Thoughts forever

I think i have got into the idea of visiting all the capital cities in India...One such visit to a beautiful pink city...

Jaipur is called pink city since half of the city (Old city) is all painted in pink...All the shops buildings and all the things are painted in pink. It is so because the Raja who built Jaipur after amer decided to do so...He also built a great architecture...All the roads are designed in such a way that there are no curves..They all meet at right angles and every such meeting of four roads must have a monument or a fountain. It is wonderful to see the old city.

We did visit Hawa Mahal, City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Amer Palace and Jal Mahal..All of them are well maintained compared to the palaces that are maintained in Maharastra. The way they have made audio guides are wonderful. This time i preferred to try one after saying No to one such thing in Qutub Minar in Delhi. One of the reason is that we both don't know history of these buildings and the guides were demanding enormous amounts compared to audio guide.I found it informative and reasonable. Contrary to all the mahals we did hire a guide in amer palace and i hardly heard what he said since he was repeating the same story that was written over there.

Hawa Mahal is a very nice construction made for then Queens to see the happenings of the city with out coming out in public which was not allowed then due to parda system...It is really wonderful to see the market from inside, You can keep a chair at any of the window you like and sit and see the city from inside as the wind blows by you.

The architecture is done on the outside walls while the inside walls remain normal.



The view from one of the window....It is a five storied building. From the top you can see Jantar Mantar, City Palace and Nahargarh fort and amer fort.

Next destination was Jantar Mantar..I did not happen to understand anything of what it is and how did they try and estimate things..But i did appreciate the efforts of the Raja to build such thing in order to predict the solar and lunar eclipses and the positions of the sun and the zodiac signs.


City Palace is also a wonderful creation. The Raja used to stay here and the palace is still maintained very neatly and the architecture and the other things are still preserved. The armour museum is wonderful and astonishing to see..all the swords and their information is very well organized. The audio guide would explain everything about daggers, swords and armours too...

The amer Palace is wonderful. One who has seen Jodha Akbar would like to see the palace. The architects had built in such a way that the summers can be spent in a place which is built of marbles and the water flow on slides built so that the wind will get cooled and the water then reaches the garden in between the fort. From the fort you will be able to see the Wall of Jaipur which is a 12km stretch.

And then the next thing we did is Shop...of course i did not buy too much of stuff but it is good to see the bazaars...all in pink and all the guys would call you with only one name Didi...Their point of bargaining is also catchy...they would say aap ki bhai ko itna kam paise denge...Instead i would say bargain as much as you can cause all the prices are triple since it is a tourist place...



 Market...See all painted in pink...












 Dhood Dhood Piyo Roj Glass full...You can find many of such guys who are selling milk in such big vessels...











Rawat Kachori - Famous kachori center in Jaipur...People were fighting to get a plate for themselves...






Thinking what would be my next place of visit...Even i don't know..Will search for a capital again...Lucknow maybe..

Priya.

P.S: We stayed at Country Inn & Suites and it is a wonderful hotel to stay....

Absconded from Blog...No no...just late in posting things...

Have been to Delhi and Hissar during Diwali.

This time i get to see Delhi compared to what it was last time. Reached Delhi by afternoon and chose to stay at friends place. Gurgaon though is far from Delhi and no auto rickshaws to catch its a boon that Delhi has a metro connecting Gurgaon. We used metro completely for all the travel in Delhi.

I should mention this that for the First time i have seen such a clean platform and well maintained trains. I felt like appreciating every worker in DMRC. Its built completely to the perfection, the ads and the information is completely perfect for a person who is new to Delhi. There are enough people in the station to direct to anything you want to. We bought a DMRC railway card in order to save ourselves from standing in line all the time to buy tokens. It was a convenient way too. They take a deposit from you for the card and you keep recharging it whenever you want to with various denominations mentioned. It shows you how much it did charge for the last journey and how much is the balance on the card every time you punch in and out of a metro station. Its quite fabulous i must say. There are centers available in every station outside the punching counter for the information on the trains and recharging, I must mention here that the guy is very efficient in doing the job. All in all Metro is a boon in Delhi and if can be constructed and maintained in the same way in every city which is planning to then i would say we need not do much for public transport. The way they have built stations, parking lots which i think in no time will be converted to multi layer parking is just amazing. The vision is too good for future to sustain the population.

The first day started with Visiting India Gate..I don't know from how many years i just wanted to see it. It feels amazing to be there until you see that people in India can still litter at this place also. All the government could do is manage the surroundings just to be clean..there is a park next to it which is not at all maintained. Every body eats there and throws stuff there..So typical of us INDIANS...anyways...this monument was designed by Sir Edward Lutyens. 

On the top of the India gate, is written INDIA and below that is the inscription which states

 "To the dead of the Indian armies who fell honoured in France and Flanders Mesopotamia and Persia East Africa Gallipoli and elsewhere in the near and the far-east and in sacred memory also of those whose names are recorded and who fell in India or the north-west frontier and during the Third Afghan War"

and the walls are inscribed with the 90000 soldiers names who lost their lives in the war. After the Indo pak war the Amar Jawan Jyoti was erected at the base. The Jyoti is lit 365 days 24 hours and a guard is always standing in such a way that he is paying homage to the soldiers.

The only thing i did not like much is that people get photos clicked with the back ground of India gate. If you are saying that it is built in order to recognize the soldiers then i think we should respect the monument instead of treating it as a visitor place and get clicked there..You click but click the India gate alone not with you in it and please maintain the place neatly.

I was bowled by the architecture that was built by Lutyens. There is a part of Delhi which is called as Lutyens Delhi cause he designed everything there. One should see the roads and the foot paths and the buildings this guy planned. Its amazing, he planned four lane roads, a lane big foot path, crossings on the road, and all this even before we got independence and when i see the roads being planned so pathetically now i feel sad. No wonder a guy like E Sreedharan said he would make a underground metro in that area to save the structure built by Lutyens.

In all i would say Delhi is a wonderful place.. I know that there are reports which show that delhi is high in crime rate but for me i did not see one such incidence happening with me atleast... :) All in all i loved the city...Ofcourse did not get time to visit Chadini chowk and other such places but did shopping in Janpath and Connaught place and even saw Qutub Minar and Akashardham....

Rest of the places next time when i go to Delhi...After all you cannot complete Delhi in 3 days....

 

This doubt is nagging in my mind from long time...Why do we think that we are always right, if we are then are the other countries wrong.... This post is about following rules.. Set by a particular governing body but not followed by us...

The society in which i use to stay before has this waste separation like wet and dry waste...I have moved out of the society and in this new society it is just introduced...I was happy of course.. I was in the lift the other day and then i heard two women who are high class society, driving good cars, educated people with good educated sons and daughters nagging about this issue..." Kya yaar ye society wale hamesha naya rules lagate rehte hai...aab ye dry waste or wet waste ka..kya farak padta hai...now i have to buy a new dustbin"...Immediately the other lady said why buy new dustbin, use small poly bags to keep the dust outside...Apparently this lady's son stays in USA...I was surprised.....

Not only this we are not bothered about many things...My husband keeps saying..when on a red light, the person who is at the back of all the cars is the one who will honk immediately after the signal turns green....Half of the people who do this are educated enough not to do that...But we still do...I understand emergencies where people are in hospital and you need to reach in that minute itself but by driving like this are you not risking your life and others also...

I wonder why USA and UK people drive as per traffic rules...i am not saying that all of them do...But 90% of them do...and in India 90% of us don't do...Bearly people stop when a person is trying to cross a road...Remember that pedestrian has the first right on the road...When people visit other countries they say you know..they have a system jaha pe pedestrian can choose to change the signal to red and cross the road if he wants to...i am so moved by that technology...So what if we don't have the technology...when you come back would you stop for a pedestrian to cross the road...No no aisa kaisa hoga...mere peeche wale gaadi honk karega...so what where does your judgement go..if he wants to jump you will also jump into the well ....

India first needs to change the way they issue driving licence...A written test should be there and then a verbal test and then a driving test...which should be given to the army people who have a proven track record of not taking bribes...Because today i don't believe that there is one traffic police who does not take bribe and i don't find fault with them..cause we offer it...

Some basic rules of traffic:

1. STOP when a pedestrian is trying to cross the road, it does not matter in which road and how much is the traffic, just STOP let him cross....

2. STOP at the yellow light of the signal...you need not put your car in fourth gear, honk and cross the signal..the maximum time of the signal will be 120secs...2 min of your time...

3. Don't HONK at red signals..

4. Don't STOP on zebra crossings....

5. Don't Change LANES as per your wish when you are struck in traffic jams

6. If some body is indicating right or a left, let them go by, STOP and let them change lanes...

I also know how frustrating it is to drive these days, i also feel other countries follow rules cause they have big roads, but i also think at the same time, did they have them right from the first day...

Our traffic sense is so bad, that we today don't offer side to an ambulance...where as in other countries, when they hear the siren all of them move and make the way to go...I wonder why can't we do that...Don't we know the value of the life of a person..No we do...but we just don't want to...One day on a highway the ambulance was behind a car with its siren on..this car driver was not giving side..we had to overtake the ambulance and the car and signal him to move...then he slowly moves..i felt like stopping him and slapping him...and for your information...this car driver is driving a benz and the car belongs to some reputed company (i don't want to quote the company, i read the sticker on his car)....

I wonder can we ever improve and make a better living...by just following some simple rules set by a particular governing body...

The lady in the lift does not separate her waste even today and the poor society guys keeps notices in the notice board about the same....

Priya.

I have completed the new book by Mitch albom - Have a little faith.

It mainly speaks about having faith and comfort on believing something bigger than yourself. A true story narrated by mitch albom when he is asked to do eulogy by his Rabbi.

In this book Mitch albom explains how two people who spread the word of god have the same faith and the how faith can change things.

Pastor Henry a refined drug dealer takes a path to become Pastor and then lives in a church with a hole in the roof and serves people who are in need of a home. How Mitch is in a dilemma to help this guy and how he ends up helping this guy and how he fixes the hole in the roof.

The real video as to how the roof got fixed is available in abc news:

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9399137

The book is a good read, though some times you feel philosophical it does not preach how to become philosophical..its a insight on how different communities have the same faith in fighting for the survival.

In Mitch's words : Have a Little Faith is a book about a life’s purpose; about losing belief and finding it again; about the divine spark inside us all. It is one man’s journey, but it is everyone’s story. 

Priya.

I really sometimes don't understand what people expect from a Doctor...They forget that he/she is also a person..Rather than a doctor what do you want a hospital staff to be..

This post is in line with how people behave with hospital staff and some times with the doctors also...It might be my experience also...but then my question is are you not expecting more...

Long before in India also doctors strictly use to say we will see only these many patients come what may and if there is something come in as emergency and we will see...Now the doctors have changed this perspective towards patients...Personally when i go to a doctor if there is waiting time i say that's fine...Oh don't think my waiting time is on holidays and was always restricted to some 20mins...I use to go after my office hours reach there and wait almost 2 hours for a simple meeting of 10mins and then leave....This is the case after i take appointment...It use to be too late by the time i reach home but i always thought that it is worth it...

According to me My Gynec works more hours than me...I use to take appointments in the morning then also there use to be a line of 50 patients considering the time she spends with one and then some of them are referred to tests and then they come again in between...and even i go in the evening she is there with the same amount of patients...and some of them are educated and some of them are uneducated so the time varies from patient to patient and in between there are emergencies, deliveries, last minute operations...what not...and over the top of it they do have a family....

Some complain to me that they don't speak well no courtesy, no explanations...I think its your responsibility to ask him...ya ya you are paying him but that does not mean you have taken his time or him forever..you pay for consultation and if you think that it should be justified...then ask questions...no doctor would say i won't answer your questions....

What is most unacceptable to me is if you are being paid by some one then you expect that its his responsibility to ask and know what are you doing, or where have u reached or do u need any help...E.g: In office we say you know my manager does not even ask me whether i am doing fine or not..he thinks he is paying me and i should do all the work....Same goes with the doctor..don't you think that you should ask the doctor rather doctor saying everything..they will say only essential things rest is your responsibility to ask...at the end its you health your doubts not his/her health and his/her doubts...

Last Saturday when i was in the hospital, the billing person had to take the blasting of one patient for not receiving his blood test report when he gave blood last evening...she said its not my department to comment on sir...its lab which did not give your reports and they are saying it will take time since there were lot of emergencies yesterday and they had to blood tests immediately for them...the person said so what...i wondered...if it was his/her relative in the emergency room and the hospital says so what...

An another lady blasted at the sonography nurse for bringing an In patient for an emergency sonography with the doctor.... she said i am in the line and the nurse said "emergency hai madam" and she said "emergency ke naam pe tumlog sab ko bhej the ho"...the nurse was speechless cause the lady who was bought in was in tremendous pain and you can see it on her face...I did not understand sonography takes 10mins what is going to happen in that 10mins are you gonna die but definitely that lady's pain can be reduced in that 10mins.

what if you had a emergency and the same doctor says with all the advice of people we have decided not to see emergency patients in OPD timings...then what?

It is not that i encourage nurses and ward people speaking rudely to patients...i also complained to my doctor about a ward lady in OPD who was rude in giving me an answer when i asked when is my turn..I told my doctor that she can't be shouting on me...and she was asked to say sorry..and in the same way i do understand when my doctor comes late to OPD by one hour...cause she says there is an emergency operation and i belive that there is one...

I think expectations from a doctor are too much...he should be the best in the town, he should speak to you with all the patience, even if you don't understand he should be explaining it again and again, even if you don't ask he should explain every detail of the disease as if you are going to give an MBBS exam, he should be on time irrespective of whether you are on time or not, he should be able to handle emergencies, in patients, OPD, Operations all in the same time, he should not be having any personal life....If all these expectations are
met then i think people would call him a perfect doctor and for a perfect hospital the reports should be given on time irrespective of whether you come on time or not to collect them, if possible they should call you and tell you the report, all the staff should be courteous to you whether you are with them or not, all the staff should explain to you what the emergency is if the doctor is late...then that makes a perfect hospital.

In the same hospital there are patients who say "That's ok we understand" and when you are one of them i think you will feel better being in an hospital...You go to hospital to get treated but at the end you walk out being agitated and with an increased BP.

I would say if you want to go to that particular hospital, its your decision. Yes the hospital advertised saying its the best in the town but it never forced you to come there..and if you have gone there you can give your advice as to how can they improve but not criticize them for not attending you at the given time...They at the end of the day save lives...and we have to respect them...Don't sit there and start discussing with other patients how bad is this hospital...you are agitated why agitate others also...When some one of this kind comes to me i smile and get up from there and go away...

There are instances when i am treated early when i had an emergency to go...Its purely because i don't yell at any body when i had to wait for 2 hours for a check up or wait 30 mins for a report.

Hospitality industry is there to serve with patience but then you can't always demand it...

Priya.

CWG seems to be a competition between many people as to how can we play with people's money rather than hosting games...

I was very happy seeing the news the other day when all the news channel's were broadcasting saying that all the countries are backing out...I would say that is what is needed to bring this country back to lines again...All athletes from India only should say we won't play in these games do what ever you want to...All the students who are being asked to attend CWG as audience should oppose we won't come...It is like you abandon the place completely...let them face the music from all the places...

In fact i will say we should abandon the elections only for one term...we must say we want to have President rule the country...no party has power to do any thing...let alone president take decisions and all IAS and IPS should be appointed to take action...all the ministers and parties should have a break for one complete term...A punishment they deserve...

I wonder whether some body in the whole bunch of politicians have some mind to think...One example for this...

This month we went for a trip to tirupati, while coming to chennai to board a flight the driver was telling us that the land prices will go up and if we want to invest then it is a good place to do so that we get high returns...i said why in the world the road side land prices would go so up...he said mallavaram project is coming madam...PM recently inaugurated it...there will be a international airport..after 3 to 4 years you need not come to chennai and then tirupati...you can fly directly...I did not say anything at that point but kept thinking for a good amount of time...Today there is no international airport at renigunta...there are private jets only for VIP's....All the international tourists land in chennai take a cab and then reach tirupati...Millions of people travel every year from different places like bangalore, chennai etc...Till now i never saw a express way from chennai to tirupati...forget about express way there is not even a four lane road...I wonder how come a PM who is so educated can support some thing like this...He must say No to such kind of inaugurations..He must oppose saying first you build roads, show that there is so much infrastructure that this project will be supported...Instead they sign a project of airport construction along with the roads and infrastructure..the airport comes first and then the roads to support them...then in the process there are traffic jams...so to avoid them they construct roads faster and then ultimately all this will lead to poor road quality...

I never vote for any political party, some times when i see advertisements during the election time encouraging to vote so that you can shape up your country i feel i should, but after seeing so many issues i feel i am better if i don't vote, at least i don't feel guilt for being a part of choosing such a leader to run the country as our representative...In fact i would say there is no deserving leader to vote...

Priya.