that higher elevations diminish a vehicle's available horsepower.

6. Slowing down for any reason, whether it's to view scenery or because of a steep grade, is acceptable road behavior, as long as you maintain awareness. If traffic behind you grows to more than three vehicles, look for a designated pullout and let the traffic pass.

7. If you choose to explore unpaved side roads, follow these three rules. First, check local weather and road conditions that may affect your drive. Second, unpaved surfaces provide significantly less traction, so slow down and take curves on a wider arc than you might attempt on paved roads. Third, let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return.

8. Always carry extra drinking water, and remember to drink fluids throughout the day. At higher elevations, insufficient hydration can lead to the onset of symptoms of altitude sickness. Even if they're mild, they can affect your alertness.

9. In the event that weather conditions deteriorate into fog, rain, wind, or snow, slow down, be more observant, and demonstrate extra road courtesy. If other drivers appear to be in a hurry, let them pass - it may be an emergency. During winters, add special solvent to the windshield washer reservoir to prevent icing. It is also important to keep the gas tank filled. Another courtesy to remember when in conditions of reduced visibility or at night is to dim your high beams as soon as you see the sweep of an oncoming vehicle's lights. Hampering the other driver's night vision is more dangerous when there's a cliff involved.

10. Take frequent breaks. Because navigating mountain roads can be more tiring than flatland driving, consider limiting travel on challenging roads to no more than six hours per day.

Of course, the most important tip for mountain driving is, relax and have fun! That's why so many road trippers opt for routes through mountains whenever they have the chance.

WORTH A CLICK...ON THE PIC, SILLY!

GETTING MY HIGH! ON THE HIGHWAY...

Lonely faces all along the way
Broken city all dressed up in gray
I make money but I still feel broke
I start drinking and I want a smoke
Driving fast moving cars and drinking
Old in these bars and thinking I could
Paint all those stars

Empty bottles on an empty stage
End of story on the final page
Of a book that no one knows about

This is it this is my last goodbye
This is where my dreams go to die
In the trash behind the record shop

I’m driving fast moving cars and drinking
Old in these bars and thinking I could
Paint all those stars
Singing old timey songs and thinking I could
Right all these wrongs and drinking ‘til the
Pain is all gone

After all this time I still believe
With a few tricks hidden up my sleeve...

HONDA HOOTS!

HONDA FIT: Is this the new small car we've been waiting for?

This is a total turnaround. I remember during our 1996 Tokyo media junket, the then Honda CEO categorically stated two things: no diesel cars from the Honda stable and no small cars for India. That time belonged to the Civic, but we got the City instead. Anyway, Civic is here, too, and what a beauty! But that's another story for another time. This post is about Honda plans to enter the small car segment in India. According to Mr Takeo Fukui, President and CEO, Honda Motors Company,
the company is targeting production and selling of more than 1,50,000 units of automobiles in India by 2010 end.
Market analysts point out that Honda in the past evaluated the possibility of introducing its compact cars - the Jazz or the Fit - in the Indian market. However, given the high costs, it may not be possible to introduce the two cars in India at a competitive price. It is estimated that even if a high level of localisation is achieved on this hatchback, the Jazz would still have to be priced at nearly the price of the Honda City.
Therefore, it makes sense to introduce an all-new India-specific small car, which may have a few elements borrowed from its models sold in the western markets. The new car is likely to be in the premium compact car segment, which currently constitutes models such as the Maruti Swift, Ford Fusion and the Hyundai Getz.

FIFTY, AND STILL COUNTING!

The New Year definitely belongs to hot-rod lovers! Consider this: at last count, 50 exciting new models are headed for India over the next year. Fantastic prospects for road runners considering we already have more than a million cars and every new car launched has to be better than the competition. Is it any wonder that competition is tough in the Indian market and everybody wants in? Car manufacturers aren’t saying, but collectively they are planning an entire wave of new cars. Some of the new models you can look forward to in the coming months include:

New Honda CR-V
New Audi TT
Chevrolet Aveo Diesel/ Aveo UV-A
Bentley Convertible GT
BMW 3-Series/ 5-series/ New X-5
Chevrolet Captiva
Chevrolet Spark
Fiat Grande Punto hatch/ saloon
New Fiat Palio
Ford Fiesta Diesel 1.6
Ford Focus
New Honda Accord
New Hyundai Elantra
Hyundai Getz Diesel
Hyundai Santro Diesel
Hyundai Sonata Embera Diesel
Mahindra Scorpio 2.2 CRDE (Eagle)
Maruti Swift Sedan
New Maruti Baleno
New Maruti Zen
Maruti Swift Diesel
New Mercedes-Benz C-Class
New Mercedes-Benz M-Class
New Mini
Renault Logan
Skoda Fabia...

All that's fine, but flip the coin and what d'ya get? They say, if you were to put all vehicles registered in Delhi from bumper-to-bumper, the queue would reach New York! Some food for thought...

350 hours a year
having sex
420 looking for parking
THIS AIN'T RIGHT

Make me up before you go-go!

Or essential accessories for girls who want to look radiant on the run this winter...



















Okay. This one is truly inspired by The Simple Life, where the two filthy rich girls, Paris and bosom pal, Nicole, are put in fish-out-of-water scenario. The show made waves for all the wrong reasons. Nicole didn’t know what a well was and Paris couldn’t help wondering if American superstore chain Wal-Mart sold “wall stuff”. What really took the cake was Paris stating the obvious as she ate a piece of chicken - that it, well, “tastes like chicken”. Ladies and gentlemen, that was Bimboville.
Stripped of all their luxuries, but not their make-up kits, the girls struggled to survive the simple life.
This post sticks to pretty much the same route, the only difference being we have real girls on the move. It's no mean feat for the average person to go without makeup. After all, life without mirrors has to be unimaginable. So, get ready for the road trip, baybeeee!!!
AS FOR THE MAN, JUST THROW IN YOUR TOOTHBRUSH, AND YOU'RE READY TO ROLL..
When planning what to take with you when you go, here are some questions to take into consideration. First of all, consider the season and the location. What temperatures and weather conditons do you expect to find? How much time will you spend inside or out?
If you are staying in hotels, you don't need shampoo, soap, or a hair dryer as they usually provide those items. Otherwise, better toss basic stuff like shampoo, towels, soap, toothbrushes, hair brushes, nail files, and other inexpensive items in the car. You don't have to take it all with you, just buy it if you need it, and then toss it when you don't need it or you are returning home. Items that can spill in your case are best purchased when you need them at your travel destination, saving you the grief of opening your suitcase to find fingernail polish remover everywhere.

HERE WE GO:
Hair styling gels and spray
Hair Straightener or Detangler
Lip gels/lip gloss
Lipstick
Blush for cheeks
Perfumes/colognes
Eye makeup and mascara
Make up removers or facial cleansers
Nail polish and removers

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PAD IT!
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Sanitary napkins or panty liners are excellent emergency bandages on serious wounds and cuts. If the serious wound or cut is on the arm or leg, instead of using tape, consider holding the pad against the wound with cut pantyhose legs. Soak the pads in water to act like a sponge for cleaning sores. Panty liners work well to protect blisters and other foot injuries and work as padding in your shoes. Sanitary napkins are really just highly compressed cotton so they are small and lightweight with their own protective containers, fitting easily into any case or camera bag.

HONDA HORROR?

Ever since I've seen television shots of cars burning on flyovers in Delhi, I've been wondering as to why do automobiles catch fire? So, checked and found this interesting post in some forum. I thought it would be useful to share it with others.

Well, the simple reason is that you have large amounts of fuel, electricity and other combustible material in close proximity. But the biggest reason for fires is the satisfied fools behind the wheel.
Consider. You buy a brand new car. You then cover the (fire-proof) seats with foam-padded seat covers. After that, you invest in plastic or rubber floor mats, on top of the (fire-retardant) carpet. You then take it to a back-street mechanic to install (grey-market) electrical accessories. And finally, you neglect basic precautions while taking (often adulterated) petrol or diesel into the fuel tank.
Of course, things get worse if the car is a Honda City, the only front-engined car in the world today with a petrol tank right under your front seat. About 50 litres of petrol, sloshing away a few inches away from your wallet. The problem is not the location of the tank. Frankly, if it is not under the front seat then it will be under the rear seat. The problem is that while the fuel line and fuel tank design of modern cars is simply a brilliant masterpiece of cutting-edge technology, the fact is that these pre-suppose a very high level of maintenance and care, as well as caution while filling and absolutely no over-filling.
This is where I have a problem with the long fuel line that ends up causing a venturii effect while filling petrol, which in turn forms a vacuum, which then generates fumes, which have to be “trapped” in a charcoal filter otherwise the cabin of your car will smell. Over-filling, or trying to push in more fuel into modern-generation pressurised filling tanks, will not just damage the charcoal filter, but also release petrol as well as fumes into the cabin of the car. And then all it needs is an accidental push of the inbuilt lighter, or a spark from a loose wire somewhere, or even an electrical arc from anywhere.
To then try to blame central locking is like trying to blame tobacco farming for causing lung cancer. Please take some of these simple precautions right away. Throw away those “foam padded” seat covers and “nylon” foot pads right away, and invest in fire-retardant fabrics. And most of all, please do not try to force extra fuel into the tank, that causes the biggest risk of fire.”

MONEY WISE, CARD FOOLISH!

Our highways might be what they are, don't venture out with just your debit/credit card. Hard cash is a must as we learnt the hard way recently on our impromptu trip to Pushkar. A tankfull from Delhi doesn't last a lifetime, dude. And the swank pumps dotting the NH-8 don't entertain plastic money. So, carry enough to pay for petrol, food and all the petty indulgences on the way. If unlucky, overnight stay might cost you dear, too, as the guy at the counter would also like cash! Take our advice...load up and zoom.

LOW-DOWN & DIRTY!

It used to be one of life’s givens that if you went in search of some romantic R&R, you took your aesthetic life in your hands. Dirty-weekend hotels came in three decorative flavours: sleazy seaside knocking shop, dusty country house or dodgy temple to ersatz tradition. Now all that's changed. These days, people don’t just decorate their hotels – they design them. They’ve brought modernist furniture to country manors and put Bang & Olufsen sound systems in old havelis. They have realised that the road to weekend bliss lies not in chichi bedrooms, but in glamorous simplicity – giant pillows, goose-down duvets and a bathroom full of Jo Malone. Some have breathed new life into the old-fashioned grandeur of four-poster beds, gilt mirrors and opulent chandeliers, or devised a pared-down version of ethnicity, resulting in hotels that are more of a destination than a nostalgia trip. Of course, escapist comfort is just what you want when you’re planning to indulge in some, well, room service. Dirty weekends away for a couple of days of wild excess. And there’s nothing guaranteed to spark a sexual frisson more than surroundings that make you feel utterly glamorous and spoilt. Sex in a hotel room is the legal equivalent of doing it in the open. Now, if only your bedroom at home had the same effect…
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SAMODE PALACE, JAIPUR
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No arguments about who get their back jammed against the taps here. And no lame “Where’s the soap?” jokes. it doesn’t come more opulent – or raunchy – than this, with red and yellow to get your blood pumping. Endless wings, terraces, courtyards and levels marvel at lavish creations like the extravagantly painted Durbar Hall and breathtaking Sheesh Mahal. Twisting staircases and painted corridors open up to stunning rooms and suites.
A magnificent example of Rajput-Mughal architecture, meticulously restored, you could see some amazing mosaics and frescoes. If you have the time, that is. The marble-mosaic pool's gorgeous, though not heated. Like all good Indian hotels wooing the phirangs with ayurvedic massage, this one, too, doesn't lag behind. You can give the camel safari (in the bush at sunset) a skip, but not their wine! Simply superb list. As for the food, laal maans (a Rajasthani take on rogan-josh) is fab. And mobile phone reception is extremely low!!!!
Perfect for rugging up together, the place is made for lurve.

HOW TO REACH: By road, obviously, driving on NH 8. The 150-year-old palace stands in serene sprawling splendour on a hilltop at the end of a dusty road, an hour's drive from Jaipur.
The palace boasts 43 luxuriously appointed rooms, including 3 Royal Suites, 15 Deluxe suites and 25 Deluxe Rooms.

HUNGRY I

Zipping on the NH-8 is fun, but it could be a problem if you've a hungry-for-burger-but-pizza-will-do kid at the back. Once you're out of Gurgaon and away from Haldiram's and McD, the only place you could grab some grub to his/her liking is at Bahror Mid-Way. But that, too, would be Maggi noodles! How amny sandwiches can a kid have? I leave that between you and your kid. If lucky, the closest to burger you can get is paav-bhaaji. Or wait till you hit Jaipur. In case, you're taking the bypass, God save you. As for us grown-ups, there are enough dhabas serving some good Rajasthani khana on the way. In fact, Bahror even has a watering hole with kababs...But boss, better avoid getting drunk while at the wheel. As for Rajasthani dhabas, please please stay away from dal-baati-churma combo. It's pathetic. We don't care what they say about Rajasthani food being incomplete without the famed trio. It's, however, interesting to know thaat it started as a picnic food. For the unitiated, here's the dope: it consists of baatis or flaky round breads baked over firewood or over kandas (i.e. cow dung cakes) as done in villages. Baatis can be baked in a gas tandoor or an electric oven as well. Bafla or steamed baatis are also very popular.
But one thing common for baatis, irrespective of their cooking technique is that they are always served dipped in ghee (yuks) accompanied with panchmel or panch kutti dal and churma.
The dal is cooked with ghee, the masalas in the dal are fried in ghee and more ghee is mixed into the dal before serving.
Often a large batch of baatis is made and part of the dough is left unsalted. This unsalted dough is then shaped into rounds and deep fried in ghee. Later, these deep fried baatis are crushed and sugar or jaggery is mixed into them to make a sweet dessert- churma. Honesty, we don't know what ghee is being used at the dhabas. Makes sense to stick to gatte ki subzi, roti and lahsun ki chatni (yum).

ALL YE SLOSHED AFTER
THE LAST NIGHT'S PARTY:
DON'T DRINK & DRIVE!

SPEEDY'S DAY OUT!

Precisely six days of rolling out of the Chandigarh display, Shiny Speedy's done six states (including Chandigarh, which is a Union Territory). At this speed, the hot rod's giving Lovely _ the good old Santro that earned its driver the epitaph 'Highway Harrier' _ a run for its money. But we all love Lovely, recuperating at the garage for lack of coolant and stuff but it'll back on wheels tomorrow. Back to Speedy, a drive to nearby Neemrana Fort & Palace added Rajasthan to its earlier exploits: Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, UP and Chandigarh. Next Himachal? Way to go...


THE TABLES ARE LAID...But you get to eat only if you are staying at the haveli, or there aren't many people around. Otherwise, make do with the snacks...juice/tea/club sandwiches et al.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Pencil drawing of my school, Sainik School
Kunjpura, Karnal. All boys boarding school


And this is how it looks today...

It is never particularly healthy to dwell in the past. I have learnt the lesson the hard way, just don’t ask me how. And in my case, even childhood doesn’t bring fond memories. If I started writing about it, I’d fill volumes. So, I’ll keep that for some other time. Going by Calvin & Hobbes wisdom, too, “People who get nostalgic about childhood were obviously never children...”

Honestly, I am not nostalgic for childhood, mine or anyone else's. Especially, if you went to a military (read Sainik) school where you get yelled at, slapped in the face, made to stand at attention until you nearly dropped, made to parade in the cold of winter, made to keep away from the town girls our age, made to study in the day and in study hall at night, and get slapped around, as I did, one of their best students, if you misbehaved, like passing notes back and forth with your friends to have some fun, for God's sake!

I remember dad telling me a military school is a privilege to attend and can only be accessed by students who have a desire to excel. The potential student must come with a good report card, he told me, all of 11, exactly the same age as my kid now. He told me he loved me and it was only for my good future that he wanted me there. “A military school offers a desirable experience,” he drilled it into me. I don’t know how much of the monolgue I actually understood. And as I said, it is not a point of this post to show either how childhood is a time of great excitement or great disturbance, or that I miss it or that I suffered through it. What is most interesting to me, especially now that I have a kid of my own, is that childhood is the time when one learns how to think, how to feel, how to move forward…something that I’m still learning. And boy, that keeps me so alive.
Innocence is so underrated.

Anyway, one of these Sundays, drove down to my school and must admit the reason wasn’t Kochhar ma’am, though most of my school types would like to believe. For all such creeps, here is the dope: ‘curvaceous’ Ms Kochhar is the school mistress now! Back to the reason, it was purely the desire to drive Speedy out of town. That reminds me I’m fast turning into a junkie! And for any unfortunate occurrence, the blame should squarely go to Mr Honda for giving me this high called Shiny Speedy.
As for the school, it’s under major renovation, thanks to the largesse of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, an ex-Kunjean. And yes, I’m not the only old boy who’s taken to media: there’s adman Prahalad Kakkad, too, of the 1966 batch. BTW, I’m the 1977 batch.

P.S. The school’s spread over 270 acre and that my dear, can house an entire township these days with lush-green lawns and the works.
The school main building was originally the mansion of the Nawab of Kunjpura, Mohammad Ibrahim Ali Khan. It was built in 1900 AD to house the marriage party of his daughter. It has 365 doors and windows said to signify the number of days in a year. It has four corridors meeting at a vantage point to represent the four seasons of the year.

I BELIEVE…THEREFORE I AM!

Who was Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti and why has his dargah attained such pre-eminence? Frankly, I had never tried to answer this question before my 11-year-old son insisted to know all about it on our visit to Ajmer recently. Truth is, ever since I’ve known as a child that the khwaja was a peer who propagated secularism and generosity above all, I’ve been a believer. It’s a different matter that the modern-day khadims (descendants) _ Islamic version of Hindu pandits at the temples _ won’t let you be at the dargah. They are supposed to guide you through the whole meditation process, including buying of chaddar (holy sheet) ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000 to rose petals to introducing you to the ‘khwaja’. Not for free, though. And as you take his leave, he’ll flash his tacky business card with his mug on it. “Sir, please visit again. Do not forget me, sir,” he’ll say with a cheesy grin.
Try asking him about the khwaja and all that he tells you is that 'he’s responsible for every single Muslim in India'. Meaning? He propagated Islam in India? He isn’t to be blamed. Although Muinuddin Chishti looms large in the history of Islam and Sufism in South Asia, we have, unfortunately, very little accurate information about him, because of an absence of reliable contemporary sources. Most of what we know is based on legend and hagiography that developed around his figure several centuries after his death. As a result, we know considerably more about the personality of Muinuddin as it was constructed over time through the veneration of successive generations of devotees than the actual Muinuddin of history.
As we gingerly sift through legendary accounts to separate historical fact from pious fiction, certain basic information about him emerges. A pious, modest Sufi Shaykh, whose family claimed descent from the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Muinuddin probably grew up in Sijistan, Iran. As a young man, he sold the property he had inherited and went to Central Asian cities of Samarkand and Bukhara in search of spiritual instruction. In the course of his extensive travels, he was initiated into the Chishti Sufi order by Shaykh Usman Harwani, eventually becoming his principal khalifa.
Towards the end of the 12th century, Khwaja Muinuddin came to India, via Afghanistan, settling first in Delhi and later in Ajmer where he attracted a substantial following, acquiring a great deal of respect among residents of the city. Khwaja Muinuddin apparently never wrote down his teachings in the form of a book, nor did his immediate disciples do so. Consequently, we have to rely on information transmitted through oral traditions and hagiographies concerning what he taught. A popular tradition asserts that Khwaja Muinuddin preached that his disciples should have "generosity like that of the ocean, mildness like that of the sun, a modesty like that of the earth".
Khwaja Muinuddin married late in life, dying seven years after his marriage at the age of 97 on Rajab 6, most probably in 1236. His two principal khalifas, Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar (d.1235) and Hamiduddin Savali (d. 1276), continued transmitting the teachings of their master through their disciples, leading to the widespread proliferation of the Chishti Sufi order in India. Among Qutbuddin's prominent disciples was Fariduddin Ganj-i-Shakar (the treasure-house of sugar) (d. 1265), whose dargah is at Pakpattan in Pakistan.
Fariduddin's most famous disciple was Nizamuddin Awliya (d. 1325), popularly referred to as Mahboob-i-Ilahi (God's beloved). His dargah is located at Nizamuddin, Delhi, from where his disciples branched out to establish dargahs in several regions from Sindh in the west to Bengal in the east and the Deccan in the south. With the development of an extensive network of Chishti dargahs all over the subcontinent, the Ajmer dargah took on the special distinction of being the 'mother' dargah of them all.
Khwaja Muinuddin and the early Chishtis were vehemently against any close association with those in political power as they considered such contact to be detrimental to a person's moral and spiritual wellbeing. Ironically, by the early 14th century, the Chishti order began to rise to prominence precisely on account of the enormous royal patronage it was attracting. As Muslim rulers of Turko-Persian ancestry began to establish kingdoms in the subcontinent, they associated their own personal fortunes and those of their dynasty with that of the Chishti order.
While the dynasties, both Muslim and non-Muslim, patronised the shrine at Ajmer, its most generous and loyal patrons were members of the Mughal dynasty who were firmly convinced that their worldly success was due to the blessings of the Chishti Shaykhs. Akbar (r. 1556-1605), in particular, was an ardent devotee. In all, Akbar undertook 14 pilgrimages to the shrine, several of them on foot. Two of these pilgrimages, those of 1568 and 1574, were made immediately after conquering Chittor and Bengal respectively.
Akbar's reverence for and devotion to the Chishtis increased significantly when Shaykh Salim Chishti, a descendant of Baba Farid Ganj-i-Shakar, correctly predicted the birth of his son and heir, Prince Salim. In gratitude, Akbar performed a pilgrimage to Ajmer, walking on foot all the way from Agra. He also had his new capital city, Fatehpur Sikri, built near Salim Chishti's khanqah as a tangible way of symbolising the close Mughal-Chishti alliance.
Akbar's son Jahangir (r. 1605-27) was similarly devoted to the dargah, believing that he owed his very physical existence to the blessings of Khawaja Muinuddin.
Shah Jahan (r. 1627-58) visited the dargah five times during his reign, always approaching it on foot. Shah Jahan's eldest daughter, Jahanara Begum (1614-81), was personally inclined to Islamic mysticism.

START YOUR ENGINE!

OR WHY SPEEDY SCORES...

Driving around a Honda City ZX for two months now, I realise Honda chaps weren't bragging: it's indeed made for Indian roads...It has exactly the right attitude for tough Indian conditions. In fact, it has the answer to most problems that Indian drivers face.
Point No. 1. Congested city driving conditions demand good maneuverability.
The City ZX has a 4.9 meter turning radius, which is equal to that of much smaller cars! Also, the electric power steering and higher torque help ensure a comfortable ride even at low speeds.
Point No. II. Bumps and potholes can really make life uncomfortable.
The City ZX's front suspension with unique lateral force canceling spring and H-torsion beam at the rear enhances stability and comfort. This feature is also complemented by the City ZX's optimum ground clearance.
Point No. III. Poor lighting on our roads can lead to a very uncomfortable drive.
The City ZX's three-dimension lens headlamp with large, multi-reflector design facilitates easy night-time driving and adds to the great looks of this car.
Point No. IV. The tropical climate demands a powerful climate control system.
The City ZX's AC system is talked about. The best way to transform your cabin into a comfort zone!

BORN TO BE WILD

The sheer magnificence of the six-lane stretch with huge trucks moving in single file is sure to take your breath away. Man.
This is real India and it still gives me goose flesh just to think about pumping the pedal on the Jaipur-Kishangarh (NH-8) highway. This is just a showpiece of what India can do if it makes up its mind. Luminous signages, multi-coloured railings on dividers that minimise the presence of stragglers ambling on the highway, shimmering cat's eye lane dividers and brightly painted reflectors indicating bends in the road _ you can be forgiven for imagining you are in the cockpit of an aircraft, gathering speed on the runway in preparation for take-off...Speedy clocked 180km/hr!
Interesting trip tales/Honda
hoots to share? Just shoot...



AWESOME ARAVALLIS: Bare beauty!



SWISS MISS...At Pushkar Fort, you could opt for an
a/c Swiss cottage or stick to the normal cottage