Weekend Warrior

BULLET'S POP!!!

2007-04-21T00:03:00.000-07:00

I HAD TO POST THIS...C'est magnifique, non! Also, it makes perfect sense b'coz Weekend Warriors like me baby-sit when they are not hitting the tar! BTW, Bullet would grow up to resemble this guy! Woooooooo......ah!

STOP, THIS CAR'S ROCKING!

2007-04-16T05:25:00.001-07:00

This is funny. A couple of days ago I happily posted a list of songs you could listen to while driving, and lo! There's another list carried in the papers that talks about songs to avoid....

Want to stay safe on the roads? Then avoid listening to Guns N Roses, Meat Loaf and Bruce Springsteen behind the wheel.
The trio are among the artists featured on a top 10 of tracks that get people's blood pumping and in the mood to drive aggressively.
Erase "Bat out of Hell", you say! Preposterous! I would do anything for safety, but I won't do that. Oh No. I said I won't do that.
And since two out of three aint bad, are there other songs/artists you could avoid instead? Luckily, there are!
t includes classic rock tracks, such as Meat Loaf's "Bat Out Of Hell" and Springsteen's "Born to Run," as well as tracks such as Motorhead's "Ace of Spades" and Guns N Roses' "Paradise City."
More modern tracks, including The Killers' "When we were Young" and Feeder's "Buck Rogers" also featured, as did -- perhaps fittingly -- "You Will Be Under My Wheels" by dance act the Prodigy.
So what's the solution, forced piping of Barry Manilow into every car to make them slow down?

FINAL TRUCKIN'

2007-04-07T04:57:00.000-07:00

(Originally posted by darin 11111 on flickr)

Sometimes you just need to kick it into high gear and pick up a little speed. Roll down that driver's-side window and let these rock breezes blow right in...If you want to get your adrenaline pumping, these songs will have that effect on you. They make you want to just stomp on the gas and go 120 even though you're still in the driveway. These songs will put you in the racing mood anytime.
Gotta start with Highway Star, baybee! Smoke on the water, eh!! But this one's when you stop for a tall glass of Jungle Tea! But before you hit the list, read/hum:

Road Signs + Rock Songs

Postcards on the floor
But this pen can't write lonliness no more.
Waking up all alone
on the opposite side of the coast.

I'm commited to insecurity and you.
And love is overated.
It leaves you devastated
Heart ripped in two.

Roadside state of mind
Boulevard of broken dreams washed out this
time after time I was lost and looking
But knew I'd never find
what is mine in a world that's so unkind.

And love is overated.
It leaves you devastated.

The only things I know are
road signs and rock songs and lonely hotel rooms.
But still I need you here, what's new?

I'm committed to all these memories of you.
And love is overated.
It leaves you devastated.
Love is overrated.

Okaie, here we go...

TNT by AC/DC
Rock And Roll by Led Zeppelin
Life In The Fast Lane by Eagles
Riders On The Storm by The Doors
Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf
Bad To The Bone by George Thorogood
I Wanna Be Sedated by Ramones
Who Are You by The Who
We Are The Champions by Queen
Paradise City by GnR
Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix
Sunshine Of Your Love by Cream
Highway To Hell by AC/DC
We Will Rock You by Queen
All Along The Watchtower by Jimi Hendix
Magic Bus by The Who
Sweet Child O' Mine by GnR
Fire by Jimi Hendrix
Jumpin Jack Flash by Rolling Stones
I'm On Fire by Springsteen

MORE YEN FOR HONDA!

2007-04-04T06:28:00.000-07:00

With the central sales tax holiday enjoyed by it in Uttar Pradesh (the manufacturing plant is in Greater Noida) coming to an end, Honda has hiked the price across different models by upto Rs 5,000. Post the price hike, the popular mid-sized sedan "City" will be costlier by Rs 2,000 while the other model "Civic" will be dearer by Rs 3,000. The company's premium luxury car "Accord" will see the highest hike of Rs 5,000, a company official said. The company had been given a 4 percent central sales tax exemption since its inception linked to its investment at its plant.

LOOK WHO'S LOGAN!
Mahindra Renault, the joint venture between Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and Renault of France, is yet to roll out the first machine and already, comparisons are being drawn with a Honda! And let's not forget, it's the diesel Logan they are talking about v/s power-packed performance of a Honda petrol!
The entry-level petrol variant of Logan, which is being positioned as a roomier car than available choices, comes at an ex-showroom price of Rs 4.28 lakh in Mumbai (Rs 4.35 lakh in Delhi).
The mid-size sedan comes in two petrol versions of 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre engine that promises to deliver a fuel efficiency of 10-13 km to a litre, while the diesel version with a 1.5-litre engine, will deliver 14-18 km to a litre and cost you Rs 5.47 lakh to Rs 6.44 lakh in Mumbai (Rs 5.54 lakh to Rs 6.51 lakh in Delhi). According to a Mumbai-based auto analyst, the fully-loaded diesel variant at Rs 6.51 lakh could appeal to those buying a Honda! Well! Well!
Renault Logan (also known as Dacia Logan) is a robust, reliable, economical mid-sizer. It has very good space and comfort is good too. But let's not forget Logan coming to India is stripped-down version of European Logan and will have very basic features only. This car is expected to do good in rural areas where Mahindra has better reach.
Affordable, reliable, robust, entry-level sedan. Should give a tough competition to Esteem and Indigo. That's all.
Initially, the car will be launched in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Nashik, Chandigarh and Ludhiana, where bookings will start on April 10, and the cars will be delivered in a month’s time. In the next phase, it will roll out the car in to 15 other cities from April to August, and by November, the car will be available across the country.

I PET, YOU'LL LOVE THIS!

2007-04-03T02:38:00.000-07:00

It isn't losing focus of the blog, or getting obsessed. It's a dog, after all. But look at this way: when weekend warriors aren't driving out of town, caring for the pet could be real stress-busting. So what if you can't sleep peacefully...my GF, too, complained she couldn't sleep well when we were together! It's a diff matter now that she still can't sleep pecefully. God save her from bad dreams!!! Okai, forget her, you check this out!

2007-03-31T06:53:00.000-07:00

"We have been given a gift,
we have been given a road,
and that road's name is...
Rock and Roll!"

CAUTION: DOG ON BOARD!

2007-03-19T00:15:00.000-07:00

FOR MORE PICTURES OF BULLET THE BLACK LAB, CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW:

1. Sniffing already!, 2. Let sleeping dog lie.., 3. Joey's sleeping too!, 4. Bullet & Joey the toadzilla, 5. Boring Joey, 6. When Joey dares..., 7. Bullet wins! Paws down!, 8. Joey strikes again!, 9. Blur: that's why Bullet!, 10. Strings attached, 11. Tug of war, 12. Teething troubles, 13. With its pet, Joey, 14. Playmates, 15. Playmates-II, 16. Oh My Dog!

Finally, we have a pet to take care when diving out of town. In fact, the decision to get a pet has been hanging fire for long. "Where do we keep it when going for movies?" "How about visiting in-laws in Lucknow?" Blah, blah, blah and blah. In fact, when we got Bullet (see pic), it was late in the evening. The kid was hungry and the friend who managed the deal (BTW, he too got a pair of labs the next morning), wanted to celebrate. Cafe Coffee Day guys were sweet enough to allow Bullet with us. Maybe, it was his size or whatever. But right now, I'm more concerned about driving and how to manage Bullet on board. Here are some tips I've compiled from here and there. I promise to do a biggr piece when I actually travel with Bullet in tow!

1. Before leaving home, especially if you haven't had your dog for long, take her on a test drive. Unlike what you think, not all dogs are good travellers. Some get extremely anxious; others suffer from car sickness. Dogs like that are better left behind with someone responsible caring for them.

2. If your dog, like most, loves to ride in the car, great. Invest in a safety seat, restraint, or carrier to keep her extra secure.

3. Pack water and a plastic drinking bowl and allow her frequent stops to drink and relieve herself.

4. Bring dog food and treats from home.

5. Keep her on the leash at all times.

6. Don't allow her to stick her head out the window. She could fall out, be hit by debris, or get something in her eye. You don't want to spend any of your vacation time and loot in a strange veterinarian's office.

7. Never leave her alone in a locked car in heat or severe cold. The hotter it is, and the longer you are gone, the more likely she will suffer terribly and perish in this situation.

CERTAIN THINGS YOU MUST CARRY ON BOARD: His own blanket, or cuddly toy - A little comfort from home goes a long way, even if Mom and Dad are sitting in the front seat. Anxiety and stress can do funny (and smelly) things to a dog, like diarrhoea, and nausea. Not pleasant to drive with.
Spare leash and collar And keep it handy. Not only good for the dog, but a spare leash can used for many things, including tying a splint in place if somebody breaks a bone. And if you put two six foot leashes together, you'll have a twelve foot lead should you need to secure your dog to anything, for any length of time.
First Aid Kit Something every vehicle should have, regardless of pets or children. In an emergency, you never what you will need, keep a fully stocked first aid kit in your vehicle at all times, since accidents can happen at any time.
Veterinary records Simply because you never know when you might need them. They'll prove invaluable if you end up having to rush your pooch to the local veterinarian's office for whatever reason.

HOW GREEN IS MY CAR!

2007-03-17T03:14:00.001-07:00

For all Honda lovers, here's some good news: The completely redesigned 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid, the most economical and environmentally responsible gasoline-powered Civic ever, has been adjudged the least polluting car to drive in the world. Which means even if you are not driving one of those green cars, at least you own one that flaunts the word H...By the way, Honda City enjoys the tag of one of India's least polluting machines on the road!

We all know how you can save on gas by taking your time. Here's more on how to get the best out of your car...

Change your filters regularly. Changing just the air filter can increase your mileage by up to 10%. If you are automotively challenged, just ask the dudes at the oil change shop to do it.

Topping off your gas tank can increase the amountof ground-level ozone and other air pollutants. Fill 'er up, but don't go crazy, and we’ll all breathe a little easier.

Keep local waterways clean by checking for leaks under the car. Just a few quarts of oil can contaminate a million gallons of water.

Join a car coop and reduce your driving by over 50%.

EXTRAORDINARY MACHINE!

2007-03-17T03:04:00.000-07:00

If ever there was an anthem for the Weekend Warrior, this be it...

I certainly haven't been shopping for any new shoes
-And-
I certainly haven't been spreading myself around
I still only travel by foot and by foot, it's a slow climb,
But I'm good at being uncomfortable, so
I can't stop changing all the time

I notice that my opponent is always on the go
-And-
Won't go slow, so's not to focus, and I notice
He'll hitch a ride with any guide, as long as
They go fast from whence he came
- But he's no good at being uncomfortable, so
He can't stop staying exactly the same

If there was a better way to go then it would find me
I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me
Be kind to me, or treat me mean
I'll make the most of it, I'm an extraordinary machine

I seem to you to seek a new disaster every day
You deem me due to clean my view and be at peace and lay
I mean to prove I mean to move in my own way, and say,
I've been getting along for long before you came into the play

I am the baby of the family, it happens, so
- Everybody cares and wears the sheeps' clothes
While they chaperone
Curious, you looking down your nose at me, while you appease
- Courteous, to try and help - but let me set your
Mind at ease

-Do I so worry you, you need to hurry to my side?
-It's very kind
But it's to no avail; I don't want the bail
I promise you, everything will be just fine

If there was a better way to go then it would find me
I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me
Be kind to me, or treat me mean
I'll make the most of it, I'm an extraordinary machine

_ Fiona Apple

AAYI JHOOM KE BASANT...

2007-01-24T23:10:00.000-08:00

Peeli, peeli, sarson phooli,
Peeli udey patang,
Peeli, peeli udey chunariya,
Peeli pagri ke sung...
Here's s a sure-fire sign to tell you spring's already here. No, Basant Panchmi is a wrong answer. The correct answer is your kid suddenly looks dark and dingy in his grays, blacks, and brown fashions that were ever-so-hip even a month ago. And if your kid is like mine, here's another sign: just like new foals snort, gallop, kick out their legs and just run without reason--he gets spring fever as well. That may be fine at home or at enrichment activities, but teachers still want their students to show focus and discipline.
I know, because I went for his PTA recently, minus his mother and the class teacher told me all.
Anyway, spring is also the perfect time for summer plans, and don't forget about ensuring your outings are kid-friendly. Swim lessons, special camps, amusement parks, and special field trips can require planning, transportation, work schedule flexibility, and affordability. Till that time, the good thing about living in Delhi is there is no dearth of rolling yellow fields of mustard around. You could just vroom a bit, bask in the yellow glory, stop at a roadside dhaba, sit on the charpoy and make good use of juicy sugarcane...ummmm!

Chanda bhi dekha, taare bhi dekhe,
Dekha suraj barson,
Par jis din se tujh ko dekha,
Man mein phooli sarson...

For all ye Weekend Warriors, here's what we read on a passing truck...
Aaj kal parson,
Jab phoolegi sarson,
Sajan ghar aa jaana...

NOT 'WHAT' BUT 'HOW'

2007-01-24T06:41:00.000-08:00

Something tremendous is happening in India. Even one of my favourite columnists, Gurcharan Das, with his keen eye and often elegant prose, has his finger firmly on the pulse of the transformation…All those who love reading his column in TOI on Sundays know how his stories enliven what could easily have been a dull piece of economic history. How I wish we had more economists making you believe in India, its might and what we are capable of. How our rich country became poor and how it will be rich again.
Here, excerpts from his column on NH-8...

I was driving down from Jaipur to Ajmer. But I could have been anywhere. The six lane highway was a smooth beauty and the pot-holed India of the PWD was a hazy memory.
Then the wondrous colours of Rajasthan appeared and for an instant I thought I had entered a certain paradise, which seemed to unite modernity with tradition, world-class infrastructure with the ineffable loveliness of old India.
What makes the Jaipur-Kishangarh section of the golden quadrilateral special is that it is a true public-private partnership based on transparent legal contracts that might be a model for the world.
Such contracts have created a new level of trust and are enabling India to access funds, skills and technologies from the best companies in the world, who will build and operate our roads, ports, bridges, airports, and container trains, and transfer them to the state in 15 to 30 years.
Gajendra Haldea, an unusual economist-lawyer of integrity and conviction, drew up these model contracts at the Planning Commission. As a result, he is the most hated man in Delhi's infrastructure ministries. He has demolished opportunities for corruption.
Soon we shall have 20,000 km of highways, hundreds of private container trains, and many private ports and airports _ all in public-private partnership. These quiet steps teach us that reforms are not about the 'what' but the 'how'. They are less about economics and more about law...

CUT TO KARJAT, AGAIN!

2007-01-24T06:29:00.001-08:00

TENT TIGHT FOR THE NIGHT!

2007-01-24T06:20:00.000-08:00

Travelling light gets a new meaning. Though this tent is a bit bulky and heavy (3.5 kgs) for hiking, but good for a car trip. The cool thing is that it sets up in 2 seconds. You just have to throw it in the air and boing!, you are ready to sleep in two seconds (hence its the name). Two seconds for fold-out is realistic, except when it lands on its roof and, you've got to roll it over, adding a few more seconds. Once done, you've got to pitch it down with 2 stakes if the wind is moderate, 4 more if there is any more wind.
The manufacturer, Decathlon, claims one needs 15 seconds to fold it away. With some training you can get it down to less than one minute, for sure, on a lazy day, including all accessories. You just have to expulse the remaining air, and put it in the bag. When folded it is a disc _ a bit larger than a 28-inch bicycle wheel (around 80cm in diameter). It's too large to fit into a backpack, but you can hang it on the exterior of a pack. If you do that you'll look like a dwarf holding his shield. It could fit on the back of a bike, but really it is made for car camping.
The tent sleeps two. The room is 145 x 245cm, so it could be possible to sleep three, but not for a long time. One advantage is that the roof is flatter than an igloo, like in a tunnel. Inside it's a pretty standard tent, with a double roof, and nets for venting.
All in all, it's not the perfect tent, but a good tent, light enough, larger than a regular pop tent, and a lot of fun. You would like to open it several times just because it's amazing.

CURRYING FLAVOURS @ KARJAT!

2007-01-20T02:33:00.001-08:00

Rumpled sheets, two warm bodies and a little ankle origami. You never want to get out of bed.
Warm gingerbread with pears and honey, steaming tea casting a spell or two...
Spoon till noon!
Ahem...when you get time, take a tour.
From pearly skies at dawn to the sparkling lights of the night-time cityscape, Karjat on the outskirts of Mumbai scores fantastically on the location front. The hilly hamlet with its profusion of greens is mesmerising and intoxicating and having a face-off with your wild side seems like the most natural thing to do... Sit under the waterfall at midnight and watch a swarm of fireflies do a ballet or just go skinny-dipping in the lake in torch light.
Karjat is merely a two-hour drive from from Mumbai (Central).

Fuss Factor: The Dirty Getaway
Hit the freeway early on a Friday afternoon to beat the traffic.
Stop by the supermarket to stock the picnic hamper.
Check into the motel.
Start things off with a naughty board game: strip scrabble, pants off twister...
Make each other sandwiches, build each other bites.
Steam the windows!

THE DIRTY MENU
Raid the fridge, stop by the supermarket and pack for the ultimate indoor picnic.
A crunchy baguette/whole wheat bread, your favourite cheese slices, a fresh roast chicken and a handful of cheeky little odds and sods is all you need.
Tear a chunk of bread/take two slices, spread some pickles, add slices of cheese and some sauce, wedges of avocado and juicy strips of roast chicken...a sexy sandwich built to feast on...
Some olives and cheeses
A bottle of Merlot
A block of good chocolate and a bag of crisp, firm apples (they are, after all, the fruit of seduction)...
You might not have to leave the room all weekend!

THE RIGHT MOOD
Sight: Raindrops on the windows, filtered through the venetian blinds!
Sound: Water gurgling and random tunes playing in the background (check playlist down below)
Smell: Salt air, motel soap cakes and wine on each other's breath
Touch: Naked flesh against cheap sheets
Taste: Fresh, crisp apples in the dim lit afterglow

THE SHOPPING BAG
Food: fresh baguettes/whole wheat bread slices; roast chicken; avocado; pickles; a stick of butter/cheese slices;
olives and hors d'oeuvre what nots; fresh fruit; fruit juice; wine/champagne/whiskey/good chocolate
Goods: bottle opener; napkins; a knife, fork and spoon; glasses; plates; blanket; iPod music and speakers; scrabble board

Now get a foot in the door:
This is your chance to show yourself as spontaneous, carefree and whimsical.
Overplanning this weekend will strip it of it's charm: an escape...
Look at the list, then willfully forget at least two things on it. This will force you to improvise:
Share the toothbrush glass to drink the wine/whiskey/vodka or whatever
Use the shopping bag as a picnic blanket
Use a fork to push the cork into the wine bottle (not my favourite activity)...
Being almost perfect is much more endearing than being absolutely perfect!

Gt your paws on some claws; it's good practise on tearing into flesh...then move onto each other!
Every word used to describe the first meal that you serve someone is an adjective about yourself: light, spicy, colourful and a little foreign is much better than heavy, bland, fatty or dull. Like, say antipasti...avocado...
Which is why this menu is a much better introduction to the wonderful world of 'you' than a hanger steak with good ole mashed potatoes and string beans!

Random Tunes: The Playlist
-----------------------------------------
Love Me Sweet (St Etienne Remix) by Kid Loco

All I Need by Air from the album Moon Safari

Glory Box by Portishead

Angel from Massive Attack’s Mezzanine album

Sweet Jane by Cowboy Junkies (Natural Born Killers' soundtrack)

Song to the Siren from This Mortal Coil’s It'll End in Tears album

Only Us by Peter Gabriel

Stay by Me by Annie Lennox

A Lucky Guy by Rickie Lee Jones

Up in Suzes' Room from Paul Weller’s Heavy Soul album

Just Like Honey by The Jesus & Mary Chain

And No More Shall We Partby Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

We Float from PJ Harvey’s Stories from the Sea

Sunday Morning (Stereo) by The Velvet Underground & Nico

Gett Off by Prince

Some Kinda Love by The Velvet Underground

Ask for Answers from Placebo’s Without You I'm Nothing album

Reservations from Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album

Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones

I Can't Go to Sleep (featuring Isaac Hayes) by Wu-Tang Clan

Total Control by Tina Turner

Sign Your Name by Terence Trent D'Arby

D.M.S.R. by Prince

What Goes Around Comes Around by Lenny Kravitz

Let's Stay Together by Al Green

Why Can't We Live Together by Sade

Fly Me to the Moon from Astrud Gilberto’s Finest Hour album

DEATH BY BLAZE!

2007-01-19T23:38:00.001-08:00

Look at the irony: while one report talks about ending commuters' woes by reducing travel time on the 15 km-long Palam-Gurgaon stretch, another gory tale of a car catching fire grabs your eyeballs early in the morning...
It can't get worse than this.
Think about it. And shudder. A car-full of your favourite people on a chilly winter morning singing happy songs and snacking on homemade sandwiches suddenly realising a spark somewhere in the rear of the vehicle. Within seconds, the car turns into a fireball killing all on the spot.
Most recently, a 40-year-old businessman rushing home to his family from work is charred to death after his car catches fire.
Or the three musketeers who escaped near death after their car caught fire after an accident on the Noida-Delhi eway on December 17, 2006. Not for the Indica driver on the Mumbai-Pune eway, who died of burns after he was trapped in the car which caught fire on December 29, near Urse toll junction...
Right from failing of the central locking system to zipping on empty roads to not getting serviced on time to faulty frills, causes galore. The fact, however, remains: people are dying all the time and we don't seem to be able to pinpoint the culprit.
Police say the businessman's car was fitted with central locking system which failed, leaving no escape route. So are my cars!
In the Pune incident, cops say the fire could be due to over speeding resulting in friction. But then what are eways for, if not speeding?
Why don't the car companies do something about it? Instead of just introducing fancy hotrods and making millions, why don't they try to make travelling safer? And by safe, we don't mean airbags!
Guess, it'll take someone at the top to die and force the car firms and powers to be to get into action. Till then, you and I are lucky...we are still driving.

GLADIATORS OF LOVE!

2007-01-11T05:29:00.002-08:00

WE LOOKED EACH OTHER SQUARE IN THE EYE. I WAS
a little nervous. When I looked at her, I knew she was nervous, too.
We were standing on the floor of the Taj, the epitome of love and romance, encircled by pristine, white marble walls _ two indentured slaves with a self-imposed sentence, serving up the punch line of a long-standing private joke. We'd come to Agra at a critical juncture of our relationship. A point at which the death match of romance either blossoms into the detente of love or folds into yet another cold war of battered egos and botched opportunities. And we were gladiators of love, both battle weary, and looking for some peace.
Romance, like war, creates two kinds of combatants. The first identifies with Robert E. Lee's remark at the Battle of Fredericksburg: "It is well that war is so terrible: We would grow too fond of it." This is the veteran who longs for another fight, who never feels so alive as when his neck is truly on the line. That bloodthirsty longing for conquest, that dangerous dance around the rim of rejection _ it gets you addicted to the adrenaline of adventure. And if you pursue this dance long enough, the notion of returning home, or of even having a home to return to, becomes foreign to you.
The second kind of combatant is more like Russell Crowe's Roman general in Gladiator: the guy who has nothing left to prove, who has conquered and been conquered, pillaged and been pillaged, for whom the end goal of any battle is the chance to return home at last.
I've always thought I was more like Lee, and _ to beat a metaphor to death _ that I wasn't ever going to be the swords-into-plowshares type, romance-wise. I felt like my love life was always going to be more like Serbia than Switzerland, always with the pleasures of peace outside my grasp. Yet there's been something here, at this monument of love, that's made me willing to discard the armour. to see if the hearts underneath still beat, to inch closer to that treaty that says war is over, and it's time to go home.
"I love you," I told her.
"I love you, too," she said.
Ah. That's so much better than, "At my signal, unleash hell."

LOVE IN THE TIME OF FOG!

2007-01-10T03:27:00.002-08:00

ROMANCING THE STONE: STILL PREFER A MOONLIT NIGHT?
More on travelling to Agra soon...watch this space.

AMADER RANIKHETER CHHOBI!

2007-01-08T21:58:00.001-08:00

WHAT IS IT? Holm Farm Heritage Hotel & Resort. In 1869, Norman Troupe, a 'restless' Brit Army officer landed in Ranikhet and instantly fell in love with the place. He set out to build that dream that had been haunting him all his life: a home for himself and a place where his friends would frequently love to come.
STILL WORTH A VISIT? Of course. Turned into a resort, the sprawling 13-acre Holf Farm Estate offers a magnificent view of the Himalayas. It's an incredible combination of the traditional and the modern.
WHERE TO STAY? The majestic bungalow has six comfortable suites and a museum like lobby with pinewood floor, ceiling, century old hand- painted wallpaper, an antique piano, old colonial furniture and much more which itself tells the remaining story of the bungalow. The adventurous could aslo stay at one of the several Swiss Cottages (read tents).
HOW FAR IS IT? From Ranikhet town, Holm Farm Heritage is a mere 10 minutes drive along a zigzag dirt road amid pine, cedar, oak and chestnut groves.
WHO GOES THERE? After Troupe`s death in 1890, this bunglow was sold to Mohd. Amin, then to F. C. Banyon from Ms Catherine Abbot (wife of Col. Abbot) and since independence, this property is being owned by Madan Mohan Upadhyaya, a veteran freedom fighter and a very close associate of the Nehrus. During his lifetime, many celebrated personalities like Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Lady and Lord Mountbatten, Acharya Narendra Dev, Govind Ballabh Pant, Narayan Dutt Tewari, and several embassy-types have been here and appreciated the beauty of this place.

Delhi-based Weekend Warrior and Good Relations honcho, Sushmita, travelled to Holm Farm Heritage Resort, Ranikhet, along with hubby Rajat and son Shaon. A believer in 'Truth in Travel', she refused to play any PR tricks on the resort management and paid to stay at the Holm Farm!

ONE FOR THE ROAD!

2007-01-06T02:33:00.000-08:00

...AND ANOTHER!

2007-01-06T02:07:00.000-08:00

THIS FOGGING HIGHWAY!

2007-01-05T00:40:00.003-08:00

Don’t be a tailgater! Many of us don’t see as far ahead as we should
because we follow too closely, and the vehicle ahead blocks our view.

On a bright morning, we would start at daybreak and land up at the oldies (in-laws) for lunch in Lucknow. Throw in half-hour break for sandwiches and tea at Bareilly, making it percisely eight hours from Noida covering exactly 500 km on NH-24. But as Luck (now) would have it this year-end, hit the foggy zone within an hour of starting out at 6.30. Things looked fine, so there was no reason to call off the trip. But who could imagine the weekend would turn out thus? While a Toyota Corolla met with a horrible head-on with a truck ahead killing the driver on the spot, had my share of killing, too! A pup! Shit!!! And let's not forget the anti-Bush protestors at Ferozabad, who won't stop banging Speedy until I nearly crushed some of them under the rear wheels. All in all, why do people drive to Luknow? Could someone tell me, please? Unless, of course, you missed the 6.20 a.m. Shatabadi Express from New Delhi Railway Station or the flight got delayed because there were too many politico-types boarding the same flight...

Now, why go to Lucknow at all?

ALL THE REASONS TILL LAST YEAR: Tunda's Kakori kebabs @ the Chowk! And, ahem, chikankari (avoid Sewa at all costs, too costly); old fellas, of course.
ALL THE REASONS THIS YEAR: Tunda's Kakori kebabs @ the Chowk! And, ahem, chikankari (avoid Sewa at all costs, too costly); old fellas, of course, and the Lucknow-Kanpur-Etawah-Ferozabad-Agra-Delhi highway! It rocks...all thanks to Mulayam Singh Yadav. Etawah is his constituency. The only rough patches you encounter are at Etawah that end at Makhanpur near Agra.

It also makes sense to take this route this time of the year because NH-24 runs through the sugarcane belt and this is harvest time. Back to fog, there aren't that many accidents when its foggy as opposed to when it's raining or when it's a fine day. But as soon as you link these to the number of days when it's foggy, raining or fine, you find that you are dozens of times more at risk. In fact, it is not putting it too strongly to say that if you do run into fog, you are in serious danger. Everything about fog is wrong - you can't do a thing, there's a fog code which everybody knows but not everyone obeys, and if an accident happens, it could be a pile up with dozens of vehicles crashing into each other and no way to avoid it.

No one is really quite sure what goes wrong in fog. Why do people drive at 60 kmph as if there's nothing in front of them? Is it because they become disorientated with no visual clues to let them assess their speed? Or are they assuming that because they can see other people driving fast they become frightened that they'll be rammed from behind? Even a person driving slowly according to the fog code will be pressured into speeding up when he/she sees cars zooming past them.

What is needed is some research to come up with answers - what happens when we drive into fog, why do we end up with one lot of drivers following the fog code and the other drivers not obeying it - which is a bit like traffic lights where one lot of drivers obey the rules and drive through on the green light and the others disobey the rules and drive through on the red light.

So what can we do if we do hit fog. Clearly we should obey the fog code but my own personal view is that there is a problem because not everyone is using the code - the pile up happens when a fast-moving vehicle hits a slow moving vehicle, i.e. the person obeying the code. It may need legislation so that you must drive at say 20 kmph. With modern speed cameras it would not be too difficult to deploy these and there's nothing like a fine to make people drop their speed. Until that happens, or we all have cars with infra-red imaging systems, my priorities would be:
1) Don't travel if there's fog
2) If you do get caught in fog, move to a quieter road and find a safe place to park
3) Use the fog code and resist the temptation to increase your speed. And in case you don't know your fog code, here it is:

THE FOG CODE
Before driving in fog, consider if your journey is essential. If it is, allow extra time. Make sure your windscreen, windows and lights are clean and that all your lights (including brake lights) are working.

When driving in fog:

(a) See and be seen. If you cannot see clearly use dipped headlights. Use front or rear fog lights if visibility is seriously reduced but switch them off when visibility improves. Use your windscreen wipers and demisters.

(b) Check your mirrors and slow down. Keep a safe distance behind the vehicle in front. You should always be able to pull up within the distance you can see clearly.

(c) Do not hang on to the tail lights of the vehicle in front: it gives a false sense of security. In thick fog, if you can see the vehicle in front you are probably too close unless you are travelling very slowly.

(d) Be aware of your speed. You may be going much faster than you think. Do not accelerate to get away from a vehicle which is too close behind you. When you slow down, use your brakes so that your brake lights warn drivers behind you.

(e) Fog can drift rapidly and is often patchy. Even if it seems to be clearing, you can suddenly find yourself back in thick fog.

On a lighter note, with modern cars we've all but forgotten the fog horn which of course was for use in fog. And in London, back in the 1930's they tied blow lamps to traffic lights in the fog partly to burn it away and partly for drivers to see.

SEASONS' GREETINGS!

2007-01-04T07:29:00.000-08:00

HISTORY-SHEETER!

2006-12-29T06:02:00.000-08:00

.......................
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.

2006-12-28T02:41:00.000-08:00

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!

2006-12-28T01:00:00.000-08:00

GETTING MY HIGH! ON THE HIGHWAY...

2006-12-27T00:56:00.000-08:00

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!

2006-12-27T00:19:00.000-08:00

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!

2006-12-26T23:31:00.000-08:00

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!

2006-12-26T03:11:00.000-08:00

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

..............
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?

2006-12-26T02:57:00.000-08:00

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!

2006-12-26T02:32:00.000-08:00

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!

2006-12-26T01:15:00.000-08:00

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…
......................................
SAMODE PALACE, JAIPUR
......................................
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

2006-12-22T04:07:00.000-08:00

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).

2006-12-22T03:32:00.001-08:00

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

SPEEDY'S DAY OUT!

2006-12-21T05:43:00.000-08:00

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

2006-12-21T05:39:00.000-08:00

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!

2006-12-21T04:59:00.000-08:00

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!

2006-12-21T00:13:00.000-08:00

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

2006-12-04T05:08:00.000-08:00

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