Free from Memories

When I look out of window, I see birds flying high

High in the sky, I so want to fly.

Closing my eyes, facing my fears,

Forgetting the past with no more tears.

up in the air, flapping my wings

coming down while my heart sings

no chains binding, no wires holding me,

From bittersweet memories I shall be free.

A letter to the IPL Chief (Whoever that might be)

Hello Mr. IPL Chief,

I am a ardent cricket fan and have been following the IPL matches closely since its inception. You and your team have done a commendable job and we should be grateful to you for bringing such a realty show (that’s what I think it is) to our home.
The purpose of writing the letter is that, I have some suggestions to make, listed below.

1. I do not like the idea of semi-finals. This is very harsh on the team placed first at the end of league matches. After doing all the hard work to get there & then being knocked out in one game. (agreed that they have to perform well too for winning, but could be knocked out for any reason D/L or any such absurd rule).

2. The other thing flawed with Top4 semi-finalist is that, if a team is on a losing streak and then wins a few, can get to a fourth place on NRR. Any team just have to get in top four to be in the semis.

3. Instead, we could have football league format. This can of course be implemented once IPL gets accepted in ICC’s Future Tour Program (FTP).

4. When we have more teams in future, we can have a game at home, away and at a neutral venue depending on the number of teams. This will further boost the competition between contending teams, giving a chance to every team to win as well as qualify for the champion’s league. Unlike the present format where in only the two finalists and team competing for the 3rd and 4th place make the cut.

5. The other major thing concerns me is the electronic advertising boards (I hope they are solar powered). As it is a lot of electricity is consumed for day and night matches. These signs could be made from the materials used in making the road signs.

6. With so much money involved, you could have a six, four, and a wicket priced at a certain amount which can go to various charities.

7. I think it will be very difficult to start a women’s IPL , given the very few takers for it.(not being a male chauvinist). You can have a women player included in the playing eleven and 2-3 in every squad.

These a were a few pointers, I hope you implement a few.

Avery faithful Cricket fan.

Matheran -- A Town Lost in time!!!

Matheran is a city and a Hill Station municipal council in Raigad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a hill station in Karjat Tahsil and is also the smallest hill station in India. It is located on the Western Ghats range at an elevation of around 800 m (2,625 feet) above sea level. It is around 90 km from Mumbai, 120 from Pune. Matheran's proximity to these Metros makes it a popular weekend getaway for urban residents. The name Matheran means either "forest on top" or "mother forest".

Matheran is an eco-sensitive region, declared by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India. Thebest thing about Matheran is that the vehicles are not allowed, which makes the place different from others. Matheran takes you over a hundred years back in time when there were no vehicles. Because of vehicles being banned in Matheran, the place is quite peaceful despite the thousands of visitors coming to visit throughout the year.

There are lots of lookout points that provide spectacular views of the surrounding hills and valleys. Matheran has a reasonably dense forest cover. There are around 38 designated look-out points in Matheran, including the Khandala Point; from this point, the view of sunrise is breathtaking. The Louisa Point offers crystal clear view of the Prabal Fort. The other points are the One Tree Hill Point, Hart Point, Panorama Point, Monkey Point (there seems to be no point visiting this point as there are monkeys all over the place in Matheran), Porcupine Point, Rambgh Point, and more. The Lord point is spectacular for its lake and the view you get if you march on a little further, especially in evening with the sun setting.

The food can be a problem though, as there is lack of good restaurants. But, be sure to dine at Diwdakar's Bar & Restaurant. The food and drinks is cheap, worthy of good savor. You can also have your morning breakfast at Ketkar’s. Ketkar’s batata vada sambhar is a delight and so is the onion and tomato uthapa.Try avoiding Park View hotel as the food sucks, so does the cook. Customer satisfaction is last thing in their arsenal. Food you choose from the menu is more likely to be unavailable. It is mighty expensive on your pocket as well.


The only sorry sight is the amount of work put on the horses and the senseless tourist littering everywhere.

Getting there is not much hassle, nearest airport being Mumbai; from there you can either hire a car or take a train to Neral station. By road it should take an hour or two and by rail around three hours to reach Neral. From there on the choice is yours. A winding hike of just over a 9 km's is easier said than done. The same goes while coming down. The mini train is another way to reach Matheran, hop on and enjoy the scenic ride of an hour or so. The easiest and the fastest way to reach up is cab making you Rs. 50/- lighter (I guess it depends on the number of people traveling in one cab). Make sure you inquire about the mini train reservations, if taking one, as there are on 30 general seats available at one go and the booking starts prior to 45 minutes of departure. I suggest you take a cab and from there on take hike of around 2+ Km's enjoying the quiet, calm and menacing monkeys.

The best time to visit is whenever you have time.

MIGRANT BLUES

 Every day hordes of people migrate from their native to

different parts of the globe to fulfill their dream. Some travel to

study, some for pleasure, but most for work. Settling down in the city

of unknown is a challenge of sorts for any individual. Away from family

and friends, life in city can be a bit monotonous. It is like making a

new beginning altogether.

       For person moving to a metro has to grapple with lot of issues.

Accommodation for one, a person has to go through tedious process of

house hunting,the rents as it is are sky high in most cities. One also

has to go through the hassle for house hunting every year or at least

get in with all legal matters of renewing one (this is the law I guess

so no complaining, but imagine doing this every year). After procuring

the house, one has stuggle to get the basic amenities required. Traveling is

also a dilemma, considering the fact that one has never traveled in a

jam packed trains of Mumbai or Tokyo, facing the maniac traffic in New

York or New Delhi. One also has to deal with various political parties

(at least in Mumbai), rooting for localities right for job, house & what

not. You also have to adjust with the pace of life in a city.

Maintaining the monthly budget is difficult to adhere. The biggest

factor that one face when move to new city is intimidation. Some get

intimidated by the concrete jungle, some by the free spirited

localities.

You have to sustain and make some sacrifice to achieve your goals. As

the adage goes, 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger'.

Do we really need one?

Hi,

Recently I came across an article in one of the leading newspapers & had also heard about the developments about erecting a statue of Shivaji Maharaja in midst of Arabian Sea. I was astound to here the sum required to build such a monument. It was a staggering Rs.350 crores! State is willing to build the figurine on the behest of some political parties, who are just out there just to prove a point or two. Just because the US has a liberated women standing on Liberty Island, doesn’t mean we have to build one too.

One of the political parties head also commented on how the amount does not matter, their leader had even gone a step ahead & said we can even spare Rs. 10,000 crores if required. If city is prepared to spare on sea link & other projects then why not the monument, was his question. But, can some one explain this to the man that the money invested in infrastructure helps the common man better.

No doubt it will attract a lot of tourists to the city, will look magnificent & will add glitz to the city. If state plans to fund this memorial, then why can’t we have a bail out to the poor suicidal farmers in vidarbha?, or invest in better amenities required for the city.

No ones denying the fact that Shivaji was a great leader. But is it really required to put a mammoth sum in building such a monument? When farmers are dying, our roads are clogging with rains (even in light drizzles), traffic woes & host of other problems in this mega city.

THINK OVER

RESPECT

Hi,

Ask yourselves a simple question. How much do you respect your national flag? Don't tell me that respecting the tricolour is about standing up in theatres when played. I-Day has come and gone for another year & I am not writing this for the sake of it. This is to make everyone aware about the disrespect shown by one n all.Especially on I-Day & Republic day's.


I have seen people buy the miniature flags to put in on the shirts,cars, or just to carry then around to show your value to the historic day. I have also seen people throwing away these flags after the ceremony. I alone have picked so many of them from streets, nullhas,bins & god only knows from where all. I have a box full of these collected shunned away flags. All I ask the people is to show some respect & not throw them away when not required.


JAI HIND

THAT (s)INKING FEELING

Hi,

This time it's the voting process that captures my attention(rather than the election & IPL, which is on every one's mind....minetoo).

I had chance to make my vote count & put ink to finger (that tomiddle one). Very few people are aware of the candidates & their mass of workdone by them in the past. We can have pamphlets / election manifestosdistributed by the candidates along with the news paper or better stillhave them hand delivered at the doorstep of the individuals, I believeis far better option to reach out to the common man rather than theuseless rally held by the contestants. (it only increases the trafficwoes of the over congested city).

The voting process in India is such that it is pain in the a*#to start with. People here have to search for their respective votingbooths to exercise the voting rights & to do that one has to get in aqueue of large number of people flocking at that one desk of thepolling officer (or whatever they are called), who will look into thesheets containing the names of the hapless souls. Why can we havecomputers at these desks so minimize the efforts of gazing throughdifferent pages? We can also have this simplified through internet/sms.(If there is such a process very few people are aware of it).

The long weekend / heat or other such abysmal excuse should notbe a reason for not voting. Long weekends can be had any time of theyear but, elections are purely a five year affair (if the GOVT. electedis stable enough). Then there are people who can vote but do not, it isbetter to go & choose the no-vote option. The point here is to VOTE atleast and choose the lesser of the two evil. Hopefully we all get abetter GOVT. this time around who will fulfill the promises (for achange).

CIAO.......