Photo Corner: Kodari - Zhangmu - Nyalam

That is Nepal seen from a distance in Tibet.















Driving on the "other side" with parked trucks blocking half the road.













Zhangmu town - looks like a typical hill station.














Ahangmu - Another view.














Night Club...?? has one co-yatri grining widely.












Clouds threatening even more rain.












The place where we got our "adrak-chai".














That's me.












Stuck in traffic jam for almost an hour. Oncoming traffic squeezed through the gap you see between the trucks on one side and our jeeps on the other.












Another view of the traffic jam.

Crossover - Zhangmu - Nyalam

There was some time for the jeeps to start, so I started looking around. This is the first time I have crossed a land border. I wondered what the scene would be at Wagah/Attari. We had a lot of Tibetan girls offering to exchange INR into CY at better rates than the Kodari money changer. Alas...we were full up with CY and every one felt miserable at being taken for a ride...hahaha...I guess it is the same everywhere.

There were many shops manned by the Chinese selling electronics, stuffed toys, household goods, clothes, chocolates and other food-stuffs. These smart business men would quote in INR and indicate the amount on a calculator and bargaining was the accepted norm. If the quote was INR 500, you started at INR250 if you were an average bargainer and INR150 if you were an ace bargainer and so the game went on. A couple of our co-yatris tried to bargain but then it was "No-Deal".

Our night halt was at Nyalam about 35 - 40 kms away from the border. One has to pass Zhangmu (also known as Khasa by the Nepalis) to reach Nyalam. I had read that there is an additional passport check at Zhangmu. We were resigned to yet another ordeal (or so we thought). Border to Zhangmu is a breeze on freshly laid out concrete roads. Intermittently, you see our good'ol TATA trucks lined on one side of the road.

We reached Zhangmu in about twenty minutes and we just walked through an imposing gate and an equally imposing building. There were no passport check as we thought earlier. That was the proceedure earlier but with the new building off the Friendship Bridge, this has been discontinued. That was a big relief.

We now had to wait for a couple of hours at Zhagnmu. The Zhangmu - Nyalam highway is under construction and the Chinese Army imposes a curfew between 8am - 8pm. All vehicular movement comes to a halt during this time and as our guide said..."We cannot argue with the Chinese Army."

Zhangmu is a typical tourist-border town. Shops offering "original" coral necklaces for 25CY and "original" pearl necklaces at just 20CY...., "latest" iPhone for 400 CY and many other "fantastic bargains" were scattered around. The whole thing looked very very tacky and fake. We also dared not try any of the many restaurants for any snack as we just could not trust the stuff out there.

Finally, we reached Sherpa Hotel where a couple of Nepalis were manning that place. We spent the next two hours waiting there over some welcome "adrak chai"and "bread-butter toast". INR, NR or CY were welcome.

Our guide decided to resume our journey at about 7.30 pm so that we reach Nyalam by about 10 pm. Soon we found ourselves in the middle of a massive traffic snarl that took over an hour to clear. As we ascended winding thru the streets we passed hundreds of TATA trucks parked on one side of the road (all to return back to Nepal). At a point there were about twenty trucks and an equal number of private cars descending towards the border. It was chaos reigning supreme till we backed off a little and were literally hanging at the very edge and the oncoming traffic crawled by us.

This delay of an hour was further worsened by very heavy rain and poor visibility. The "ghat" section roads are just being built and only small patches are ready. That was one hell of a journey alternating between smooth concrete roads and rough patches. We had our hearts in our mouths and a prayer on our lips as we were making our way through. Our cheerful group guide - Sonam Tsering was in our jeep and played some Tibetan music. Very hummable I must say....

We finally reached Nyalam at 11.30 pm and had to sleep in a dorm meant for nine people. Couples shared separate "couples dorm". Soon Autar Singh Tamang, our sherpa team leader entered and announced that our supply truck had not kept pace with and was left far behind. Dinner was cancelled and we would have had to sleep with a growling belly. Thankfully, high altitude problems had started setting in and we actually had no appetite.

We were tired and crashed out only to wake up a few hours later to some Hindi film songs belting out from some where down the street. Wow....surprises just do not end....do they????

Kathmandu to Kodari and the Crossover

The next day dawned overcast with slight rain. I happened to wake up a bit early. I always wonder how getting up early on vacation is so effortless and in Mumbai such a drag. I enjoyed a leisurely shower, knowing well that our next chance could be many days later.

We were to leave after a cup of tea with some packed breakfast to be had on the way. The vehicle was a decent bus - 24 seater for the twelve of us and a group of five sherpas who would be with us throughout the trip. It was time for introductions with our co-yatris. Our group comprised a British couple, two Russians, a South African couple (of Indian origin) and six from India, three from Trichy and three from amchi Mumbai. Unfortunately, a group of four from Ahmedabad landed at Kathmandu but two of them fell sick and had to drop out. Guess, as Vinod said earlier something about "bulawa....".

So our small cozy group made its way towards Kodari, the border town with Tibet on the Arniko Rajmarg.

It was early morning and roads were clear...and we were soon out of Kathmandu amidst some extra-ordinary beauty. I was completely captivated that many times I forgot to click snaps. After a quick breakfast on the way, we came across some treacherous terrain. Roads were narrow with deep gorges on one side and steep mountainside on the other. Things were made worse by recent landslides which were partially cleared. A very bumpy ride later we arrived at Kodari by about 11 am.

Kodari, incidentally, was the starting point of the trans-Himalayan Caravan route towards Lhasa and other towns on the Tibetan plateau. This was considered as important as the Silk route. Locals from Kodari act as porters and frequently move across borders with loads of goods. Trade is thriving as almost all food supplies come in from Nepal and other items come over from the Chinese side.

Crossing over had to wait. We were bundled off to a small eatery for lunch while one sherpa went to the Immigration Office to get a "Departure" stamp affixed on our passports. The enterprising owner of the eatery was also the money changer out there. We could exchange our INRs into Chinese Yuan at Rs. 8/- per CY. He magnanimously offered to buy back unutilised CY at Rs 7.50 thus making a neat spread from every traveller. Fortunately, we had purchased CY in Mumbai itself at a much lower rate.

There was news that the Chinese were screening every visitor, and, if their machines indicated above normal temperature, the visitor was detained or still worse asked to return. This was not in the original script but the ingenious Indian mind found a way around this too. We all had to pop a Crocin or two after lunch so that that blasted machine would never flash the red light.

We now had to walk in the sweltering heat towards the border post. There is a river acting as the natural border and the Chinese have constructed a bridge called the "Friendship Bridge". We have to pass through the Nepalese customs and cross this bridge. This is manned by Chinese soldiers (young men actually trying to look mean and unsmiling) armed with machine guns. A couple of them in civvies make sure that nobody takes any photographs on the bridge. They make you delete the snaps and actually say "Thank You" (probably the only English word they have learnt). I understand that the Chinese Army has a camp just right there and they hate being photographed.

Our group visa was checked and guess what...we had to stand in the exact order as in the visa and walk in a single file....hahaha..that was something.

We crossed over and then began what we call a..."test of patience". First our duffel bags were fumigated. They were then taken into the Immigration cell whilst we waited outside in the heat. An hour later, a smiling cherubic face comes out saying he is our Tibetan guide and we can now enter to complete our immigration formalities. Hey it was not done yet...our back packs were scanned and literally emptied on the table. Every single item including the toilet paper was checked . We had to drink water from our bottles to prove that that was not poison or some liquid explosive.

You are a dead duck if you are carrying any book. One co-yatri was carrying a "Lonely Planet guide to Tibet". They went through every page of that book and returned it only after some grim faced senior officer grunted his approval. Probably they were worried about us sneaking in the Dalai Lama's photograph or some explosive literature. The South African had got CDs and they were confiscated straight away. Probably an i-pod will escape the scrutiny.

Please remember when you plan next year....do not annoy the Chinese border guards...They hate the Dalai Lama, all books, literature, cassetes, CDs/VCDs/DVDs.

That was one hell of a reception. I guess it is their job and they try to do it efficiently. We were finally in Tibet or should we say China. A hundred metre across the Friendship Bridge was like a time machine. We had to adjust our watches to Chinese time which is 2hrs-15mins ahead of Nepal time. (They go by Beijing time).

We were directed to our Toyota - Land Cruisers and I just plonked in a comfortable seat. I badly needed a cup of tea by now but had to wait for Zhangmu and you my friends will have to wait for my next post. Cheers!!! In case you have missed, please go through photographs uploaded last night.

Photographs - Kodari Crossover..........

The bus we travelled in upto Kodari. Very comfortable bus but the ride was bumpy.

A way side "Bhojanalaya" where we pecked at our packed breakfast. Please note Pepsi has made inroads in this remote hamlet - of Dhulikhel district.

A river meandering through with high hills acting as embankments. The highway was on these slopes hugging the hills.

A road recently cleared of debris lying on the side.














Kodari town is just a small strip. The hill with thick vegetation on the right is Tibet.














We only hoped and prayed that we never need to call any of these numbers.














Our group waiting for the final "Let us go" signal.

This is the gushing body of water that forms the natural border between Nepal and Tibet.

That is the Nepalese truck depot as seen from a higher level in Tibet.













Another view of Kodari from Tibet.












This is that famous "Friendship Bridge" linking Tibet to Nepal.













TATA trucks making their way into Nepal.

Our Toyota Land Cruiser - a sturdy 4500 cc 4 wheel drive vehicle.

Phujhu...our new found friend and an expert pilot of the powerful beast that took us around.

A glimpse of Kodari as we zipped across to Zhangmu and got stuck in a massive traffic snarl.

Kathmandu in Pictures

There are no security guards in view nor are there any signs prohibiting photography. A welcome change from our security obsessed establishment.

Aha...that's me. Happy that I finally made it to the Himalayan Kingdom (I still exist in the old world)....sorry Himalayan Nation.. and am still recovering from the shock of a "no-security" airport.

The "dreaded" swine flu had reached here. Some young doctor placed a gun like contraption on my forehead and then let me pass. I had to fill a screening card and was questioned about my health.

I survived the inquisition and walked out of the Tribhuvan International Airport.

This magnificent structure was our place of stay. Imposing and very well maintained - Hotel Shanker. Situated in the Lazimpat area of the capital, this hotel is very near the erstwhile Royal Palace.








Well manicured lawns and a pleasing arrangement gives a soothing feeling.











Some exquisite work on metal and wood as part of the hotel annexe.











A peek indoors....down the corridor.












Those eyes.....they keep following you...












The ceiling in my room. Looks like some Michaelangelo was at work here...

Kathmandu our base.

I now commence with a travelogue on my trip to Kailash- Mansarovar.

We were to report at Kathmandu on 31st July but had to postpone this by a day. Our departure for Tibet was scheduled for 2nd August. In retrospect this was a bad decision as this denied us rest and hurried the process of our acclimatising causing us some additional discomfort. Mind you Kathmandu is at 1300 mtrs (4300 ft) above sea level. Our next stop was at 3750 mtrs (12400 ft) above sea level.


We reached Kathmandu on 1st August at about 9.30 am (15 minutes ahead of IST). The airport seems a very relaxed place with almost no security there. Photography is permitted and one could click away even on the tarmac. That was a culture shock to me. Well, swine flu panic had set in and we were screened on arrival. The airport building by itself is very unremarkable and in the main arrival hall, tubelights were'nt switched on were not replaced. (surely some Indian sheds masquerading as airports must be like this)


We were met by a representative of Richa Tours, reputed to be one of the best organiser on the Kailash-Mansarovar circuit. After a short drive through the chaotic streets we reached our place of stay - Hotel Shanker near the Royal Palace..(The Royal Palace is now converted to a museum). Hotel Shanker is a magnificent structure and was once the abode of some long forgotten "royal".

We did not have much to do except walk through the streets nearby. Our leisurely walk was interrupted by a heavy shower and we had to scurry back to our hotel. We had to pack all our stuff in a massive duffel bag made available by the tour organisers. No suitcases are allowed on the tour....so if you are planning to go next year...please remember this. You will have to leave behind the suitcases.

We were also given a "Down Jacket" (on a returnable basis) for the yatra. The rustic that I was till then, this term flumoxed me. I could not imagine what is "down" in this jacket. Some one equally ignorant felt it is so called because it is long and extends to one's knees. The joke was on us when we saw those jackets. This thick jacket meant I had to leave some warm clothing back at Kathmandu.

We then had to be ready for our briefing for the trip and precautions that we had to take for easy and early acclimatising.

The most scary part, atleast till then, was the high altitude problem. We were anxious to understand as to how we could overcome this problem. High Altitude problems can hit anyone at any time. Typically one would feel disoriented, tired at slightest effort or movement, breathlessness, blurred vision, headaches, loss of appetite and in some cases tummy upsets.

We were advised to

1. Rest, rest and rest. Lying down helps reduce symptoms and also recover faster,
2. Drink plenty of fluids. The sherpas ensured that we had atleast 3 - 4 litres of water every day,
3. Take Diamox tablets for the first four days....(helps in acclimatising)
4. Keep head, ears and our neck covered...prevents headaches and catching colds

(You may want to look up this article or Wikipedia on this). After this briefing, HAS did not seem so scary. It just required some common sense precaution to be taken. Our sherpas told us later that many just laugh at this and ignore this advice only to face serious problems later.

It was time to tuck in and await the next morning before we could embark on our most awaited and exciting journey.

A Dream Journey

A journey to Mt Kailash and Lake Mansarovar can be called a "Dream Journey". There is an element of fear, the unknown thrill and a little bit of mystique

As I mentioned in my previous post, I always wanted to go to Kailash-Mansarovar but never came to firming my mind on this till last year. I finally decided that I must complete this journey in 2009. It was as if the "elements" were waiting for this to happen. Everything fell in place in the most inexplicable manner. This was the most surprising aspect of the preparations.

First it is important to understand some basics.


This "yatra" begins from and ends at Kathmandu. The entire tour is arranged from Nepal along with the Tibet Tourist Authority. All Indian agencies irrespective of their claims must have a back-end tie up with Nepalese agencies.

Secondly, visa to enter China is issued as a group visit visa on a separate sheet. Your passport is not stamped for entry or exit at the China border. Mercifully, this group visa for Indian passport holders is issued at Delhi and the local agent is helpful to that extent.

All arrangements of travel, guide and stay in Tibet are handled by the TTA. One has to compulsorily travel in jeeps provided by the TTA and each group compulsorily has a Tibetan guide.

There are many links in this chain and it is possible that one gets to hear some horror stories. I am not sure if things get as bad as is made out to be but it is possible that occasionally there could be a slip-up. Things can get a little messy if some member of your group were to fall sick.

Tibet is remote and even today most part of Western Tibet does not have metalled roads. Everything (believe me - this incl. gas cylinders) has to be carried from Nepal. This is not the normal vacation with a lot of flexibility and comfort that we are used to and expect. It is sparsely populated and we halt at very small one-street towns. One has to be prepared to use toilets which in normal circumstances we would have given a clear miss. At some stops the wild outdoors seems a better alternative.

Last but not the least, we have to very careful of adjusting to the high altitude. The average level is 15,000 ft above sea level and our bodies take time to adjust. The first few days are a test of our faith. Thankfully, if the do's and don'ts are followed carefully, our bodies adjust quickly. It is important not to be disheartened by the obvious dis-comfort of the first few days. It is normal as is our adjustment.

The entire yatra from - back to Kathmandu lasts sixteen days.

Let me publish this post and begin with details of our journey immediately in the next post without any delay.

Once in a Lifetime Journey

I returned home last night after what can be rightly termed as a "once in a life time" journey.

This was a journey that I had planned to undertake many years back but had not taken any step towards undertaking it.

Some time last year I spoke to a friend that I wish to complete this journey next year and for the first time I made my intention clear. My friend is an adventure freak and pat came his reply..."Sure...let us make it happen".


From then on it has been one long story of inexplicable twists, turns and co-incidences or miracles if you will. Unknown people came into the picture and all formalities got taken care of and we were busy packing to get on this "pilgrimage" long awaited.

The journey brought in its wake many challenges, many associated with high altitude acclimatising, poor quality of staying accomodation and poor toilet facilities, poor roads (Yes...Western Tibet still does not have proper metalled all weather roads, though this is changing fast), frequent stops by the Chinese Army to check (though there was no harassment).

At the end of it all there was a complete acceptance of all this and more. It did not seem a challenge anymore and there was a realisation that one could live with so much lesser than what we are used to, that life is so much simpler than what we make of it, that a "feverish"mind had no choice but to be calm, serene and content in this environment

Today, the whole adventure seems a dream, a vivid dream no less. As I re-orient myself to sea level from those rare heights, I hope to give shape to my next post on Kailash and Mansarovar. This is to sign off with good wishes to all from a divine spot.

A Dream....A Journey....A Break

Today, I embark on a journey that I have always dreamt of undertaking. This intention is turning into reality as I pack my bags and join a group of friends on our way to Kailash - Mansarovar.

Yes, friends.... I will be away for the next fifteen days exploring that "mysterious land" of Tibet enroute to Mt Kailash and the Mansarovar lake considered one of the holiest places by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists.

Eternal India - A Woman's Place in our Society

In India, "the female" is supposed to be worshipped as the "other half" necessary to make one complete. The "female element" is worshipped as "Shakti" and as "destroyer of evil".

All this in the realm of history and popular religious ritual. Let us now see the reality as potrayed, as experienced or probably as it exists.

We witness umpteen instances of women being abused in our country. These are events which have been reported. There are, probably, a million more cases which never get reported. Physical and sexual abuse is the most common and wide spread. Gender based discrimination, denial of education and dowry related abuse are also evils that have taken root deeply as part of our contemporary culture. Equally true, though vehemently denied, is the fact that many "educated" (read: westernised) women have strayed so far away from their roots that an alien culture is found more comforting.

We express disgust at such news reports but think nothing when we ourselves stoop to low levels and indulge in abuse on our own women. We profess great respect for "the female element" and worship "Devi Mata" and make countless trips to Vaishno Devi. Back home, no thought is spared before an angry hand whacks "the female element" and establishing an ephemeral male superiority.

I wondered what could cause this steady decline (if you could call that) in our personal standards and the situation that exists today.

• Is it our education system that makes us ashamed of our own roots?
• Are we exposed to a culture (movies, literature, arts, movies and others) that glorifies being licentious, at a very young age?
• Have we been influenced by our elders who probably behaved in an irresponsible fashion?
• Are we so stressed out that we just cannot behave in a civil manner with women and abuse is the only option?
  

As I was reading literature on Swami Vivekananda, I was curious to know his views on the state of women in India and how this should evolve...Read on and let us discover what this Divine Being had to say

"If you do not raise the women, who are the living embodiment of the Divine Mother, don't think that you have any other way to rise. That country and that nation which do not respect women have never become great, nor will ever be in the future."

On another occassion HE goes on to say..."Otherwise, how could the country come to such a fallen condition? How can there be any progress of the country without the spread of education, the dawning of knowledge?.......but know for certain that absolutely nothing can be done to improve the state of things, unless there is spread of education first among the women and the masses...."

Read further...."It is only in the homes of educated and pious mothers that great men are born and you have reduced your women to something like manufacturing machines; alas, for heaven's sake, is this the outcome of your education?"

"The uplift of women, the awakening of the masses must come first, and then only can any real good come about for the country, for India"


Amazing words and how true they ring today. We seem to have forgotten all these words of advice and caution. Our show of respect seems, in comparison, almost ritualistic and superficial. Have we lost our innate goodness or it is just covered by some garbage that needs to be removed. Is it possible for our society to move towards a more humane, more just and a balanced one?

I stand to be enlightened by your views.

I am a Voice without a Form

...so said Swami Vivekananda at the begining of his mission.

I want no name - I want to be a voice without form....Through the Lord's will, the desire for name and fame has not yet crept into my heart and I dare say never will. I am an instrument and HE is the operator. A brilliant life that lived to its fullest potential, Swamiji was and (I would say) still is a great inspiration to us Indians.

His was a life conveying complete surrender to the Divine and yet so rooted to the ground realities of India of those days. He represented limitless energy and tireless action with a serene mind devoid of any feverishness or sense of attachment.

His appeal crossed all boundaries but to us Indians he foresaw the rise of this giant more than a hundred and ten years back. He was a live wire and sought to awaken a mass which seemed to be in very deep slumber for over a millenia. He awakened Indian society to the new realities and inspired them to be strong and purposeful.

As I read more about this divine soul, I am awe struck by an amazing clarity of thought and an ability to pinpoint to where we as a society had gone astray. His advice to our society is so apt and relevant (even today).

We seem to have all the wisdom and knowledge within our culture and somewhere it is ingrained in our psyche. The question which keeps repeating in my mind is why inspite of all these treasures we seem to be constantly looking outside for inspiration and direction. Why is it that our society appears so fractured and where have we forgotten this noble way of living?

It is tempting to presume that our society has descended into a black-hole never to recover or are we just being too pessimistic?

I would like to share some examples of this "Eternal Wisdom" in the following posts and hope to reflect on our current state. I have liberally referred to various books and published material and would refer them in quotes with appropriate acknowledgements.

With this, I dedicate my fiftieth post to the blogging world.

Higher Education....A Royal Mess

In the previous two posts I recounted my nephew's experiences in trying to get through various hurdles so that he could pursue higher education in the engineering stream.

I have been interacting with many friends, parents of teens in similar age group, a few teachers and students who have just completed their engineering studies. The emerging picture is very confusing. I was aghast at the state of affairs and it will take more than a Kapil Sibal to even guage the extent of the problem before he can attempt to set it right.

Entire focus of the system is to eliminate and choose just a few with the requisite marks. The argument that is often made is the sheer number of students who aspire to be engineers. It is believed that neither can educational facilities be created to provide engineering education to say a million students nor are there adequate opportunities for so many engineers.


On reflection, many questions keep cropping up in my mind. I have no immediate answers but it is important that we collectively as a nation find the answers.

1. Expansion of top class education facilities to increase student intake by a multiple,
2. Facilitating the creation of professional faculty and sustained upgradation of the existing one,
3. Constantly updating syllabus and teaching methods,
4. Increasing industry - academia interaction (Probably happening in a few post-graduate streams),
5. Increasing focus on "frugal engineering" and "relevant low cost technologies"
6. Facilitate setting up of advanced engineering industries in India such that adequate opportunities are available for these students. A case in point is ISRO is facing an acute manpower crunch and we have not been able to create a steady supply line of engineers for this institution. Further, most IIT students seek opportunities outside India or take up consulting jobs.
   

It is not difficult to do this but we always seem to offer the same excuse that "resources are scarce. Just as we seem to find money for defence and other important areas, why can we not accord the same priority to education. After all this investment pays off by ensuring all round development in the country.

We have let matters remain unattended till the "dam has burst" and now resort to adhoc knee jerk reactions by setting up new IITs (which was prompted more as an answer to the reservation controversy) all of a sudden or trying to rush through the "Foreign Universities" bill facilitating their entry into India.

I believe this is a subject that needs serious and constant attention and resources. It is important that the chronic problems affecting higher education are identified and a clear roadmap set as to how these will be tackled. Only then will we have a vibrant education sector that will serve the requirements of the country.

Travails continued....

We left the previous post where the protagonist was undergoing training at a coaching class to appear for various entrance examinations. Objective: to gain admission to an engineering degree course at a "decent" college / institute. Normal ambition of a very normal Indian lad with stars in his eyes and with an above average intellect.

Mind you, all this is in addition to attending college + practicals for the State Board HSC examinations. Now you get an idea of "moving the mountain" phase in the life of a sixteen year old.

Let us see how the year progresses..

Coaching Class:

One thing I missed adding. Sixty students crammed on uncomfortable benches for six - seven hours at a stretch. Hey they are cattle but humans with simple goal in life. But commerce is supreme and an extra dozen students is obviously good for the bottom line.

Life is good. Anyway, there is no guarantee on results and it does not matter whether students pass or fail. Many of these institutes just pay obscene money and some students may be tempted to endorse them.


Examinations:

Mercifully exams are a one day affair but the filling up of examination forms, online / manual submission and getting the examination hall admit card is a trying affair. The whole process is meant to wear your patience thin.

You also have to be lucky to get an examination center near your place of residence or else a twenty - thirty kilometre trudge to the examination centre is guaranteed. The wretched may be allotted an examination centre at Pune / Nashik....and both are atleast 200 kms away.

The list of examinations is also impressively long....IIT-JEE, AIEEE, BITS, Maharashtra CET, Vellore, Coimbatore, Manipal, unaided colleges, and I do not know the rest...as the nephew did not bother about many of them.

Fortunately, there is enough time between two competitive entrance exams. BITS even gives you the flexibility of choosing a date of your choice and it is an online test. You actually leave the place knowing your marks and also, perhaps, whether your fate is sealed or whether there is still hope.


Results Stage:

Yipee....its results time and an end to a long year of hard work...or..is it just the begining of a new tense phase. The toppers and failures are the most peaceful, whilst the "in-betweens" are tossed around like veggies in a salad.

All results are online which means you save face if the results are poor. One can buy half a day by saying access to servers is very slow but not much beyond that.

This settles once for where you are in the rat race. Extended Merit Lists and scores beyond 10,000 means very little scope.


Admissions Stage:

Most likely a student would stand a good chance in multiple institutions and it would be unwise to close the doors on any opportunity just yet.

This means one has to keep track of all schedules running in parallel. This would put any Operation Research specialist to shame.

Online submissions, mock counselling, trial placements, merit lists, counselling lists, first list, second list and so on form part of an elaborate process. I understand this has been streamlined and tweaked over the last couple of years. It is not so much a problem now. Great use of technology...I must say.

Once your name appears in one or more lists, factors like stream allotted, institute and location become important. Ragging is another factor playing on minds and I was wily nily drawn into an animated discussion on this subject.

This phase is currently on and should play itself out in the next two weeks.

More on this as the days pass on. This whole drama that is being played out tends to get more complex every year. There are many questions that arise in my mind and I am disturbed that such an important area has been dealt with in a very lackadaisical way.

Travails of an Aspiring Engineer

This holds true of any student aspiring to a decent higher education in any field. Engineering is the subject matter of this post because I have a ring side view of the struggle my nephew and all those around him undergo to get admission to an engineering course in a decent college this season.

We, in India, accord a very high priority to education and millions view it as a passport to a better life. We have grown up in trying circumstances and frugality has been a way of life and this is a chance to break some ceilings. We have nearly a million plus students wanting to opt for specialised education

Now let us pan back to the life of a student who has opted for a science stream education with an intent to become an engineer.

After completing the FYJC (First Year Junior College - 11th standard to us old foggies) exams, life is lived in defined phases and I will attempt to recount this momentous journey.

Pre-Coaching Class Stage:

Ahh...comparing notes to see which class would be best. The early planners were relocating to Kota (Rajasthan) which seems to have acquired an awesome reputation to get you straight into IIT or so is all-round popular belief.

The others - nephew included - were left with the home choice. Discussions with some distant relative of a neighbour's office colleague's friend were carried out in right earnest. Cousins, family doctor, college professor and "The Uncle" added their two bits of sagely advice.

The net result was complete confusion and a sense of helplessness. "Which coaching class should I join?" was a loud cry of anguish. Everbody seemed so logical and convincing. Every coaching class seems to have mentored the top 50 students who cracked the IIT entrance exams only to be followed by the student refuting these claims.

Oh God!!!...is there anyone out there who can be trusted and whose advice I should follow....was a prayer on my nephew's lips and probably also on thousands of young aspirants'.


Coaching Class - Studying Phase:

Having successfully navigated the turbulence and survived the avalanche of information and advice in the pre-admission stage, it is time to begin a year long tryst with long hours of coaching and tomes of data-information-knowledge.

It is surprising that no one bothers about the quality of education dished out by these coaching classes. They have de-facto become the new "Temples of Knowledge" which have the secret keys to the open some tough locks of the various entrance exams.

The nephew wades through all this with a grim face and needs to be reminded to smile once in a while. You have online tests, simulated tests, special coaching sessions, intensive camps, refreshers, subscribing to independent test series, counselling, interactive sessions with senior faculty on "Tips and Tricks", sample papers and what not. There are a hundred websites which claim to give that additional edge to the diligent aspirant.

Phew...!!! My head is reeling and I guess it shows as the previous para seems completely jumbled and definitely not in an logical order.

We also have to contend with memory enhancing pills, stress relievers and meditation techniques tweaked to suit the tired and over burdened teenager.

I now understand that with all this around we forget to smile once in a while. After all, this struggle is to lay foundation for a brilliant future. I guess "Momentary Pain for Lifelong Success" philosophy comes to the rescue and we rationalise our paranoia during that period.


I am already exhausted (now I know why I was not cut out to be an Engineer in the first place) and hope to gather my wits and resume on another rainy day with bhajias and hot tea.

Swinging between Extremes

It has been an amazing month that has passed us and what strikes me is our tendency to embrace the extreme at every possible opportunity on every possible matter.

Let me list a few of these extremes:

Election results:

The results were a surprise to every one including those in the Congress Party. Anybody who claims that he had foreseen this would be lying.

- We went around town screaming about the decisive mandate. Decisive Mandate???? The government is in a precarious situation and depending on the support of a couple of allies.

- We shouted from the roof tops about the maturity of the Indian voter. Maturity???? The votes were divided as never before.

- An impressive showing in UP was touted as the master strategy of Rahul Gandhi and how he had arrived on the scene.

- The orchestrated chorus in which every one joined to plead with the PM to include RG in the cabinet
- That this was the demise of regional parties


Stock Market:

Post the election results, the stock market decided to join this celebration and achieved what no other stock exchange has achieved in the world. We saw exuberance in its wildest form as the indices hit, what is known in stock market parlance, the upper circuit and we saw a 30 - 40% jump in prices of almost every share. Some exceeded even this.

Nobody has been able to fathom what had changed between April and May. Economic indicators seem as buoyant or lacklustre as earlier. The clouds have vanished and investors feeling left out of this rally are furiously buying as if there is no tomorrow.

Our instant switch from irrational pessimism to exuberance has no explanations, but such extreme swings seem very normal.


Reservation Bill for Women:

This is classic. One section behaved as if this was manna from heaven and would have us believe that womenfolk was on the verge of deliverance. All the oppression, prejudice and age-old rigidities seemed to have vanished like clouds on a windy day. That this enabling platform would deliver us women confident of taking the bull by horns overnight.

The other extreme were the menfolk who felt threatened by this expected onslaught and were compelled to resort to theatrics.

Tokenism...zindabad!!! Tapping potential gene pool ...zindabad!!!


Sports:

Let us look at cricket. Mahendra Singh Dhoni was the perfect cool headed captain who could do no wrong. He was the best in the world and the T-20 world cup was as good as bagged.

What a fall from grace in just two weeks....I understand his effigy was burnt today and the media lampooned him for his "mistakes".


It is plain that none of the positions we took or none of our reactions were based in reality nor were they representing a sense of proportion.

Are we a nation of "extremists". I am amazed at our continued tendency to take extreme positions. We seem to have forgotten that there exists a middle path. Irrationality takes over and we react emotionally to all matters of social and national importance. There is then no hope for a proper debate.

Is it a trick to throw the real issues off-balance? or are we just hard wired in this fashion?

Either way, I note this characteristic with a sense of amusement and just wave it away. Should I also adopt the maxim - "If you can't convince them, confuse them" and add to the chaos. A tempting thought......I must say.