Friday, January 22, 2016

The Law of attraction

Another dream come true. Does it mean that there is something called as the law of attraction, and that it is true that what ever you think of, and whatever you want earnestly comes to you sooner or later.
There I was once upon a time, dreaming to be a part of big 4s consulting firms, and then while that dream came true, I was dreaming of another dream , to be the part of WB fraternity. It took a little less than 4.5 yrs for this to come true. Though not exactly how I wanted it to be, but still it is another milestone that I achieved. Who do I owe it to? Well, I guess it has to do with the blessings of my parents and wishes of my well wisher- Varun, my best friend of little less than 4 yrs.
Dad once said that dont worry, everything will be good , my blessings are always there with you, and you will shine. Is this just a beginning?

Though I do not consider it to be some big achievement, it just happened, I was'nt really expecting it.
But I value it, since there could be so many people out there who want to be at my place.

Have I reached there yet? No , this is not where I want to be, this is just a beginning, or rather somewhere in between. I have other aspirations that are bigger and more difficult to achieve, but then when have I liked a life without a dream or a challenge.

I would say my perseverance and patience paid off. All those idle hours which I spent on reading, browsing, channeling my thoughts on what I want from life paid off , this is the second time in my life.

So what am I doing next ? Well, still reading, browsing and working towards acquiring the skillsets that I lack.



 I would like to end this with the above quote and " Everything comes for a price,Even your dreams, be willing to pay for it."

New Year resolutions

It is mid Jan, and I am setting my new year resolutions now

1) Meet more interesting people (something that is very unlike me, but I guess this is where I lack and this is what I need to do)

2) Travel more, explore more

3) Lose weight, rather be fit .

4) Acquire some additional skill in terms of skill sets / course.

Friday, January 1, 2016

The Economics of ODD-EVEN rule in Delhi




So here comes the new year, so what is new about the new year except that it is a new year 2016? New resolutions, new hopes , new plans, not just at the personal level but also at the national level. And when it comes to the national level, the newest in the block is the odd-even formula devised (but not the original) by the Delhi chief minister, applicable to all the private vehicle (read car ) owners in Delhi. Oh, I just remember that I have a new year party to attend tonight. Before I plan for what to wear, and what to carry, I have to look at my car's registration number. Thankfully, it is an odd number, which means I do not have to struggle to reach to the venue. But the party is supposed to run till the wee hours, and what if I get stuck with a flat tyre or a broken car. I must leave my car there and then, and hire a cab, or a public transport, because the calendar would have changed to January 2, and I am not allowed to drive my "Odd" vehicle on an even day (riders applicable).

So, here comes the plethora of all the possibilities that one can imagine in the wildest dreams. Just a month ago, wassapp and social networking sites were flooded with satirical versions of the Even-Odd formula. Sure enough we do care about the environment, and the deteriorating quality of air, but when it comes to finding a solution to the problem, the Odd-even formula does not seem to be a very good fit for a state like Delhi. There are several reasons why. Primarily , the Delhi public transport system is not well equipped to serve the rise of public traffic during the period the new rule is in effect. The Delhi metro is already over-crowded and over congested even during the normal days, that there is not even enough room for the general public to plant their feet in it. Secondly, the number of buses connecting different routes is not enough to bear the extra burden of the people who would want to opt for it, in the absence of private vehicles.
The odd-even rule will empower the private cab drivers or rather bring about perfect competition in the Auto rickshaw category. They will gain the absolute power to demand the fare they want. It may also lead to cartelization unless there is a regulatory authority to watch out.

The next big question is- who is going to be the most affected by this? Like any other rule, the middle class will face the brunt, because the upper middle class is most likely two possess more than 1 car and the probability of having another car with a complementary registration number would be 1/2 .
The bike owners, ministers, VIPs, women and people with medical emergency are exempted from this. However, how is it possible to judge whether someone is going to hospital or not,

Where do the trucks driving on national highway go? Are they not contributing to environmental pollution? Since the rule is in effect from 8am to 8 pm, so can we expect traffic snarls and jams post 8 pm.

The odd even theory may have worked successfully in other countries but this is not definitely the right time to implement it in Delhi. The government should work towards  developing the public transport and infrastructure first, . Government has not rolled out the estimated number of buses for the public, but is expecting the public to travel by buses and car pools (again a bad idea for a place which is unsafe ,especially for women). I personally would'nt opt for car pooling, that leaves me with no better option than travelling by metro and squeezing in between people.

I wish Delhi chief minister was more tactical, original and logical, and focus should have been more on a feasible solution than just a temporary resolve. With the crippled transport system in Delhi (and elsewhere), do not expect people to leave their personal vehicles. Churn out more metros, smart buses, safer cab system, and then we might just think of it.

Moral of the story for Delhi chief : Imitate only what can be imitated. Do your ground work before blindly following a foreign country.

Travelogue- Odisha Trip , Part 1

Its time of the year again, and the year ended on yet another trip. This time it is the eastern coastal state of Odisha with my family (yes, my travel buddies , my mom in law and dad in law). We covered a whopping 6 places in row. While most of the places are of religious significance, nevertheless, it was fun exploring the places.
Since cameras are not allowed in many temples, I was'nt able to click as many pictures as I wanted to, but still have managed to capture quite a few of them.
The no.1 slot goes to the Sun temple at Konark. Built in 16th century, it is a protected monument under UNESCO and ASI (archaelogical survey of India).
Check out the pictures of this astounding structure. It is believed that the Sun's first rays enter directly into the temple. The temple is designed as a chariot with big wheels.
Can you beat that? The entire temple was carved out of a single stone, back then in 16th century.

 The iron rods around the structure is meant to protect the monument from natural catastrophe such as Earthquakes and storms.

The depiction of feminine figurines in that era.





The famous wheel which is also the symbol of Odisha





One side of the chariot





Look at the intricate carvings in the stone






Next stop - Chandrabhaaga , a place where river meets the ocean.The beach is a retreat from the maddening city noise







The serenity of the place is soothing to the soul


Next stop - Puri Temple, we had a quick darshan and bhog at the temple. No cams allowed so no pics at the moment.

Next hault- Rama Chandi temple near chandrabhaga. Legend says that this is the place where lord Rama was guided by the goddess as to how to resuce Sita from Ravana's captivity.



Next stop- Dhaulagiri stupa where king Ashoka adopted Buddhism. This one is from the net, since it was dark by the time we reached there and we could'nt grab any clicks.


And last but not the least Lingaraja temple. I wish I had a journalist / reporter/ professional photographer tag to be allowed to carry a camera inside. This click is again from the internet, just to share the magnificence of this very old temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is a multitude of small temples dedicated to different Gods and Goddesses. 


So did we mark the end of the Trip. Hoping to cover more next time . Never knew actually that Orissa had such rich cultural heritage. A highly underrated state, but atleast it is not yet exploited as a tourist hub, which keeps it safe from the noise and pollution.






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