THE OTHER SIDE: July 2017

Week Round Up #2

We got our 14th President this week Ramnath Kovind and I am sorry to say except he is from Teli community which belongs to Schedule Caste list in Gujarat I knew nothing about him. This community is 26-27% in Gujarat which is bound to poll this year so this could be seen as strategy to lure that community voter and also Dalits who are drifting from BJP after violence on them bu so called Gau Rakshaks. Anyway I will read more about him in coming days to know our President more but at the present scenario I have no doubt in saying that he will be the rubber stamp President for the government. I will be more than happy if he proves me wrong.

As far as foreign policy is concerned India has dwindled in past three years of Modi government. China and Pakistan who were friendly earlier on bilateral relationship are now showing eyes to the country. Recently China government attacked India’s stand on Doklam region of Bhutan and warned them of dire consequences if India army doesn’t step back. Unconfirmed news also talks about Indian casualties in that area. We only hope situation improves not only with China but also in Kashmir where most of the people have lost their faith in the central and the state government. Here praying for 39 Indians who disappeared in Iraq and are still untraceable to the government.

Congress has another setback this time in Gujarat where Shankar Singh Waghela their most trusted leader left the party and joined BJP. Three more MLAs followed him.This time also BJP is not facing any tough opposition in Gujarat which means their victory is eminent. But the biggest news of the week or I should say of the year is Nitish Kumar’s resignation as a Mahagadhbandhan CM and then swearing in as a JDU-BJP alliance CM. Nitish Kumar has been unpredictable in the past too but here when he was criticizing Narendra Modi and his government on various issues and formed an alliance with RJD-Congress to stop the communal forces his move to collaborate with him is surprising.

Income Tax, ED and CBI are inquiring about Lalu Yadav, Tejaswi Yadav and their family involvement in corruption then why Nitish who didn’t even demand his deputy’s resignation was in so haste to align with BJP. They say that politics has no permanent enemies or foes but situations which decide the course of action. It is now up to Bihar citizen how to react in the situation. Lots of things are happening in the country and the world and we must keep an eye on each one of them to remain acquainted with the present and possible future. Good Bye. God Bless India.

Naive Traveler : City of Nawabs - Lucknow

Lucknow Charbagh Station.

Lucknow is known as The City of Nawabs the royal ruler of the city which gave it culinary & cultural identity like the way of talking I noticed while interacting with the people. The place is beautiful and has many things which can attract tourists to visit this city but I don’t find it tourist friendly as I observed in the other cities I visited like Agra,Jaipur, Dehradun,etc. As we came out of the station, there were no tourist autos or taxis available for city sightseeing thus left you unaware of what to do.
If we haven’t researched about the places and things to eat we couldn’t explore the city the way we did.

Rahim Ki Nihari-Kulcha

With our knowledge of places to visit and to eat, we first hire a bus bust to the Chowk area where we found Rahim’s Hotel for famous RAHIM KI NIHARI-KULCHA. Nihari is a breakfast non-vegetarian dish available in both Buffalo & Goat meat. Its taste was totally different from what I have tested it in Delhi and the Kulcha was heavenly, soft from inside and crusty from outside. Unlike Delhi it is not spicy and the meat was so soft that it melted into the mouth.

Asafi Mosque

Bara Imambara Hall From Inside

One of Bhool Bhulaiyya Path

Baoli from Inside

Bara Imambara from Outside

Rumi Darwaza

Then we took rickshaw the favorite ride of the place and also cheap which took us to Rumi Darwaza which takes us to Bara Imambara. Bara Imambara has grave of Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula and his mother along with the relics of their time including the throne he used to sit. Bara Imambara is the largest structure in the world without any pillars. The complex also housed Asifi Mosque, Bhool Bhulaiyya (Labyrinth – at terrace of Bara Imambara) and Baoli (water tank). The place is Shia Shrine which is used for Muharram Mourning along with Chota Imambara which we visited next on Tonga.

Chota Imambara

Satkhanda

Clock Tower

Between Bara Imambara and Chota Imambara lies a four storey Tower Satkhanada and the Clock Tower. Locals usually play and sit around that area. We then go to Gomati Ghat and Gomti River Front. Another places which one can see was far from the area so we decided to spend our evening in Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal a much talked about Park built by Mayawati for its corruption during her tenure which housed her own statues also. If we left the controversy related to this place, it has become a great city attraction. Janeshwar Mishra Park build by Akhilesh Yadav is our next destination which is a great destination too.

Gomti Ghat

Ambedkar Park

Elephants of Ambedkar Park

Mayawati & Kashiram Statues

Lake In Janeshwar Mishra Park

Janeshwar Mishra Statue

Gate of Janeshwar Mishra Park

After spending our evening there we have time till 11.15 (our train time) to try famous dishes of the area. We first went to Hasratganj to Ram Asarey famous for Malai Ki Gilori which didn’t impress me at all. Bajpai ki kachodi which is a sober outlet opposite Ram Asarey and where only last plate of Puri-Sabji was available at the time we reached there has a great test. The sabji was out of this world and I have never tested anything like it before. Royal Café famous for Basket Chat is also a must try. It is also famous among many Bollywood celebs.

Kulfi,Kabab & Cafe

Next stop was Aminabad for world famous Tundey Kababi which is also a nice place but truthfully I didn’t like them much but admired their softness. Praksh Ki Kulfi ended our Lucknow journey. It was delicious we then headed to railway station and waited for our train to return back home.

Note: Click On Pictures for Better Viewing.

Come Back

Come Back - A fictional short story.

EDITION EXPIRES IN... [THU 10 PM]

Edition 179

If you could bring back someone from the other side of the rainbow bridge for just one day, would you do that?#defeatingdeathforaday

Almost one year has passed to his death but she is unable to come out of the void his absence has created in her life. It was not just two months of marriage they had spend together but five years of friendship before taking the decision to marry. They knew each other more than themselves and during the years they study together and then work together their compatibility was noticed by all.

‘O god give why did you this to me.’ She curse god again that day also while returning from the work. She has adjusted to her life but couldn’t get over his memories working in the same place they used to work together. ‘Do you want to bring him back,’ she heard a voice from behind but when she turned back no one was there. She walked in the direction of the voice. The voice came several times without anyone around who was speaking those words and that voice took her to the deserted place behind her office road.

‘Come here’ she heard from trees’ behind and saw a hermit sitting there. He indicated her to sit opposite him. ‘I have heard you cursing god for snatching your husband from you.’ He said politely after opening his eyes. ‘Yes,’ she cried,’ HE is cruel to me.’ He listened to her carefully and then spoke,’ see god always has a plan for us but even than I can bring back him so that you can meet him.’ She smiled and was ready for this to happen.

He started some chanting and stopped, ‘before I can do this I wants to tell you something,’ she nodded. ‘You were promoted only after the death of your husband because he delayed it as he wanted you both promoted together. He died of a car accident but if that didn’t happen he soon would suffer a fatal cardiac arrest. Moreover he came back to you only for a short time and that pain of separation which has eased now will be fresh again.’ She listened in shock and even confirmed promotion news from her office. ‘You detached from the world and its people to forget instead you keep him with yourself to live life to its fullest. Don’t go away from him in order to forget him just keep him closer and start a fresh life with him. This will help you to grow further and not stop you to live.’

Those words have magical effect now she doesn’t want to leave his memories but to live his memories with new memories she would make in her life. Calling him back and then separating from him would hurt her more. She now lives a happy life.

Burning Bengal

Not only in Malda but now in Basirhat also.

When the nation is in a fix with its relations with China the home is also not right as Bengal is burning from two sides. You can say that I am picking the topic late but I don’t want to spread the rumor without confirming all the sources which is giving news information. Here I should mention that don’t overreact on social media hypes until news are coming from authentic news agencies.

Basirhat communal violence which triggered with a controversial Facebook post by a class 11^th student took an ugly turn when Muslim mobs started vandalizing properties of the Hindus but this is only the half story. The calm which prevailed after Thursday is revealing the story that many Muslims saved their Hindu friends and neighbors by confronting the mob. Hindu-Muslim groups are now helping those who have financial losses in shops/business to stand again by helping them with money (Read Indian Express front page of 9^th July 2017). Locals knew that mob that attacked in their area were from outside which indicates a plan, a propaganda behind these riots.

On the second front i.e. Gorkhaland agitations demands for a new state are rising in Darjeeling and other areas which are leading to violent protests. The protesters are not listening to Bengal government but are keen on talking to the central government. Looking at the role of BJP MPs and MLA in igniting both the situation is giving doubt of their hands in disturbing the situation in Bengal to form a ground for their entry in the areas politics after dividing the society. Communal clashes were prevalent both in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar before election time in those states. While Bihar denied their divisive politics Uttar Pradesh accepted them with majority. It should also be noted that Uttarakhand from UP, Jharkhand from Bihar and Chattisgarh from MP were carved out during NDA rule under Atal Bihari Vajpayee and all these newly formed states are ruled by them for a long time now.

Gorkhaland agitation could be seen on that basis. I appeal the people of the country to grab information from various sources before forming an opinion on situation in Bengal. Don’t fall trap to social media trolls. Those behind the riots must be arrested without any discrimination of religion and bias towards anyone. Central government should also intervene in the situation by appealing the people to calm in Gorkhaland and to live with peace in Basirhat. Before Basirhat another Muslim dominated Bengal area ‘Malda’ were also burned in the communal violence. The pictures used by BJP channels to show Bengal situation are come out that of 2002 Gujarat riot thus unmasking their real face. It must be noted that these towns remained calm during tough times of Babri demolition riots. These riots and Gorkhaland clashes perhaps be part of bigger propaganda as some similar patters are involved in them.

So keep yourself safe. Good bye till next post.

Naive Traveler : Delhi Darshan # 4

Inside ruins at Tughlaqabad Fort

Delhi as we all know is habitat and destroyed several times in different eras since it always remained the central city for each empire. As a result of these variant rulers from ancient times to the British era, Delhi enjoys the status of being witness to their grandeur and glory. Thus we the people of modern day India are privileged to see and feel that aura and ambiance. This was my fourth trip of sightseeing in Delhi and believe me I need many more days to explore the Delhi to its fullest.

This time I chose the places known for its haunted experiences like Bhooli Bhatiyar, Feroz Shah Kotla Fort, Rajon Ki Baoli in Mehrauli Archaeological Park, Giyas-ud-Din Tughlaq Tomb and Tughlaqabad Fort. The scorching heat of next day of heat digested all our energy so we also visited Indira Gandhi Memorial an all air conditioned museum which rejuvenated us. Since it was not far from Safdurjung Tomb we also give a visit to that place also.

Now talking about my haunted experience I feel none at any place. Nor any Djins in Feroz Shah Kotla, Tughlakabad Fort neither in any other place. But there was an experience which all four of us believe was an encounter with ghosts. In Bhooli Bhatiyar area when the main fort was close for renovation we went ahead to a deserted cinema hall in that area which a guard told is haunted with ghosts. There while asking the way to that place we saw five kids who told us to go ahead on the road to see that place. We are in an auto in which they also wanted to sit because they were going to the same place but we refused them because we didn’t have space to accommodate them. When we went to the place they told we saw nothing and we came back on the same route this time no children were standing there. Neither they encountered us on the way back nor did we spot them around that place.

I don’t know but they were ghosts or not but that was a mysterious incident. Mehrauli Archaeological Park, Tughlaqabad Fort should be lighted and water/toilet facilities should be available in that place. Bhooli Bhatiyar in Karol Bagh is a deserted place which you can go with friends for some haunting experiences but not a place to visit with family or girlfriend/boyfriend. Tughlaqabad Fort is ruined and crumbling lacking facilities for tourist/visitors. It also needs a renovation so that coming generations can see this. I am sharing some of the pictures of these areas.