Shimla..at its best...

Welcome to shimla...

This is the place i live in and completely adore!! So i want to share this short snapshot of my motherland. I hope you would enjoy it!!

(This is specially for you..Sameera Didi)

This sunrise..begins your journey to the Queen of Hills

Best way to reach here..toy train..

The Mall.. Main Attraction

Scandal Point..

St. Christ Church.. My Favorite Place..State Library by the side..

Another Beautiful view..

Lower bazaar.. bustling after 5 pm

Lower Bazaar again.. but less crowded..

Indian Institue of Advanced Studies.. Quite Interesting..

Another View..

Taradevi hills

Jakhu temple.. dedicated to Lord Hanuman..(with pratyaksh hanumanji..)

This is why britishers loved shimla..

Snow clad Shimla..

Snowy trees..

Steepy hills with trees..very rare

Concrete jungle.. :-(

Night View.. Bye...

(Photo credits: Google)

A message from Mr. Kalam

We all are proud Indians. But are we actually proud of ourselves? I came across this piece of writing by our honorable 14th president- Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Azad. I really loved reading it and would like to share it even with you. And after you finish reading this refer to the question I have asked before. (Comments Solicited!!)


I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture, when a 14 year old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is.

She replied: I want to live in a developed India .

For her, you and I will have to build this developed India . You must proclaim. India is not an under-developed nation; it is a highly developed nation.

Do you have 10 minutes? Allow me to come back with a vengeance.

Got 10 minutes for your country? If yes, then read; otherwise, choice is yours.

YOU say that our government is inefficient.

YOU say that our laws are too old.

YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage.

YOU say that the phones don't work, the railways are a joke,

The airline is the worst in the world, mails never reach their destination.

You say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits.

YOU say, say and say.

What do YOU do about it?
Take a person on his way to Singapore.

Give him a name?

YOURS.

Give him a face?

YOURS.

YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your International best.

In Singapore you don't throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores

YOU are as proud of their Underground Links as they are.

You pay $5 (approx. Rs.60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of Mahim Causeway or Pedder Road) between 5 PM and 8 PM.YOU comeback to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have over-stayed, identity.

In Singapore you don't say anything, DO YOU?

YOU wouldn't dare to eat in public during Ramadan, in Dubai.

YOU would not dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah

YOU would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London at 10 pounds (Rs.650) a month to, "see to it that my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else."

YOU would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) in Washington andthen tell the traffic cop, "Jaanta hai main kaun hoon (Do you know who I am?). I am so and so's son. Take your two bucks and get lost."

YOU wouldn't chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia and New Zealand.

Why don't YOU spit Paan on the streets of Tokyo?

Why don't YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates inBoston ?????
We are still talking of the same YOU.

YOU who can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries but cannot in your own.

You who will thro w papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Indian ground.

If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here in India?

Once in an interview, the famous Ex-municipal Commissioner of Bombay ,Mr.Tinaikar, had a point to make."Rich people"s dogs are walked on the streets to leave their affluent droppings all over the place," he said. "And then the same people turn around to criticize and blame the authorities for inefficiency anddirty pavements. What do they expect the officers to do? Go down with a broom every time their dog feels the pressure in his bowels?

In America every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done thejob.Same in Japan . Will the Indian citizen do that here?" He's right.

We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility.

We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally negative.

We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stop to pick a up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin.

We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms.

We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries but we are not going to stop pilfering at the least opportunity.

This applies even to the staff who is known not to pass on the service to the public.When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women, dowry, girl child and others, we make loud drawing room protestations andcontinue to do the reverse at home.

Our excuse?

"It's the whole system which has to change, how will it matter if I alone forego my son's rights to a dowry."

So who's going to change the system?

What does a system consist of??

Very conveniently for us it consists of our neighbours, other households, other cities, other communities and the government.

But definitely not me and YOU.

When it comes to us actually making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and wait for a Mr. Clean to come along & work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand or we leave the country and run away.

Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to America to bask intheir glory and praise their system.

When New York becomes insecure we run to England .

When England experiences unemployment, we take the next flight out to the Gulf.

When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and brought homeby the Indian government.

Everybody is out to abuse and rape the country

Nobody thinks of feeding the system.

Our conscience is mortgaged to money.

Dear Indians, the article is highly thought inductive, calls for agreat deal of introspection and pricks one's conscience too?..

I am echoing J.F. Kennedy's words to his fellow American to relate to Indians?.

"ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR INDIA AND DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO MAKEINDIA WHATAMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE TODAY "

Lets do what India needs from us.

Share this message to each Indian for a change instead of sending Jokes or junk mails.

Thank You,

Dr. Abdul Kalaam

(Photo credits: Google)

BEWARE: NEW WAY OF CAR JACKING!!

Heads up everyone! Read this carefully..and if you are a woman then it’s a ‘MUST READ’ for you..
You walk across the parking lot, unlock your car and get inside.You start the engine and shift into Reverse.When you look into the rearview mirror to back out of yourparking space, you notice a piece of paper stuck to the middle ofthe rear window.So, you shift into Park, unlock your doors, and jump out of your car toremove that paper (or whatever it is) that is obstructing yourview.When you reach the back of your car, that is when the car jackersappear out of nowhere, jump into your car and take off.They practically mow you down as they speed off in your car.And guess what, ladies? I bet your purse is still in the car.So now the carjacker has your car, your home address, your money,and your keys. Your home and your whole identity are nowcompromised!

BEWARE OF THIS NEW SCHEME THAT IS NOW BEING USED....

If you see a piece of paper stuck to your back window, justdrive away.Remove the paper later. And be thankful that you read this..
I hope you will forward this to friends and family, especiallyto women.A purse contains all kinds of personal information andidentification documents, and you certainly do NOT want this to fall into the wrong hands.

Please keep this going.

Thank you.

(Photo credits: Google)

HELP… IF U CARE..

It is said that for children, childhood is timeless. Everything is in present because they don’t feel it.. But before you make any opinion about this statement read this:

Millions of children work to help their families in ways that are neither harmful nor exploitative. But millions more are put to work in ways that drain childhood of all joy - and crush the right to normal physical and educational development. Estimates are that in more than 30 countries covering 35 percent of the developing world populations, 19 percent of 5- to 14-year-olds are working.

So, now what do you think? ‘Are these children actually living their childhood the way they are supposed to’?? Answer is surely NO. Being easy and cheap source of labor these children are main attraction for factories, hotels etc. The conditions which are being provided to them are mostly contemptible, unhygienic and prone to diseases. The plight of such children can be realized from this fact only that while their counterparts play and learn at schools they toil at their workplaces.

But when you see the dwellings of such children then you can’t even stop them from working because it’s due to them that their families are actually able to have at least one meal of the day. So, the main question arises is that what should be done so that these children’s childhood is not faded and at the same time their families are able to sustain themselves.

Recently a study was conducted by one of the leading newspapers that- Is the mid-day meal scheme launched by the Govt. of India motivating children to be educated?? The results which came up were quite variable. Though in some regions it was the driving force because parents thought it as a source of at least one meal for their children but in some regions it was not. The food that was supplied made children ill, which just added to the expenses of the family. So the point that I want to bring in light is that though schemes are being launched with a good intent but the ones’ involved in their execution should have the same positive purpose as well.

Furthermore, laws against child labor are of no use because we also need to see the circumstances due to which these children are working. There may be cases when such children are forced to work but we also can’t discount the rationale of others who are working just to sustain their families. But we can certainly define the parameters for their working conditions and ensure their strict enforcements.
Moreover, if we truly want to help these children then it is indubitably by empowering them with education. Evening schools should be started for such children so that they can work during the day and study by the evening. Even for the parents because only then they could understand the value of education. And if possible, people like us, who are educated - should move on with the motto of ‘each one teach one’ As Winston Churchill once said, the empires of the future are the empires of mind. And we inevitably need a strong nation.

But we all also know that no nation could ever develop if all people don’t grow equally and ultimately its we who could bring this equality in our own special way as no effort is big or small bas ek jazba hona chahiye. On that note I would just like to say that do think about it if you actually care!

(Figures from UNICEF)

(Photo credits: Google)

Prologue

Hi! I am Tirtha. I am a tourism graduate and presently an MBA student. My philosophy in life is that you should give your 100% to everything you do and success will follow. Guitar is my passion. I love photography, making candles n scrapbooks, reading books and listening to music. Apart from these, web designing is something I truly enjoy.This blog is all about me. All about the things that I love and I care for. And if you like it do leave a comment .I would really appreciate that!! To know more about me, you can even checkout my website. So, keep blogging. Keep Smiling. Chao! 

(Photo credits: Google)