A Billion of Indians-A gigantic problem or a sea of opportunities

This is probably one of the most burning question what we face today. Shall we consider our population as a burden or a resource. After our independence we even did not have sufficient food to feed ourselves. Hence the massive population what we had at that time was considered as a menace. This led to a nationwide movement by the politicians indicating us to have a bit of self-restraint and breed fewer children. Earlier they were in view of only two children. Subsequently the number has come down to one. Now I am waiting for the day when we will be advised to not to have any child and I can think of some caption as well.
"Bacchhe mat paida karo tum ek bhee,
parosiyon ke bacche papa kahein gey tumhey hee"
Leaving jokes apart, shall we see the billion of Indians as a grave problem or shall we see it as the best blessing we have?
If one considers a country its biggest resource can be the manpower (female reader do excuse me!!) it has got. However this manpower does not simply adds up in sheer number to constitute the population. Rather, it is the number of people who are capable of working and constitute to the country's output. So, putting it as a direct equation more be the number of people the more is the Person Year Output(PYO) we will have. More be the PYO more will be the Gross Domestic Product(GDP). More is the GDP the stronger and mightier economy we will be. However, thinking it from another aspect if there are more people without contributing much to the country's output then they will be over head to the country. This is so because such people will ideally be consuming resources for their sustenance.
So it all depends on what outlook we have towards the situation. If we start observing it at a curse we are doomed for life whereas if we look it as a boon, soon we will be on the moon. If the government of India ensures that every individual is able to direct his talent in the proper direction then it can be an unprecedented growth.
Hence to say it nicely and very precisely
" Taken positively it is two billion hands * in the times of need
Else it is a billion of hungry mouth to feed "
* - Conditions apply- Under the assumption that Thakur is an imaginary character.

Gargeshwari Report

09 MAY,BANGALORE: Before I start with this report I want to caution you all, that this report is the result of joblessness both over the weekends and weekdays. Also, no responsibility will be taken for the delays in project delivery. To start with I will describe the whole journey from the very beginning to the end.

It was a weekend and as usual I got up very late in the morning (afternoon). I think it was about 11 am. Asked my brother about his plans today. He was not having any.

So we started gearing up for ooty. Then we started asking our friends who can accompany us to ooty. No one said yes. So this plan got canceled as fast as it was proposed. My brother then postponed the plan to next week as this week only two of us were ready to go. So one more weekend sitting like a couch potato in front of the stupid lappy of mine, doing nothing at all. I thought its enough of getting internet gyaan. So called another jobless friend of mine. Lets call him baba(we also call him by that name only). Baba was ready to go without any second thoughts. Ohh but that was election day and how I can be so irresponsible democratic citizen that I don't cast my vote. So went for voting also. By the time I came out after voting it was 12 noon already.

Then started my pulsar and headed straight to Rajrajeshwari nagar,the pious place, where our holy baba resides. Bangalore traffic made it 1 pm when I reached baba's ashram. It was too hot that day. So took 2 liters of water so that I don't lose my weight(Note: Severe dehydration can cause weight loss up to 6 kgs). Then we left for the destination Gargeshwari at 1 pm from Rajrajeshwari nagar. My bag was full with water and potato chips when we left. Then we took the Mysore Road and I started ripping my bike through the only good road of Bangalore. Within 45 mins we reached Ramanagaram. It was so hot that we stopped there and both of us had one ice cream each to beat the heat. Then all of a sudden it struck my mind, that the lappy which I had been cursing in the morning could actually had served a noble cause. I was not knowing from where I need to take a left to reach Gargeshwari. Asked baba about the route. Baba immediately took out his telepathic instrument and called a bhakt to know the route to the temple. Answer was there, first go to Mysore then about 25 kms from there. Then we started moving again. After driving for half an hour or so I started feeling hungry. I asked baba that can we stop. He very happily replied that I had lunch before you came to my house. Ohh!! So I was the fool, riding my bike, without having breakfast. So I stopped at the very next line hotel which came in our way. Parked my bike there. In fact it was the only bike parked there. Rest all were cars. Had a South Indian Poori Thaali there and Fruit Juice. Baba also had fruit juice. By the time we left the Hotel it was already three and the sun was not as fierce as when we left. So we headed straight to Mysore. Now I asked baba about the route. Baba again took out his telepathic instrument. But this time his bhakta was not picking up the phone. So we started asking auto walas the route to Gargeshwari.

Half of them were so surprised by the name, as if I spoke something in Zulu or any other similar tribal language. Anyway few knew about the route and asked us to take the T.Narasipur road. So after asking 5-10 times all three of us were on the T.Narasipur Road. Nahin baba, we didnt give lift to some auto wala. I mean me, my bike and of course baba. The road condition was very bad. Even though it is a NH, its full of pot holes. Villagers and their animals cross the road at their own convenience, without any hurry. The maximum speed you can go on that road is 10 km/hr. And Gargeshwari was about 22 kms. So Baba came up with some interesting calculation. He said we will be at Gargeshwari by 6 pm. But actually we reached much before that. In fact we stopped near a kere (tank) also. The scene was so beautiful that we stopped there for 10 mins. We took some videos there. Actually there were some dead trees in between of the tank. The tank was not very small. And the wind was magnificent.

It cannot be described in words. Then next we went to the place because of which this full report is being written. We reached Gargeshwari temple by 5 pm. Actually it is very difficult to locate the temple and it is always better that you keep on asking local people about its route. The temple is situated about 500m away from the main road. We took the kacchha road to Gargeshwari temple. When I saw the boundary wall of the temple I felt very happy and thanked god, that such a temple exists.

I took left from the boundary of the temple. I don't know how, but baba said that you have turned towards the back side of the temple. And he was correct also. So we three traveled across the perimeter of the temple before reaching the entrance. Chalo parikrama poori ho gayee. We got down from my bike and started feeling heavenly.

Somewhat because of the temple.

The temple is situated in between the village with pukka houses all around the place. So we had to leave our costly footwear before going inside the temple. Baba said we will not go at once. First you go and I will guard your chappal like a dog. When you will be done then I will go. Then I asked Baba for few 10 Rupees currency notes. He was not having any. So we took 50 rupees note and purchased 10 Rs potato chips to get four 10 rupees note. So our stock of potato chips got even richer and my bag even more thicker and heavier. Finally, I entered the temple. First aangan sort of place was there. In the aangan you there was a nandi and a sacred space for yajnas to be performed. Then one pujari told me to go on the left side and enter the sanctorum of the temple. The door was blocked with the help of ropes. It was so well blocked that I managed somehow to enter the temple. The main temple was having Lord Shiva's linga. I offered my prayers to the lord. Then in one corner of the temple I saw an idol of Lord Ganesha about 10 inches big.So I stood still for a while deciding upon what questions to ask. There I could see a priest collection 10 rupees for each question. Once I was decided with the questions I went further to the priest and asked him how to ask questions to Lord. Unfortunately that person was not knowing Hindi, English, German, Sanskrit, Bhojpuri etc. etc. His Kannada was also so pathetic that he was not able to explain me. Se he referred me to his guru. Another pujari jee was sitting, boasting that he knows Hindi. However, the case was almost similar but I got the meaning this time. I spoke little Kannada and he spoke some Hindi and finally we were able to communicate. Thanks lord. Now number of questions had increased by one. The third one being:" Oh! mighty lord, Can I learn Kannada properly ever in my life". So again went back to the Ganesha's idol. Thought about the question in mind. Sorry, just a minute. I forgot to tell you all about the rule. The rule was if you lift the idol with both your hands, and for the first time the idol is very light and it is very heavy the second time then your wish is going to be fulfilled. So I thought the question and lifted the idol. It was ok. Now the second time lifting up of the idol had to be done. to my surprise it was at least three times more heavier than the first time. I was full happy about my desire getting fulfilled. Now without any second thoughts I handed the priest sitting there another 10 rupee note. Thought the question again and lifted the idol again. Again the same sequence of events. The first time it was light and very heavy second time.SO both of my questions got answered. I went to the main priest there and thanked him. I was fully happy so donated 50 rupees to the Hundi of the temple. Finally I came out of the temple. Now it was Baba's turn to go and my turn to guard. Baba went and came back in 10 mins or so. I was busy watching people who were coming to the temple(esp. girls). I asked Baba what happened. He said that the idol was too heavy to lift in the first round itself. Second time it was okay. So basically it means that Baba'a desire or question might not come true. So I said Baba that I want to ask one more question, but Baba wisely suggested me not to be too greedy. Two wishes are granted and thats more than enough. He said now we should rush to Chamundi Temple Mysore and do the Darshana there also.So we left Gargeshwari to Chamundi Hills. I was elated and happy.

Actually, the Gargeshwari report ends here but will continue telling the journey as some more interesting events have to be told here. Then we were again trying go through the T.Narasipur National Footpath. Actually I was riding on the footpath because it was much smoother than the road. Again we stopped at the lake, but this time started emptying the Chips packet. My God, I thought, I have already done 200 km driving and was feeling a bit tired. I asked baba if he wants to drive. Baba said no, he wants to see the nazara while I ride. So then we again started towards Chamundi Temple and reached there by 630 pm. Then we came to know that the temple will open at 730 pm. So relaxed there. The weather as usual was awesome on the Chamundi Betta. At 715pm we got up and thought of buying a ticket for special Darshana. To my surprise the queue to buy a ticket for special darshana ticket was much longer than the queue for the ticket less regular darshana. We purchased offerings for mata and by 830 pm we were done with the darshana. When we came out I started feeling cold as I was not having any jacket. Baba was having one and said that once we will leave Chamundi Hills we wont feel cold. So we left Chamundi Hills at 830 pm. Then came to Mysore. I asked baba about the route to Bangalore. Baba confidently told me the wrong route. Finally after lot of useless Global Warming we started doing Useful Global Warming. We were on the State Highway Number 17 i.e. Bangalore Mysore Highway. When we reached Mandya, baba said me with a laugh, the road to our right also goes to T.Narasipur. So because of the great disciple of Baba we did 35 kms more. I contineud riding the bike and baba was looking the sceneries in the dark like a ullu(owl). Thats why I think he missed the T.narasipur board in the broad daylight. When we reached Maddur CCD, I started feeling very sleepy. SO we got down the bike. I had tea and sandwich and baba had coffee. Then we got back again on the bike and reached Bangalore by 1130 pm. After having tea I came fully ripping. I did 400 kms on bike in a day.

Hope you might have liked the report and your work is not much hampered.

No Maa Bengalooru

Long back when Chennai was renamed from Madras, I remember an interesting comic strip published in a magazine. It had a typical Khadi clad Neta Ji saying to the public " So what if we cannot change the condition of our cities, we can definitely change their names." Seems quite funny to read and giggle a bit and then forget it till the next name change ceremony for some other city comes..

One question for the unprobables (I mean people who are reading my blog).
Do you people justify renaming cities?

Anyway questions left apart and coming back to the blog, way back 2 years we renamed Bangalore to Bengalooru. When few baffled and surprised people asked what is wrong in Bangalore...the answer what they got was even surprising.. Bangalore doesnt means Boiled Beans whereas Bengalooru does...Long back a king came here and ate boiled beans and thats why we are renaming the IT capital of India. Is Bangalore just Bangalore or is it a brand name? Believe me people Bangalore is a brand which we Indians proudly use to sell our IT products. And what our dear rulers doing is renaming the brand. It is something like Pepsi renaming itself to Pipasi(It means thirsty in Sanskrit).Another example what I can think of at the moment is....I couldn't... So just changing the name of a city will change the way it is operating, will it change its fate and character..will it lead to development?
Well if that would have been the case then probably we would have tolerated the whole incident and carried on with boiled beans and pipasi..But the situation is strange..Bangalore is in its worst shape at present. Most roads are bad and few good stretches having cesarean cuts(courtesy BSNL and co( deserves another blog actually..)) , traffics jams,cramped colonies, electricity problem, stray dogs are just to name a few. These all gradually eating up the Brand "Bangalore". Do we deserve this? After all we are paying the highest road tax in the country for the BSNL operated roads. We are paying municipality for the upbringing of street dogs and their castration operation. We are paying too much tax on fuel purchased to get cramped colony roads. We are paying any rent they want to get a matchbox sort of house outside the city. Most important of all the No Maa May Tro (Namma Metro) project virtually encroaching all major roads of the city and adding mercilessly to the the traffic situation of the city has made the quality of life at the city worse. Construction work and cutting of trees in the city has made The Garden City one of the dustiest city in the world. Thanks god there are not many cities in the Sahara desert. Is it that Bangalore is losing its charisma and charm? Or just let me rephrase my sentence has Bangalore lost its charm? Can we see ourselves in a green, clean rejuvnated and refreshed Bangalore again or Bengalooru is the place where we have to be?
Is there any way out to reincarnate this city??

PS: This blog is written by a native of Bihar. So you can imagine really how bad and miserable the city will be at present..