deepshare

masnagudi trek...

2010-04-08T03:35:00.000-07:00

MASNAGUDI TREK
(1ST-5TH APRIL/2010)
Organized by Mr.Ali Razvi

The excitement ride started right when we got down from auto-swapna’s huge welcome smile, srikanth’s and kittu’s friendly talks and of course iss baar bhi I had a surprise package waiting for me-the youngest trekker zainab-aliji’s 8 yr old daughter who embarrassed us all(especially me)by her sheer energy, strength and discipline.Kalyani,radhika,sushma,hafiza almost with all we had a hi-shi session…

As it was a night journey the real fun began only when we got into another bus at banglore. it was like “ankh lagi AP mein tho khuli Karnataka mein” ..lush green fields, coconut trees, unreadable boards and of course beautiful sun welcomed our day.
must say banglore is a wonderful city with heritage paintings under the flyovers, splendid gardens and interestingly golf and race course IN the city!!!

We had breakfast at one of the restaurants with idlis,dosas, and vadas and then got into our second bus and kya bus thi…luxurious and spacious.i chose to sit at the back and what a ride!!!!uchal uchal ke andar ke purje dheele hogaye…was wondering the water inside might start generating electicity!!!hehehe….just kidding!!!

And in the bus…..Hmm feeling little poetic so let me try!! tho arz kiya hai…..irshaad tho bolo…
Aur thodi der baad ched diya kisine tarana
Ek ek karte shuru hogaye har koi geet gaana…waah waah!!!
Mile sur mera tumhara ko cheer ke rakh diya
Sur mile na mile par antakshari ne dilon ko jhod ek rakh diya….waah waah!!

So after antakshari our GHAC official game dumb charades started!! kshitij was on the spree of screwing up everyone with his tough film titles and he actually did it with his ‘sea of tranquility’. hey I must definitely award the patents right to Ganesh for his “sounding like theory” which actually made many titles easier to enact.
So it was just continuing aur ek ghanta kehte kehte 4 hrs passedby….it was quiet a long jorney but the moment we entered Bandipur it was a kind of refreshment ..there were a gud number of our ancestors and spotted deer .so we had to pass through bandipur sanctuary in order to reach masnagudi which is a part of mudumulai tiger reserve and is one of the few places in india where the tiger is actively sited.

And by 3(I guess)we reached our resort—whispering windows and what a place!!!!enthralling and truly mesmerizing…in a huge place filled with coconut trees this resort is right at the centre!!!awesome!!!
We were welcomed by Mr.suresh and his wife padminiji and 10 on 10 for their hospitality.the rooms ,locale,food were all great!!...after dumping our luggage in the rooms we headed towards a stream…arey once again I feel to narrate this poetically….

Khake pahunche hum stream ke kinare,
Itni masti ki shayad janwar bhi dargaye bichare…

Top to bottom poore bheege hue the
Phirbhi koi nikalne ko raazi nahi,
Pose dete rahe,doobte dubate rahe
Waqt ka tho kisi ko khabar hi nahin

And then a lady foreigner entered the scene aur hamare kuch bande indian tourism ke brand ambassador banke kaaaaaaaaafi guide kar rahe the :)…and me while coming out of water what a fall,what a slip!!mera khata tho khulgaya!!!...finally got into our jeeps and back to the resort, thode fresh hogaye aur went for night safari….

We encountered few hare and heard few sounds which were told to be of elephant’s. our guide used to stop the vehicle, turn off the engine and mimed some animal sounds…oh god first it was scary….total dark…in the midst of the jungle ..was a spine chilling experience….at a temple we stopped our vehicles and tasted the dark naked night with millions of stars spread in the sky. ganesh gave us the first hand information that ceres is the brightest star, aliji showed us planet Venus…zoology aur botany mein space sciences horaha tha!!!hehe….guide showed us the Karnataka tamilnadu border and also the bandipur sanctuary with glowing lights…so finally wrapped up and reached our resort…on reaching we saw an elephant which was very close to our resort…but the villagers chased it away…back …we had our dinner with roti ,chole and sambar..then started the celebrity show…pics were proudly taken holding it, carrying it on heads, shoulders we were compelled too..and u knw wht is it..its a frog!!!!such an wacky idea it was…me and sushma were screaming like the hell broke out…huhh…but everyone had fultoosh masti and that frog enjoyed its celebity status!!!! and then we had a brief introductory session at the campfire and finally bid goodnight to a long day…

Next day morning by 9 we left for the trek in jeeps which dropped us at the foot of the hill which was to be climbed. we carried our lunch—yellow rice,curd rice,cucumber,bread,jam-varied options nai!!!so we started by 10 and reached the top by 4.we walked nearly 16kms up the hill.thanks to sumanth,bhayya and aliji who supported us(me and sushma) and never let us give up!!finally when we made to the top the pain and sweat was all worth….the tea gardens, which appeared to be like steps, clouds, cool breezes, deep valleys,steep rocks…..hai hai!!! waqt tham jata tho kitna haseen hota par kya karen wapas aana bhi tho zaroori tha…
And zainab..the way she trekked,set an excellent example to all of us…there was not even a wrinkle of tiredness on her face!!!incredible child!!!

So after our lunch we started our descent and by 6 we were back to where we started and our jeeps collected us and left us at the resort.few who couldn’t make it to the down were taken by jeep and they too had a great time passing through villages..so on reaching we were pretty soon on our beds as it was a hectic day.there were again shouts of villagers and the chasing away of elephants with torches which kept our enthusiasm burning to see an elephant and few were awake till 2 …elephant ke liye kuch bhi karega!!!

Next day we left to ooty. its at the hill top and masnagudi is at its foot.it is pretty famous for scenic beauty, varied and clored flora and vegetables… we saw several carrot fields and tall trees imagining that many of the 80s and 90s films were shot there… we were invited by Mr and mrs suresh so we reached their home to have tea.the first thing which attracted me was their cute dog shadow..kuch bhi kaho yaar uss par tho mera dil aagaya..such a lovely dog it was…there we had tea,were amazed by their bronze and brass collections…..and another thing worth mentioning is that padminiji has been awarded the women entrepreneur award in field of education,…she runs 2 schools one at ooty and another one at mysore.. a remarkable achiever …

So after few snaps we went to the Dodabetta peak which is the highest in south india. the famous suicide point is also nearby and it was an amazing place—must say nature at its best and romantic..it was like”ye kahaan aagaye hum””!!

From there we went for lunch, then shopping and were finally back to the resort.our bus was waiting and we left immediately .bidding gudbyee to masnagudi we started our back journey..on the way we had an opportunity to see a herd of wild elephants,a few stags,a wild boar,spotted deer and many langurs.. we reached banglore by 10pm and took our next bus which brought us to Hyderabad by 8am..and there ended our masagudi trek..

Except few complaints of nausea and little confusion on the whole the trek was good and satisfying and of course we do understand that seeing wild animals in their own environment is luck driven and we appreciate their privacy…
Moreover whomever and whatever I have mentioned here is wholly my perspective and holds no offense..so if you have anything to add to it u r most welcome…
I thank GHAC and its organizers for arranging such a trek and gave an opportunity to be one on one with forest and wild life…
Thankyou..
for pics please visit http://meetup.ghac.in/calendar/12856769/?from=list&offset=0

honor killings

2010-04-01T05:28:00.000-07:00

Another killing in the name of caste!!Haryana court's recent judgement sentencing death penalties to 5 persons and life sentence to one hasn't changed much...nothing overshadows the caste prejudices!!neither legal nor moral!!
caste is so deeply rooted in Indian society that it has become a part of Indian culture .many theorists failed to explain its origins!!not looking into the sociological linkages,caste has sustained almost every change our society went through-take for Indian renaissance or independence movement ,spreading of education or industrialization, modernization or globalization caste has survived all of them...
people often argue that caste system is fading .it doesn't hold the same significance which once it demanded .scientific thinking and spread of education has hindered it growth.but thats just the one side of the story.caste system is prominently growing in every section and more pathetically among educated classes.where there is the system of dowry caste considerations are at the peak.few castes are even quiet popular for their huge dowry exchanges.their younger generations continue to maintain this popularity and feel privileged to belong to them.even today in few communities intercaste marriage is a taboo in middle and lower classes.it is considered as an insult to one's familial values.

honor killings is just a tip of the iceberg.there are several other brutalities being committed which unfortunately go unreported.caste councils under the veil of protecting caste ideologies determine the destinies of people's lives which is unconstitutional,illegal and more importantly unethical.

this calls for an urgent need ti initiate laws which completely eliminate these panchayats,punish the arbitrators and ensure the implementation of legal acts and institutionalization of legal bodies.intercaste marriages are to be actively encouraged for which parents have to make a start.however,the social pressures continue to haunt the parents psychology,intercaste marriages are a rarity and honor killings are a part of of mediocrity.

2010-03-26T03:46:00.001-07:00

why should i accept???

2010-03-06T01:38:00.000-08:00

i love to fly towards the skies and i know i will,
why should i accept ?
on earth i am meant to be!!

i want to touch the ocean floors and i know i will,
why should i accept?
oceans will drown me!!

i wish to break the mountains and i know i will,
why should i accept?
i am a pebble infront of it!!

i chase my dreams,i fight for what i want
why should i accept?
what life is offering me!!!!

2010-03-01T04:11:00.000-08:00

MY FALL

if i have to fall.
then let it be like a cascade.
though it falls,
it retains the same beauty and energy.

if i have to fall,
then let it be like a star,
though it falls,
it makes other's wishes come true.

if i have to fall,
then let it be like a dry leaf,
though it falls,
it ensures that spring is not far behind.

if i have to fall,
then let be like a tear,
though it falls ,
it soothes the grieving heart.

if i have to fall,
then let it be like a revolutionary's blood,
though it falls,
it triggers a revolution.

if i have to fall,
then let it be like a rain,
though it falls,
it pacifies the thirst of every life

if i have to fall,
then let it be like a warrior,
though he falls,
he inspires a million others.

if i have to fall,
then let it be like i wished,
though i fall,
i will raise again to touch the infinity.....

save our tigers

2010-02-16T00:03:00.000-08:00

Finally some breath into the efforts of wildlife conservationists."save our tigers" campaign launched by WWF-India in collaboration with Aircel is making waves all over the country thanks to its heartrending ad of stripey!!!social networking sites are buzzing with comments,discussions and suggestions.the campaign has touched the chord with the youngsters .if this wave reaches the doorsteps of the government then the conservation attempts can get the official backing which is pre-requisite...

recent news about the Chinese government considering the option of legalizing trade in tiger parts is a matter of concern.many consider it would be the last nail in the coffin...this legalization would be the 007 for the poachers-their license to kill.already the tiger population in china has come down to few hundreds,if the efforts are not materialized and stringent laws and their implementation are not made then i am sure India would become another china(at least in tiger population).

several institutions like National Tiger conservation Authority,Wildlife Institute of India etc are into the conservation and awareness.Yet, the sariska and panna incidents in 2009 show a grim picture of India's sincerity in protecting tigers.how pathetic is this....even after 37 years of launching "project tiger",our national animal is a threatened species.only 1411 left...we are already decades back in our endeavors.if not acted quickly then very soon our kids would be seeing tiger pictures like we see now dodo's and Dino's!!!

then where lies the solution???i shall discuss this in my xt blog!!

should India go for talks with Pakistan?

2010-02-07T21:54:00.000-08:00

The stalled talks with Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks are being resumed.The nation wide debate is "should India go for talks with Pakistan?"this time the debate is intense...why?coz India is hurt!!!every Indian was closely watching the 3 day terrorist siege in Mumbai.the TV screens were filled with the scenes of blood,cries,dust and fear.moreover the martyrdom of police and ATS personnel added to the grief.what has happened in Mumbai is probably the first of its kind in Indian history.for weeks ,after the attack, the newspapers came up with articles narrating the plight of the families of the victims and the nation mourned at every tear the families shed.any Indian who was moved by this tragedy can ever forgive the perpetrators??i guess no!!!

Indian government's stand on the attacks and its stalling the talks with Pakistan can be viewed as just an immediate reaction,a reflex action..but what the government did after the initial reaction holds importance.though it tried to mount international pressure on Pakistan,the results are not encouraging.the daily drama in Pakistan....the house arrests,bails,'no evidence' excuses, India's non-cooperation' statements are not hidden from the people.whatever minimal was done...one thing is quiet clear that Pakistan has not done enough to win the trust of millions of Indians.so,in this scenario can Indians step forward to shake hands with Pakistan?

maybe diplomatically what India is bound to do is right.the justification can be that in this era of globalization and common enemies to collectively combat,countries need to be more adjusting.international agencies attempt is to pacify the tense conditions between two nuclear weapons possessing countries.and why USA is involved in these all...everyone knows that!!!in a war like situation between two countries, Pakistan has to move its armed forces to the LOC,which reduces its strength at the afghan border where its is fighting against terrorist outfits.hence USA's so called "war against terrorism"strategy is weakened which is in its own interest.thats why it is mounting pressure on India to resume the dialogue.

but what USA doesn't realize is that the world came to know about terrorism only after sept 11 but India has been dealing with it since its independence.we are in a better position to deal with it rather than they are.agree that its India's soft nature that its a menace even after 6 decades!!!pathetically it can neither be denied that after sept 11 there were no major attacks in USA but in India every year on an average we witness 3-4 terrorist attacks which clearly shows our inability.but in the midst of all these,when India has a very strong reason to be tough why is it reverting to its age-old position of being passive?isn't it the time ripe to show the world that India is accommodating but when it comes to our sovereignty we are hard rock???world knows what we are...let it know what we can be!!!!

building collapse at narayanaguda

2010-02-07T04:15:00.000-08:00

The 5 storey building which collapsed at narayanaguda ,hyderabad raises some of the old, unanswered questions.probably,it is the best example of how india works!!!!

the first question which naturally raises is....who gave the permission for the builder to proceed with the 5-storey building and what the other GHMC officials were doing when the whole scam was taking place???

corruption is so rampant in india that it has become nearly omnipresent.and our bureaucratic system provide a perfect breeding ground for its sustenance.it is more widely present at the bottom level rather than at the top coz they are always under the vigilance of the corruption control mechanisms.the bottom remains in shadow and hence corrution thrives...

next question is obviously regarding our disaster management...why is it so poor in india???the related officials are not prepared,they neither possess the required xpertise nor the necessary equipment.since its inception,disaster management has been profoundly neglected.Is it the management of disaster or the disaster of management?.time and again disaster management mechanisms in India have been proved curative rather being preventive and in some cases it is far from even that!!!

the third question refers to the unorganized sector...why the unorganized sector remains unorganized even after scores of debates and discussions in economic and political circles???

there are no labor laws governing the sector.the social security element is hardly present,moreover,the escalating rural-urban migration aggravates the situation.stringent labour laws are the need of the hour!!

these kind of incidents do happen again and again...people react and forget..they have grown lethargic and are in deep slumber.they raise for irrational issues and go to the extent of self-immolation..but when these kind of developmental issues arise they remain passive..the system requires strong,rational and sincere people and faith lies in our country's youth.the situation can be bettered only if we think we can!!!

my first trek...thumburu valley

2010-02-05T08:58:00.000-08:00

THUMBURU VALLEY TREK(29^th jan)

Organized by Mr.Ali

To describe the trek in simple words is seriously cumbersome but to start with ……WOW!!!!what a trek!!!!what a group to be with!!!!the 2 days passed jus like a beautiful breeze….nature was at its best…..group of strangers became friends….all the differences were shunned…..few falls, many helping hands and lots and lots of masti,mazak and laughter!!!...

The train was scheduled at 6.30pm and we were asked to report by 6.00pm…and everyone were on time. the first person I came across was swapna…a lean figured, highly spirited and flamboyant person!!!by the end of the trek I realized that she is caring too…u were rocking swapnaJ…

Next to come were Mr.ranjan sood!!!frankly speaking my first impression was”will he be able to do it?” but I had to take my words back!!coz of all he was the most charged person on the trek..always leading from the front, inspiring us by his narrations, beautifully posing for our cameras………truly a magnanimous personality…I was completely spellbound by his intellect and charm!!! ranjanji U R THE BEST …!!!

And then the “youngest of all” girl…sruti stepped in…cute,bubbly and yes! adorable too….

by now the train was on its wheels….everyone settled …aur ab baari hai aliji ki…initially I was little bit intimidated by him….coz he is “the organizer”…but let me tell u .. he is the coolest person one could have ever met!!!when he opens his humour ka pitara…laughter riot breaks out…and u cannot help..but find urselves rolling on the floor!!!....a specialist in leg pulling, his humor lingers like smell and whenever you recall …I bet u smile!!:) jokes apart he is a lively and lovely human being…and of course a great Organizer….

by now the train was at its full speed and the roller coaster ride started!!we played dumb charades and our acting skills popped out…Here we met our fantastic 4…shiva,anusha,niranjana and sunder…2 beautiful couples,apni duniya mein mast and a great company to have!!!during the game we met almost all the members…and WE HAD A BLAST!!!!.kittu earned the title “expressive guy”,swapna proved to be an expert in English movies,”dim dim” shiva struggled through “gupt” and sunder beautifully enacted “born free”…(sorry guys I couldn’t remember completely!!!)….and finally it was time to bed!!

Next day morning around 6.30am we got down at tirupati and had nice hot dosas…soon we were joined by other groups from banglore and tirupati… and also our annadata for xt few hrs ….Mr.balu and his team of cooks…. …and then finally we left for tirumala by bus….the hills covered by lush green forest,the Upin roads cutting though them,the fog filling the spaces between the hills, the sun’s rays making its way through it…aah!!!!were breathtakingly beautiful and divine… from tirumala we took a bus to papavinasanam which was our both starting and ending point.we had our breakfast againJthis time idlis….after buying bottles we were given final instructions and then our trek started…..

Once into the jungle some of our’s animal instincts were out!!!few climbed gooseberry trees and few echoed tarzan shoutsJ (srinivas by reddy was perfectly mimicking it….)we halted for introductory session..and there we had the opportunity to know each other…here we met an another inspiring and interesting person..Mr.nagesh…..who is married to trekking and star gazing…his age and enthusiasm easily outruns even an youngster’s vigour!!!.....after a brief intro…we continued our trek…..and on the way we were greeted by red sandlers,varied flora and fauna ,high hills,deep gorges ,water streams,high lying rocks and songs of birds!!!!our first encounter with water made us go crazy!!!walking parallel to the gorge, descending down the hill we finally reached the stream!!!!everyone hurriedly opened their shoes and got into the water…..we had a nice pedicure in the cool waterJ….the sight was spectacular and the feel was incredibly soothing!!!refreshments,chess,photography,playing with water…time literally swung between our childhood and present….aah!!!!b-e-a-utiful!!!but we had to make a move….now that was the toughest part for me…to climb up the rocks…I was panting and perspiring but on the whole a great learning experience…(I seriously need to do more treks..)..all credits to my bro and karthik-the missile guy…for the next few hours he was our(my bro and me) guide….few conversations with him I realized him to be smart,unique and ofcourse a wonderful helping hand!!......finally we made it to the top to descend again…it was almost evening and slowly chalte,chalte we reached our base camp!!!and guess what???the only thing we could have asked for….food was ready and hot served…sambar,rasam,pakodi…..hmm just mouthwatering!!!all thanks to baalugaru and his phenomenal team!!!!

Our rest place..a huge cave called makkamamba cave …one has to see it to believe its grandeur!!! enormously beautiful, profoundly spacious and miraculously elegant!!! we got rid off our backpacks and headed towards a water pool…once into the water…..jaadoo….all the pains and strains were gone!!!!guess the water had a healing touch….though not everyone went into the water,most of them were present enjoying the humour filling the air!!!!it was getting darker…so had to leave the pool and by the time we reached the cave…garma garam chai ki pyali was waiting!!!just imagine…..tired body—cool water bath----hot tea…can anything match this combo….damn it!!!no!!

By the time everyone was fresh ..the campfire was lit…the warmth,the natkhat jokesJ…srikanth’s beautiful melody….aah!!!we had a raw fun!!!next …dinner time…pooris,laddu,bajjis…!!!another brilliant stroke by balugaru and co..!!!

It seems it was an auspicious full moon day and the moon was several thousands of kms closer to earth….looking through the dark trees…peeping and posing the moon was magnificently stunning….ranjanji started with “yeh chaand sa roshan chehra” and soon shammi kappor joined us in our songs!!!a great way to end our hectic day!!!

We had to wakeup by 6.00am coz we had a train to catch at 5.00pm…everyone were on their foot…packing bags,enjoying the sunrise….truly a wonderful morning!!!all our senses were refreshed!!!after tea we were led to the exact thumburu valley spot…..a striking canyon rising approximately 200m high with flowing water and centuries old rocks…believed to be the abode of many rishis….right from its entrance to it dead end every inch of it was mesmerizing…a testimony to god’s patience!!!absolutely brilliant making,unmatched by any of man’s best creations!!!few enjoyed the waterfalls and few in the small pools..there were 1 or 2 temples showcasing our rich traditions… little tussles with kittu.....huh..a pleasant and decent guy(......i guess!!:))...and ofcourse very xpressive!!!;),my slip near the falls,superstitious stone arrangements and the humour attached to it are all memorable…

soon we reached our base camp…had breakfast with salads,bread,jam,and upma……our trek resumed and bidding goodbye to the cave started our 2^nd day trek….

Second day trek was more musical!!!kishore da,rafi saab..accompanied us…”chalte chalte,hum hain rahi pyaar ke,kadam kadam badhaye ja,chal chal mere haathi”…and other wonderful songs reverberated through the jungle!!!of all I was the lone slowcoach!!!but thanks to the team they waited at every halt and encouraged me….cheers to the group!!!and that’s the spirit of GHAC!!!a special mention must be made of srikanth …he involved me in talks and the walk was easier!!!he was not only a good singer but also probably sincere and a fun loving guy!!!next ranjanji was with me and finally I could make it to the end…a brief halt and we all posed for a group pic…..next we headed towards our last destination…there again we found few temples,pandits ,singing sadhu and lunch!!!and what a desert!!!

Finally we had to start and bid adieu to the fascinating valley !!!15 minutes on and we were at the papavinasanam dam….though our hearts were wishing for more the trek came to an end!!!every good thing must come to an end!!!buses took us from papavinasanam to tirumala and then to tirupati…thankfully we were ahead of our schedule and had refreshments at a nearby hotel..sitting in the train we recalled all the funny moments which again brought smiles on our faces…..night and morning were as usual punctual and by 7.ooa.m on feb1st we were in Hyderabad!!everyone said goodbye of course with heavy hearts and satisfied minds…. hoping to see each other in some other trek!!!sincerely it was an amazing trek!!!thanx to GHAC and its members for making the trek possible !!not an exaggeration but the organization was absolutely flawless….right from booking,food,services,etc…everything was well organized….

a point to be specifically mentioned is that out of the 21 members 17 were first timers and all of them showed their mighty spirits….kudos to each and everyone ….!and my hearty regards to all those whom I couldn’t mention.what ever I have presented hear is solely my perception and holds no biases!!!any corrections,any additions… u r free to appraise!!!
Once again I thank GHAC for organizing such a wonderful trek…and giving me a chance to share my experiences!!!!