Trip to KhaoowDraa Gallee...

Manek chowk in Ahmedabad is very famous for its road side food stalls especially after 8 pm. In fact it is most famous eatery hang out among ‘Amdavadis’ (People of Ahmedabad). The place is famous as ‘KhaoowDraa Gallee ‘(equivalent for Gluttony Lane) in Local people. Our classmates used to always make us envy when they used to narrate their hangout story at Manek chowk. Driven by an extravagant indulgence of the appetite for food ; one day gang of 6 girls from my MBA class decided to visit ‘KhaoowDraa Gallee’ at Manek chowk. Needless to mention here I was front runner amongst them for planning this trip.

With help of our local friends we arranged 3 two wheelers. We all decided to start our much awaited Ghanchakkar outing at Manek chowk around 10 pm one day. It was delight for us there. So many variety of fast food to chose from various food stalls. We joined band wagon of huge crowd and ordered so many plates of various belly crunching food items.

You guessed it right, above photo is taken at Manek chowk by some traveler at 11 pm. It proves really that people in Ahmedabad are the craziest outdoor food fans. Being a Dry state Gujarat has an edge over other states of India for safe late night travel for women. Girls can freely hang out till late at night without the worry of being harassed or pestered in any part of Gujarat. I am sure all my friends who ever have experienced this safe social life in Gujarat would be missing it, once they have left the state.

Yes of course we all actually had skipped our lunch in anticipation of compensate the same with yummy and tasty food in evening at Manek chowk. How true our anticipation was. We finished our mission around 11.45 pm and started to come back from Manek chowk to our friend’s home. After reaching our friend’s home one member from our gang had brilliant idea to have 'Ice Gola’ (mouth-water-coloring Indian ice slush). Even though we were so full after marathon dinner at Manek chowk, we never wanted to miss that opportunity.

We again went out to have Gola in Paladi around 12.30 AM. We all really had to struggle to finish whole Gola as our stomach was so full with Manek Chowk food. The next day almost all of us had stomach ache because of immoderate amounts of food intake of previous night. But the joy we had in that outing was worth for anything.

Rail Yatra...

With lots of dreams and hopes of building my career in Bangalore, I started my journey from Rajkot. I was travelling through the great Indian railways. First time I was travelling alone in such a long journey.

It was one my most memorable train journey. My dearest friend Dhara was going to Baroda from Ahmedabad in the same train. We had decided that at Ahmedabad station we will meet.
After completion of our MBA we were meeting first time so we both had so much to share with each other. I got wonderful Ghanchakkar idea of making Dhara travel in same compartment as of mine even though she was not carrying ticket for that.

Dhara: Hetal I have General Coach Ticket, ideally I am not authorized to travel in SL class. Are you sure if I will travel in your compartment there will be no issues?

Hetal: Don’t worry dear, let us take this risk. If Ticket Checker will come we will convince him saying that you have just come here to meet me for 5 minutes, you will soon return to General Coach.

Dhara: Great Hetal. After such a long time we are meeting. Till Baroda comes we will have chance to spend 3 hours together. This risk is worth enough to be taken; I will be travelling with you only.

Suddenly to our bad luck after just 10 minutes Ticket checker appeared in front of us. The cruel Ticket Checker fined Dhara a hefty amount. Fellow passengers were looking at us strangely as instead of being sad we were laughing and not at all discussing or repenting about TC incident at all. For both of us the time we spent together in train was more important than that fine.

I slept after Dhara got down at Baroda station. When I got up it was 10.30 pm. The train was standing at one small station. I could not recollect the name of that station now. I finished my dinner and again slept. I woke up at 8 am next day. To my surprise train was still standing at same station. I couldn’t believe on my eyes. I pinched myself twice just to confirm whether I am in dream or not.

I came to know from fellow passengers that due to heavy rains one railway bridge has collapsed. So rail authorities have stopped our train. Nobody was giving exact information when train will start again and when we will reach Bangalore.

The station where train was stopped was very small village. It was impossible to get any alternate transportation from there to Bangalore. So I had no option but to wait till train starts again. Finally in the afternoon around 1 pm train started it’s onwards journey. Train reached Bangalore 24 hours later than scheduled time of arrival!!!!!

While living the gate of the railway station, I was reading sign board put up by Railway authorities- ‘Shubh Yatra’. Yes indeed my ‘Yatra’ was not ‘Shubh’ at all but I was happy at least I could reach Bangalore safely.

Fun Ride to Sun Temple

In the Year 2005, along with my MBA hostel mates I planned one day tour from Ahmedabad to Modhera. The Modhera sun temple is situated on the bank of the river Pushpavati, 25 km from Mehsana and 102 km from Ahmedabad city in Indian state of Gujarat. We were fortunate enough to visit this magnificent temple located in a remote corner of India.

We reached Mehsana around 9 am. It was breakfast time and as usual we all very hungry and ready to attack all spicy, delicious junk foods available around. Eating hot Bhajjis at one of the roadside cabin shop was truly an unforgettable experience.

We hired a six seated auto rickshaw from Mehsana to reach Modhera Sun Temple. The rickshaw was in very bad state. While running it was making so much noise and vibration that we felt we are sitting in some roller coaster ride not in a vehicle. We tried to do jugalbandi with rickshaw’s engine noise with our Antakshri Songs. I think ultimate sufferer was the driver; poor chap had to bear legitimate ‘besura’ Bollywood songs from 8 worst singers. Truly it was fun ride for all of us but a torture ride for that driver.

We were totally stunned after reaching to Modhera and looking at beautifully carved sculpture of Sun temple there. We clicked photos at almost all possible corners of temple wherever we could reach and give pose. Government should properly develop this kind of tourist places so that more people can have chance to appreciate our grand heritage. This temple is such a wonderful tourist location but there was neither guide nor any good hotel to find a quality food and accommodation around.

One watchman was there around temple who gave us bits and pieces of information about history of the temple. This place is a true example of negligence of tourism department of Government. Watchman told us only during January when Classical Dance show is organized by Gujarat tourism department, officials go there to inspect this place.

Our return journey was also very funny. Same auto rickshaw we took to reach Mehsana. But this time we had few local fellow passengers also along with us riding in same auto. One fat aunty, who was equivalent enough to compete with Japanese Sumo, took almost entire back seat of that overcrowded auto. Result was that few of my friends including me had to shrink ourselves to fit into front row of auto. Rural people in that area are used to this means of commutation. But for all of us it was really an adventure to finish that return journey in crowded auto.

In that awkward position also we were laughing and cracking jokes on each other. Ahhh… carefree college picnic days are those moments of life which always stays close to heart. This trip was truly a delight for us. It gave us chance to visit one of the finest architectural marvels in Gujarat.

Devotion.....

It was last day of My Engineering College. I was having my last semester’s viva exam on that day. My parents along with my uncle and aunty had planned to go for tour to Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri on same day after my exams. All these four places are located in north India. The holy centers of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath - collectively called the Chardham are very famous amongst Hindus in India. The Char Dham is often considered the most revered sites for Hindus that have to be visited in one's lifetime.
Our train was scheduled to depart from Ahmedabad station at 3.30 pm on that day. My exam was getting over by 10 am. It hardly takes 3 hours to reach Ahmedabad railway station from my college. My parents had instructed my elder brother to pick me up from college as soon as my exams are over and accompany me till Railway station. Unfortunately my exams got delayed and lasted till 12.30 pm. Thanks a ton bhai for struggling so much on that day for arranging taxi and helping me to catch the train on time.

In this blog I would like to narrate one incident which we experienced in Kedarnath. The Kedarnath temple is not directly reachable by road. The only way to reach there is a beautiful 14 km trek path amidst the snow-capped mountains of Himalayas, near the river Mandakini. People, who are not able to walk, can hire horses or go by helicopter also to reach temple.

I must confess that I was more excited for the tour because I knew I will get chance to do trekking in Himalayas. I and my father had decided that we would visit Kedarnath temple only by walk. Ghanchakkar in me as usual was overwhelmed by idea of exploring Himalayas and visit of temple with religious devotion took back seat in my mind.

Trek to Kedarnath Temple was tiresome but it was truly enchanting experience of Himalayas. The splendid sceneries around made us feel closer to Divine Almighty. It took 4 hours to walk 14 kms trek to temple. When we reached temple we saw a loooooooooooong queue of devotees waiting for their turn to enter the temple. After 3 hours waiting in that queue, we were able to enter the temple.

The scene over there made all of us little bit upset. All devotees were so restless that they were pushing each other and rushing like mad animals only inside temple to have glance of Lord’s Statue. Small children and women were the main sufferers of this stampede. So many questions came into my mind. Why a person who has walked for 14 kms and come so far just to offer prayer in Kedarnath needs to push manically others in order to reach to Lord’s idol faster? Why one cannot calmly and patiently move ahead and offer prayers along with others? Why common men here lack discipline and civilian manners when we go to any public places? Why a person who has come to this temple only to seek god’s blessing and atone for his/her sins, kicks someone to get ahead in line of fellow worshippers? This kind of scene is very common at any famous religious location in India. It is seen that in India, there are more deaths through stampede than bombs.

I believe god resides everywhere even within every individual. One must respect everyplace as god’s own temple and respect serenity of that with equal importance and dignity. Real devotion should make a person more humble and disciplined; it should not make anyone hostile, selfish and insensitive towards sufferings of others who knock down everyone just to reach to their god faster. How ethical this way of devotion and worship is?

The Award.....

Well first of all thank you very much Lops for nominating me for this award although I do not deserve it yet.

I am deviating from your rule list little bit and writing about few inspiring awards of life which I got from various sources instead of 7 beautiful things around me. I hope you will be kind enough to approve this deviation.

My Primary School…

I completed my primary school education in Shri C.D.Sanghvi Kumar shala. It was located in Savarkundala a very small town in Saurashtra, Gujarat. The methodology of teaching and the co curricular activities which school was organizing even though it was very small school from very remote and small town were amazing. I wish all villages and small towns of India get such wonderful educational institutes which inculcates values, spirit, knowledge and wisdom in students. Each Prize I won in different competition here in this school is so precious to me. Co curricular activities and sports activities must be integral part of curriculum in all schools. It is essential for over all development of student.

NCC…

I joined National Cadet Corps during my high school. The 2 years Training of NCC transformed me and taught me Importance of Unity, Team work and Discipline. I still remember my annual training camp of 3 Gujarat NCC girls Battalion at Kodinar, Gujarat. First time I came across daily routine of Defense personnel that time as we were strictly instructed to follow the same there. I won Best Cadet Award in the Camp and won Prize in shooting competition. These two achievements will remain very special to my heart always. I really wish that training of NCC should be made compulsory at least for 2 years for every student in India. This will help us to convert a normal human being in to an ethical, disciplined and tough citizen of this nation. Young India needs it.

Science Seminar….

I won first prize in District Level Science Seminar when I was studying in 9th Standard. I spoke on Environmental Issues which is getting neglected in age of scientific innovations. I was the only girl speaker in all 30 participants from various schools of different cities of Amreli District. One of my Science teachers Mr.Yogesh was also accompanying me in the competition.

Due to heavy rains, our bus reached late. By the time we managed to reach the venue, the seminar was already started and 3 speakers finished their speeches. With lots of arguments my teacher was successful to convince jury members to allow me to participate. I still remember facial expression of one of the jury member. He was looking at me and told with strange tone: ‘What this girl will speak in this competition, can you see no girls are participating in this competition, it is simply not forte of girls you know. Simply to get one participant certificate why girls high school students travels all the way from Amreli I don’t understand’. His harsh tone was clearly showing his assumption of Women in India does not have enough brain power to have knowledge of science.

Even though my teacher and I were very angry; we managed to keep our cool. We promised him only one thing that if we are given a chance we will not disappoint their expectation. I was given green signal to participate in Seminar only on one condition that I will have to speak last after all other participants finish their speech.

After I finished my speech, I still remember there was big round of applause in the seminar hall and sound of clapping didn’t stop for 5 minutes. I felt really satisfied and proud. There was tradition of taking audience feedback before result announcement and prize distribution ceremony there. Host of the evening asked feedback randomly to few students in the hall.

One student from the audience gave his feedback: ‘Hetal when you came to speak we all were very exhausted after listening to 29 speeches. As you were last speaker we knew that within 5 minutes competition will be over. It was our assumption that being a girl and that too from Guajarati medium high school you will not be able to deliver good speech in science seminar. But you proved all of us wrong. We will remember your speech for years to come.’ These wordings and acknowledgement of my speech was more valuable to me than first prize which I won that day.

I just turned and looked straight into eyes of that jury member who did his best to stop me from participating. I knew he got answer to his question, what girls can speak in Science Seminar……
As I am new to Blogger world I cannot nominate more people. Lopa has already nominated all whom I know J in this blogger world except one and so I nominate Uday for this award.

Hunt for Abhishek Bachhan in Rann of Kutch....

Hmmmm… after loooooooooooong first blog and receiving plenty of comments for that I am inspired to try my hands on to make my second blog as short as possibleJ. Hope I succeed this time.

After 1 year of Gujarat earth quake -2001 all my hostel roomies decided to visit Bhuj city, Main city of Kutch district of the Indian state of Gujarat. Bhuj was the nearest city to the epicenter of Earth quake which devastated entire city like anything. We all Ghanchakkars Uravashi, Nidhi, Dolly, Shilvana, Dhara and me were champions in showing our very own ‘Ghanchakkar’ characteristics on outings. Due to this ability of all we were very sure that we will enjoy our trip to the fullest. Amongst us Dolly and Dhara were from Bhuj city itself so we had all local support there to make our journey smooth and easy.

We started our bus journey from Surendranagar to Bhuj in crowded bus where we couldn’t find place to sit. We were all exhausted by tiresome journey due to that. When we reached Bhuj, Dolly’s mom welcomed us with delicious food which was enough to bring smile back on our tired. Next day morning we went for local site seeing. A very strange thing we noticed on roads was a cart which was pulled by donkeys. We were very amazed by seeing that strange Donkey Cart as none of us who were not from Bhuj had seen this kind of cart ever.

We all wanted to stop that Donkey Cart owner so that we could take one photo. But our dear friend Dhara stopped us to do so. She strictly like a school teacher told us: “Stop behaving like a foreigner here in between the market. I promise we will have a photo with this kind of cart but not here. This fellow will ask money from you girls for taking photo of his dearest donkey. After earthquake so many foreigners are visiting this city so now localities here have become smarter enough to charge tourist who wants to take their photos!!!! “ . A smart way of making side income don’t you think so?

Being students in those days we were not having that much extra money to spend on this kind of tips for clicking photos. We all kept quiet and forced to obey Dhara’s instructions. Yes Dhara still our pose with one of donkey cart is pending and you promised us you will give us chance to have one, we all are still waiting for that.

On the way back Dhara showed us the place where her old house was located before earthquake. I still remember her sentence when she was pointing to one of the corner of a playground: “Look Hetal here there was a residential colony with almost 500 houses 1 year ago. On that unfortunate day of 26th January 2001, close to 500 people lost their lives in this particular place and all houses got collapsed like flash cards.” How miserable it would have been for all those who had their sweet homes in that area.

Truly nature has its own mechanism of reengineering. But I salute people of Kutch for their never dying spirit of bouncing back to life within no time. Truly life should keep on moving and with this kind of fighting spirit it becomes easier to execute the same.

Next day we hired a taxi to visit Mandavi which is nearby to Bhuj and a very good tourist location to visit. Those days a Bollywood movie ‘Refugee’ got released which was having story based on People of Kutch. The hero of that movie Abhishek Bachhan had wore local Kutch traditional costumes in entire movie. Being a big fan of Abhishek Bachhan that time, we all tried to visualize him in each and every person dressed up in traditional costumes who used to come across on our way. Their traditional costumes and jwellary used to remind us look of Abhishek Bachhan.

We all Ghanchakkars ordered our driver to find one good handsome Local ‘Abhishek Bachhan’ so that we can click one group photo with him. Driver couldn’t control his laughter after listening to our desire of course. He started stopping taxi whenever he used to see any person on road wearing traditional cloths and asking us to take picture with him. We all at the same time started denying taking photo in hope of getting a real look alike of Abhishek Bachhan. Our score of denial of photo reached to 10, enough count for making driver annoyed.

Suddenly Dhara asked driver to stop the taxi and spoke in kutchi language something to one person passing by our car. She told us in humorous tone, “Girls we will enter in Bhuj city in a while now. There you will not get any Local people wearing tribal attire. I have talked to this young man and he is ready to click a photo with you all. Now it’s your decision whether you want to click a photo with him or we should go ahead? I again remind you, once we enter Bhuj city you will not get any Local Abhishek Bachhan there J so your desire of clicking a photo will not get fulfilled.” We all looked at that young man. Yes indeed from no angle he was looking like Abhishek BachhanL . But we wanted to cherish our Ghanchakkar stunt of the trip so we clicked a photo with him and laughed like anything on our madness.