The Utterances of a Peculiar Mindset

Sorry guys
was away from blogging long time
had Tung-Tikona trek this Sunday
i know you are waiting for detail report of same
well, you have to wait only some more time
will be in IIT Powai for Tech-Fest
I'm participating in Contraption competition and also doing Animation workshop

well, don't give these weired looks..
I'm not that bad too :))

will bomard you with lot of detail reports very soon
so, wait for me coming back from Mumbai

bye

Hello guys
was on a trek to Bhaje and Bedse caves yesterday.
Again will be oing for Tung trek tomorrow.
So, expect both reviews in detail, day after tomorrow.
Thanx.

Now this is what i call as real adventure.... :-)

This one i got as a comment to my previous post about "No Smoking" campaign. This is for all those people thinking to start smoking.
I thank to the one who gave it to me and expect many such fantastic comments to all my blog entries.

Are you feeling that you would like to start smoking cigarettes? Here are 12 steps to follow to help you decide whether or not to be a smoker.

Make a list of the people you know who are smokers.

Don't put anyone on the list who has not been smoking at least one year.

Be sure to ask non-smokers too. They may be former smokers. If so, you can add them to the list.

Ask each person on your list if they mind being interviewed.

Tell them that you are doing this because you want to learn from them. Specifically, you want to know what they have learned from being a smoker.

Only if they say "yes" should you proceed with the interview.

Ask them why they started smoking.

Everyone has their story to tell. Some stories will be similar but no two stories will be exactly the same.

Ask them if they have ever regretted having starting smoking.

Give them room to answer this question in any way that they see fit. Different smokers will feel very differently about smoking.

Ask them what they most enjoy about smoking.

If they no longer enjoy smoking, let them say so. If they really enjoy having a cigarette after a meal, let that be their answer.

Ask them what they least enjoy about smoking.

If they feel that they get more colds because of smoking, let that be their answer. If they can't think of anything about smoking that they dislike, let their answer stand as it is.

Write down all the answers that people give you and keep careful records of these answers.

If you learn from the experiences of others, you save wear and tear on yourself.

Saving yourself from unnecessary experiences by learning from the experiences of others is experience that you get for free. It doesn't cost you anything and is the key to a graceful and happy future.

Ask the people how long they've been smoking.

This is so that you can tally up the total number of years that all your respondents as a group have smoked. If you talk to 100 people who have been smoking for 1 year each, you will have recorded 100 years of smoking experience.

Likewise, if you talk to 4 people who have been smoking for 25 years each, you will have recorded 100 years of smoking experience.

If you add the two groups together, you will have recorded 200 years of human experience smoking tobacco.

Don't stop recording people's experiences with smoking until you've recorded over 200 years of human experience.

This is important! You don't want the opinions of just a few people. Otherwise, you might end up with an unbalanced view of smoking.

Expect to be surprised!

The answers that people give you will often be anything but what you expected. Remember, each person will have a point of view that is a little bit different because their experience with smoking will be a little bit different.

Identify the advantages and disadvantages of being a smoker.

Take a piece of paper. Draw a line down the middle. Label one column Advantages and the other column Disadvantages. List the advantages of smoking in one column and the disadvantages in the other.

Continue this list to several pieces of paper if your list of advantages or disadvantages threatens to run off the page. Important! Don't stop listing the advantages and disadvantages of smoking until you've thought of everything you possibly can.

Decide whether or not to be a smoker.

The key moment has arrived. Envelope please!

The old saying "Some teenaged kid decided I was going to be a smoker" is so true. You, however, are at an advantage: You've got 200 years of smoking experience under your belt.

Trust yourself. You -- with your 200 years of experience as a smoker -- will make a very wise and seasoned decision.

Came across a blog about "Broken Window Theory" on Ritesh's blog. Here is what it means

Think of a group of people waiting at a red light – when the first one crosses the street, more will suddenly follow, even though the light is still red. It's called the "broken window phenomenon:" once the first window is broken and not taken care of, the house, and soon the whole neighborhood, deteriorates through accelerated vandalism.

well, i personally believe in this theory upto certain extent.
Take example of yawning. If one person yawns, neighbouring person also yawns.

Or consider another example. During treks, if one of the trekker slips, Atleast one or two of his fellow trekkers slip and fall to accompany their friend :)

For more on the theory, click here

After Ravi Vaidya and Hardik Shah,

now it's Devendra Laulkar is next one to reload.

Welcome back Mr. Devendra

Just came back from a tour to Ghorwadeshwar, a very fantastic place at very close distance from Pune.
We (me and Ayush) took the 11 am local from Pune upto Begdewadi. A 15 minute walk from here leads you to the beautiful caves of Ghorwadeshwar.

The bhatkanti-Maharashtra site gives following information about the place.

Significance

The caves are believed to have been created someting in the latter part of the 3rd century A.D.They comprise a series of halls that must have been prayer halls. An inscriptionin Brahmi script informs us that the cave were gifted to devotees by the grateful daughter of Chhapar, the disciple of Bhadantsigh. In memory of their parents, the girls, Sangha and Budha dedicated this place to pilgrims and mendicants. In 1981, devotees and concerned citizen around the area came together to form the Shri Ghorwadeshwar commitee, and the caves were converted into a Shiva shrine. Consequently, thousands of people from the neighbouring villages of Shelarwadi, Dhaman, Salumbre, Somatne, and peripheral areas flock to this place every Mahashivratri.

The shrine

There are 11 caves here. the architects of the caves seem to have made excellent arrangements for water, for there are as many as 28 tanks dug to store rainwater. Only one ' Chaityagruha ' or main prayer hall is accommodated, measuring 7.7 m. x 2.5 m. in height, is flanked by nine smaller rooms on three sides.
The original stupa has deteriorated beyond repair, but the top carved 'harmika' still hangs from the roof. At the semi circular base of the original 'stupa' sits the idol of Lord Ghorwadeshwar. It is here that the rock inscription in Brahmi script is seen.

All i can say, it is a must visit place. None should miss such great place.
Very soon, i'll post the photos of the same.

Read the Top three lines. Well you anyways cannot read the other lines ;-). It says:

What would you say if we offered you a drug
made with rat poison, embalming fluid, toilet cleaner and car exhaust!
Oh.. you smoke cigrattes... Never mind... you've already tried it.

One of my friend Ritesh Maheshwari found the flyer in a laundry room and clicked the pic using his K700 with hardly any light around. :D

Coming back to the point, this again proves that scaring the hell out of people always works!

So all you chain-smokers out there, Quit Smoking now!!

Hardik Reloaded here

Found this on Allie's blog.
I think it's pretty cool... Could be great fun !!!
If you fancy having a go at this, paste it into a reply :



I _______ Dinesh.

Dinesh is ________.

Dinesh thinks a lot about _______.

When I think of Dinesh I think of ________.

I want Dinesh to ________ me.

If I were alone in a room with Dinesh, I would _______.

I think Dinesh should _____.

Dinesh needs ______.

I want to ____________ Dinesh.

If I could describe Dinesh in a word: _______.

Dinesh will never ______.

Dinesh can ______ my _______.

I hope Dinesh never _____.

I _____ Dinesh because _______.

Dinesh should change _____.

Dinesh is going to be a ______ when he grows up.

______ is going to marry Dinesh.



Oh and, if I have any secret admirer out there..... well, drop me a line if you fancy...... it would make my day !!! ;-D All you need to do is click on "comment" and leave me a very cryptic message... hahaha !!!

The trekking Mastro and great photographer Ravi has started blogging again.
Check out

Hello guys
here are photos of my latest trek Lohgad via Tung



That's me



Other 3 people



All of us




Other trekkers we met there



The man who told us different route to Visapur



Overlook



Tung, Korigad and Ghangad



Lohgad



Korigad and range



Lohgad



Vinchu Kata



Another view of Vinchu Kata



The hole in hills called "Nedha"



The beautiful Sunset


If you are reading it till here, then i guess these photos deserve a comment from you.....

The dialogue "Mogambo Khush Hua" is one of the most famous quote in Bollywood history.
This acting Legend Amrish Puri sadly left the world, leaving whole world in tears.

Puri was born on June 22, 1932 and made his Bollywood debut in 1971 with Reshma Aur Shera.
The younger brother of character actor Madan Puri, he initially screen-tested for a hero's role in 1954, but the producer rejected him.
He then turned to theatre and also lent his voice to several advertisement jingles.
After Reshma Aur Shera, he had to wait a long time before filmmaker Shyam Benegal offered him roles in films like Nishaant, Manthan and Bhumika.
His career-defining role came with Mr India in 1987, as Mogambo. The line, Mogambo khush hua, became one of the most famous in the history of Hindi cinema.
He also acted in Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
Hulchul was his latest release.

May his soul reside in Peace.

All must have seen the Blockbuster "Dil Chahat Hai"
here is what i learnt from this movie


*Freaking out and enjoying life doesn't need drugs or cigarettes.

*There are relationships apart from dating partners, marriage, sex partners, siblings, and friendship that can be very emotional and true and beyond the understanding of many people. ( ... )

*(Akash, Sid) Even though you may be the best of friends there is always a limit which should never be crossed. Then it starts hurting ... ...

*Improving your imperfections after you realize it, always takes some time.

*(Guess Who??) You always don't need to show how much u love or care about her, in fact it can be quite boring :D (Sameer, ofcourse :D)

*Believe in Love, true love will never let you down... Hmmmm...!

*Never be ashamed to go back to your old friends, friends are there to understand your mistakes.

*Do not be afraid of others, for sometimes those very others are afraid of you (The Australian Beggar)

*You don't need a snazzy cell phone to be cool.

*Whenever you need your friend, remember that she/he is just a phone call away... distances don't separate friends

*3d photographs?? True friends can understand :)

*What a person wants in life is some one who can make him/her smile. Be true in all your relationships, be it a friend, a spouse, or a stranger.

*In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.

*It's the friends you can call up at 4 A. M. that matter ... (Oh Yesss!)

*The only unchangeable certainty is that nothing is certain or unchangeable. (One cannot always be the same person either)

*Happiness is an attitude. If you are used to being unhappy, even in the best of situations you'll still grumble and be unhappy. Nothing can make you happy in the world.

*The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with - never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.

yesterday, during my visit to Lohgad, one of local resident of Lohagadwadi told me a different, easy and less time consuming way to Visapur

the route is something like this

Walk towards Bhaje caves by stairs. There is a path towards left from the third electric pole on the route. This path leads you to the top of Bhaje hill. Take right turn and a little walk at the top will take you to Visapur fort. For confirmation that you are on right track, this way goes through Dhangarwadi.

anyone tried this route before?

All must have heard proverb "Jaana tha Japan, Pahunch gaye Chin"
has it ever happened with you?
well, something similar happened with me yesterday.

we had planned trek to Tung. But unfortunately, we missed 9 am boat and next was 6 hours later.
private boats were charging nearly 400 Rs.

so, we decided to climb another fort visible from Ambegaon ie Lohagad..

to reach this fort via this route, there is a Payvat starting from a farm next to "Pape Da Dhaba".
Dhyaneshwar Temple in Ambegaon can be another landmark.

but here onwards, it's very difficult to find the way
no regular Payvats are present and we've to find our own way throughout the route
or it may be the thing that we missed the Payvats and so, had to form it ourselves
even the fort is not visible after some time as we have to climb down the valley
so, just keep a magnetic compass with you and keep going towards North with every possible route
it is nearly 3 hour trek upto Lohgad fort and we can reach the fort without visiting the Lohagadwadi

i hope there is no need to give information about Lohgad as everyone will be aware with it

the photos will soon be added


btw, anyone knows answer to following question?
plaese post them as replies
are Sudhagad and Tailbeila visible from Vinchu Kata?
which is fort next to Tung?
is it Devgad or Dhangad?
and is the next one Korigad?

If you can make a promise
and by that promise stand.
If you can take a beating,
then shake the victor’s hand.
If you can do a deed
without looking for the glory.
If you can hold your tongue
when you hear a gossip’s story.
If you can make good better
and try to make bad good.
Then here is my hand, my comrade,
you have made a life long friend.

The more you give,
the more you get.
The more you do selflessly,
the more you live abundantly.
The more of everything you share,
the more you will always have to spare.
The more you laugh,
the less you fret.
The more you love,
the more you will find
That life is good and friends are kind.
For only what we give away,
Enriches us from day to day.

Looking back at the pages from my diary for the year 2004, I get a feel good factor. The year might have been very bad for the world with train accident on 2nd Jan. to the latest Tsunami disaster, but it was definitely the best one for me.

The Jan. didn’t turn up much except the Mumbai visit for Tech-fest which gave me strength to participate this year.

In Feb. I joined hands with the MIT NCC TROOP after I got the offer to design their website. Also my first major trek (PEB) came up in the same month.

July gave the Lohagad trek. In the same month I joined the tekdi organization which is now a part of my life. And most unforgettable thing about this month, I met with my sweetheart Pallavi in the same month.

August came up with the beautiful Tikona trek on first day only.

December was most action packed month for me. This was the month when I became the JBC for MIT. I got a cap from Tekdi for being most active member on the portal. Didi’s marriage was a big event in this month and also in my life. December gave me my most awaited trek of Katraj-Sinhagad as goodbye gift.


Overall, 2004 was my best year till date. Let’s hope 2005 turns up even better.
Wish you all a very happy new year.