My Musings

Recently, during Sep 26 and Oct 10, 2009, Vijaya and I (and Ashok-Neeraja) had gone to New Delhi and stayed with Vasu and Srikanth. The first impression I got was that the city is very large; truly it has been claimed "a city of distances". People here do not mind travelling over 35 km to their office, in heavy traffic! I was told our Ravi once used to travel 40 km to his office, that too on a scooter! In Delhi a car is a must, I feel. Vasu and others eat breakfast while travelling, I am told. Secondly, the METRO is all-pervasive in the city. Already there are 3 lines functioning; and before the Commonwealth Games start in 2010, this will be extended manyfold. Construction work goes on in a breakneck speed to beat the deadline. Result? Diversion, Excavation, pollution etc. The Metro is quite cool (AC), clean, efficient, and hi-tec. Roads and flyovers are wide, unlike in Chennai. Even these are highly choked with traffic! A recent study says that, on an average, a car us...

AGRA DAY 10: Sunday, 04 Oct 2009 - AGRA We left the hotel at Jaipur at 0600 and drove to Agra, 230 km away from Jaipur. The Jaipur-Agra highway is wide and clean. We had bread and butter in the car itself, a precaution thanks to yesterday's breakfast at Jaipur Expressway (Parantha and thayir !! ). Skipping Bharatpur, the famous bird sanctuary, our first stop was at Fatehpur at 0900. From the parking lot, one has to hire an auto to reach the Gate. The historical city was constructed by Mughal emperor Akbar beginning in 1570 and served as the empire's capital from 1571 until 1585, when it was abandoned for reasons unclear. Akbar had inherited the Mughal Empire from his father Humayun and grandfather Babur. During the 1560s he rebuilt the Agra Fort and established it as his capital. With his wife Mariam-uz-Zamani he had a son and then twins, but the twins died. He then consulted the Sufi Saint Salim Chishti from the Chishti Order who lived as a recluse in the small town Si...

JAIPUR. DAY 09: Saturday, 03 Oct 2009 - JAIPUR We hired a taxi for 2 days and left Srikanth's house at 0600 for Jaipur. Breakfast at a roadside dhaba. Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. Reached Amber fort (aka Amer fort) by 1030 and went around the fort. It was built by Kachhawa clan (Rajput) rulers in 1592. Located at 11 km from Jaipur, it is a major tourist attraction. From Amber fort, we went for lunch, typical Rajasthani thali. Next, we went to the Maharajah Sawai Mansingh II museum, which is inside the City Palace. museum Our next stop was the Jantar Mantar. The Jantar Mantar is a collection of architectural astronomical instruments, built by Maharaja Jai Singh II at his then new capital of Jaipur between 1727 and 1734. Very fascinating and interesting. Then we proceeded to the famous Hawa Mahal, a palace built in 1799 by Sawai Pratap Singh. Called "the Hall of the Winds", it has five stories and is constructed of red and pink san...

INTRO: Ashok and Neeraja planned during July 2009 a trip to Delhi etc places; they requested us to join them for the tour to be undertaken in late September. We agreed. The entire tour plan, its execution was done by Ashok-Neeraja. He wanted us to fly to New Delhi but I asked him to book our onward ticket by Rajdhani Express and he agreed. DAY 01: Friday, 25 Sep 2009 - RAJDHANI EXPRESS We two woke up at 0345, had bath and started in a calltaxi for Chennai Central. The New Delhi Rajadhani Express left Chennai at 0610. 2AC coach. Breakfast, lunch, evening snacks and dinner were provided. Comfortable journey. We slept by 2130 hrs. DAY 02: Saturday, 26 Sep 2009 - SRIKANTH HOUSE We reached Hazrat Nizamuddin by 1030. Srikanth came to receive us. Srinath also came. We were home by 1130. Bath and we had a hot lunch from Jayashri. Evening Ravi and Sridhar came to see us. Ashok - Neeraj arrived by flight at 2115 hrs from Bangalore. A visit to Rishikesh and Haridwar is planned fo...

JAYARAMAN On Thursday, June 4th, 2009 Jayaraman had a "minor mishap" at his home in Vadapalani - he fell down when trying to sit in a chair. Feeling a lot of pain, he got himself admitted in Sri Ramachandra hospital, Porur by 2 PM. I saw him in the hospital 3 days later, on Sunday 7th of June. He is to be in the hospital for 45 days as per doctors ! Many in the family visited him. We went to the hospital again on 15 June. Jayaraman got discharged on 21 June from SRMC. Admitted in SRMC for the 2nd time on 16 July. We went to the hospital on 18th and saw Jayaraman. He was discharged on the evening of 21 July 2009. At home now, Jayaraman is walking with the aid of a walker , but still complains of pain in the knee-joint. VIJAY Vijay was behaving oddly since 6th June, according to Jayaraman. No one actually knows what is the exact problem, but it was guessed that Vijay may be, just maybe, taking alcoholic drinks. Jayaraman put him in a deaddiction centre at Perungudi on ...