RED FORT (LAL QILA) NOW WORLD HERITAGE

CONGRATULATIONS
Last week was once more at Lal Qila and of course will not show the usual pictures. Being collector of bronze bells, I also find some interesting subjects at the souk of red fort. And I was really positivly surprised about the attidude of the shop owners. I got decent information and never felt forced to buy anything. I really can recommend these shops .... and the prices where the same as in Dehradun, not really the touristic centre of India. For the sure the sellers first have to attract attention by shouting and asking, but the service I got was excellent .... sure came out with 2 more bells

In the following not the usual pictures of Lal Qila and all its fameous buildings but just some details normally not shown in touristic flyers.

PALI & WESTERN GHAT

Pali is an amazing city directly at the feet of on of the rocky hills a t Western Ghat and in the middle between Pune and Mumbai. Live seems easy at these places and they have a fameous Ghanesh temple. Since I praid there , at least the negative figures on my account did not got more negative. Maybe a couple of more visit could bring more relaxation.






But of course as soon as you leave the usual paths , there is the confrontation with the grabage , everywhere ... it is not really understandable how civilized people are actively doing ans willing to have there enviroment like that.



The landscape around the highway Pune - Mubai shows nice valleys and an artificial big lake

INDIA & TOURISMUS A CONTRADICTION ?

Recently in Indian Times the question was asked why India has 0nly 3,4 Mio tourist visits per year, but no real investigation followed.

Well I think 3,4 Mio is already a lot. But taken the exotic ideas in the mind of tourist and the huge number of must see attractions and natural parks it looks like a figure ready for improvement. To attract more visitors things has to change and get more attractive. In the following a list of items making India difficult to digest and less attractive if compared to other countries
· Already at the arrival hall there is a displeasing smell of a mixture of Cresol (for desinfication, dust and human sweat.
· Once outside the air terminal tourist will be asked by numerous people where there are going to, where there are coming from….. with the simple goal to get them in an taxi and charge more than the local range … or worse.
· Tourist are used to stay in line waiting for a taxi, in India you have no change …. People will go to get the first taxi still not lined up and pass you without even taking notice. This makes me personally always very aggressive.
· As soon as you enter a taxi, after the taxi check the brother (friend, father) of the taxi driver will enter. The only goal of this action is to press more money out of you by intimidation (I normally step out of the taxi if the second enter, later it will be difficult to do so).
· The taxis are mostly in a deplorable status, not meeting any security or hygienic standards, the same can be said for the drivers.
· As soon as the taxi stops at traffice lights, some beggars in lumps with faces as if they have to suffer all misery of this world will appear at the car window. Here most female tourist will not be able to resist.
· At least now the tourist will already be confrontated with the broad smell of human excrements and evaporating and decomposing urine
· As soon as arrived in the hotel, tourist will be confrontated with 2 forms, asking a lot of data. In most hotels the reception will insist that the forms will be completely filled out including the for western adult antic question as name of the father.
· As long as the hotel price is over 75 euro the tourist may expect a clean room. Below this value cockroaches may be present and toilet paper not available. Here also the tourist will be confrontated with the style of Indian wall painters, with droppings of paint on the floor and the attitude to paint also parts of the windows, by lack of any tape to get straight borders. Also the use of silicone around the bathtub you have to get used to.
· The next morning, staying in a real Indian hotel (s)he will be confrontated with real Indian breakfast, but by change there might be a toast (without toaster) and some marmalade. If (s)he does not take care they will come super sweet tea with milk and the coffee is always (even in the expensive hotels) prepared over the big filtering and evaporation machines of Nestle’ plants or comparable.
· The first walk outside the hotel will be training how to avoid walking on sidewalks. Because the sidewalks are already taken by trees, cattle, small shops (water/lemon sales, shoe cleaner, bicycle repair) desperate beggars or people asleep (frighten for newcomers because they look like death). Beside that Indians do not mind to park cars and motorbikes per preference on the sidewalks if the curbstones are not too high for them
· Now (s)he will also be confrontated not only with the smell of excrements and urine of all kind of animals but also with the smell of uncovered waste water channels and the sad attitude to put the garbage unprotected in the middle of the village open for the cattle, dog and the ravens. And of course during the night for rats and other night active animals.
· Now also you have to experience that a pedestrian in India as no rights. Nobody will even slow down if you cross the street. Zebra crossings have no meaning, traffic light may be seen as indicators, inviting to stop eventually
· Never come to the idea to rent a car, first the formalities will take one day at least and second driving without any rules is not as easy as you may have thought. The worst revelation will happen at traffic lights or railroad crossings. You maybe first, but soon you will have a car or motorbike on your left and right, this will continue until the first row is completely filled up leaving no space for any maneuvering. The same will happen to the second row etc. This would be still acceptable, but this behavior is not restricted to your lane also the lane for the oncoming traffic will be taken. That means if the light switches to green or the barrier opens at first nothing can happen, because on the opposite side the same procedure happened. You have to have nerves of steel cables to survive that.
· Bicycle or motorbike renting is not available, this is good so, because also as bicycle driver you have no rights and constantly you have to look for cattle, other bicycle drivers and motorbikes on the opposite side of the road (these are not disoriented western tourist) and you are constantly in danger, because of the deplorable status of the roads with potholes and open waste water manhole channels.
· Male tourist have to get used, to see only a part of the belly of the opposite sex and nothing else. Sad for them, who thought that all Indian girls are dressed like in Bollywood films and wiggling with the belly all the time. To look for a sexual adventure India is for sure not the right country …. And stay away of so-called street workers conform to the latest evaluation 1/ 3 is HIV infected.
· But maybe you would like to visit a bar in the evening, please stay in the hotel bar or ask an Indian friend, they are hardly pubs or bars available and when they are difficult to find (beside the hotel bars)
· Now finally you want to visit some of the famous touristic attractions as Taj Mahal Red Fort or Jaipur or Amber City or so. Please be prepared to count at least the double of the traveling time you may have dreamed of in one of your nightmares. Be prepared, before you enter in to this magnificent places you will first be confrontated with the raw sites of the city (smell for shit, beggars etc see above) and than you will have to pay 10 to 200 times more than an Indian tourist at the entrance (when will we finally ask 200 euro for The Louvre for all Indian citizen)
· Take care with guides, some of them are perfect and of big help, some of them are just jerks. Always agree the price in advance otherwise long disagreeable discussions will result afterwards.
· Indians are very proud about their food, for me really not understandable: for meat only chicken and so-called mutton (is goat) is available. Now you can combine this meat with turmeric, bay leave, coriander, or other spices and make it very spicy hot with green peppers, what comes out has always more or less the same taste … hot. At least for me good cooking is accentuating the natural flavor of food by adding spices, this is not Indian cooking. In Indian the natural flavor has to be killed. Especially for vegetables this is really a pity, in all the time I am in India I never could have the real taste of cauliflower or okra (ladyfinger) or beans and peas… this is one of my saddest experiences. Even in ratatouille, being a mixture of vegtables we still can distinguish between the different taste of the vegetables in India , this is due to excessive cooking not possible. Everything must be small and creamy , with lot od greavy , so you will be able to take it with a small piece of chipatti , naan or paratha and bring with the fingers to the mouth.
· Tourist doesn’t want to eat with fingers, they even think it is disgusting and it is indeed. Especially in the south if people start mixing the rice with gravy as mixing mortar, it is simply desgusting.
· Tourist hardly will find a bathroom during traveling (beside the expensive hotels) meeting by far the Western hygienic standards. So they will have to wait in the morning before the can start the touristic journey.And please always have your toilet paper wiith you.
· Train traveling as is own peculiarities, first there are hardly indications, the porters are very aggressive to get your small luggage, the comfort in the train is deplorable, the taste of food disappears as soon as you have passed trough the kitchen. Indian likes to have the air- conditioning at full performance. Western are used to 23 C, so at 19 being in summer cloths they start shivering.

I am still not finished with all recommendations, but I think for a while it is sufficient. And I am sure if all these items could be improved a lot more tourist would come to India and admire the great culture, very open- minded people and give positive impressions to their friends. And everything will get better now that the regional governement decided that also bus depots will be upgraded to tourist hotels !!!

INDIAN ROMANCE VII, it continues

A 26-year-old girl allegedly committed suicide by jumping to death from the eighth floor of an office building in south Delhi on Friday, police said.

The yet-to-be-identified victim fell to death at around 3.55 pm from the office of Emmanuel Hospital Association, a non-government organisation (NGO), at Dipali Towers in Nehru Place.

She was rushed to the nearby All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), where doctors declared her brought dead. Police have recovered a suicide note from her.

According to the police, her suicide note read: "I am committing suicide with my own wish and no one should be held responsible".

"We are still ascertaining her identity and further investigations are on," a police official said.

Earlier this month, a 26-year-old woman committed suicide by jumping from the eighth floor of a business centre in Janakpuri in west Delhi.

India is very proud to have one of the lowest suicide rates of the world and does'nt mind that suicide under young women me be the highest too

UNEXPTED RAINS

Well it looks like monsum will strike Delhi on 29 June, all pre- monsum rains ought to be eleminated , because the Delhi working troops cleaned already 96 from over 4400 waste water collection pipes so still a couple more to do. It is really amazing how unpredicted these rainfalls always attack India. And it is really unfair.

But maybe once more Delhi will be under water as was before Mumbai .... but at least in Mumbai it was a clear case , only the producers of the very thin plasic bags were responsible. In Delhi and in Gurgaon , it is only due to the nasty behaviour of water, remaining on streets, for no reason. And carving holes in the so well protected asphalt/mud mixtures of bitumen.

AND THAN THE MONSOOM CAME
AND IT COULDN'T HAVE COME WORSE TIME
BANG IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RAINY SEASON
(Spike Milligan)

MURUD BEACH III- CORRECTUM

And for all proud Portuguese, the Portuguese castle in the front of Janjira beach. Was a pitty I could not enter, the sea was too rough I was told.

I made a big mistake , this castle was never a Portuguese castle. I apologize for that

See the history:
Murud is famous for the fort of Janjira. The fort is build in the sea 2 Kms. inside of Murud. This is one of the vital sea-forts in Maharashtra. The fort is old one but still very strong. Though, today it is not in a proper condition, one can still imagine its hugeness and toughness. Some monuments inside and the walls of the fort are destroyed after so many years now. But the toughness of the fort can be still felt. There are in all 19 Buruj in the fort. Every buruj has huge guns on it especially 3 big guns 'Kalal Bangadi' , 'Chavari' and 'Landa Kasam' are very famous. There are 2 water tanks inside the fort and some tombs as well. The fort was built by Burhankhan - a minister of Nizmashah. Many times , Marathas tried to capture the fort, even Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji and Peshwas tried - but all those attempts failed. So this is one of the rare forts in Maharashtra which was not managed by Marathas .Padmadurg - a fort built by Shivaji Maharaj is to north -west of Janjira. Though not as big as Janjira, still Padmadurga is also a sea fort that can be visited and enjoyed. Truly, Murud Janjira and Padmadurg are the places to visit and enjoy the weekends or holidays.

Formerly the capital town of the Siddis of Janjira, Murud is today popular for its alluring beach, whispering casurina, coconut and betel palms and an ancient fort. On a hillock to the north is the shrine of Lord Dattatreya, the three heads representing Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara.
Battered on all four sides by sea waves, its strong walls yet standing intact and 40 feet high even at full tide is the majestic island fortress of the Siddis -- Murud-Janjira. Never conquered by an enemy for over 350 years since its construction by the Ahmednagar rulers under the supervision of their regent Malik Ambar in the 15th century, Murud-Janjira is probably the only impregnable fort on the 720 km Maharashtra coastline.
Neither the Portuguese nor the British could subjugate the fort. And the Marathas, despite their repeated attempts failed to subjugate the Siddi power.








href="http://www.murudjanjira.com/">

MURUD BEACH TALES II

Although the Murud Janjira beach is very attractive and can show up with some beautifull corners and romantic twilights it will still take a while before it realy could please western tourist. It is not only the amazing behaviour of the habitants to shit (without covering themselves) at the border of the water , they also have the bad attidude to put the complete garbiage of the village to the water line. As soon as high tide shows up, the complete garbiage is distributed into the bay. And what is even more amazing is that only meters away men are fishing with fine net and recovering the dispersed garbiage in their net. The small fish caught had to be selected out of the garbiage. Bon apetit.







Better enjoy the romantic pictures

INDIAN ASBESTOS SPECIAL ASBESTOS ?

National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) is conducting a study at a cost of some 100,000 euro to look at the potential hazards of white asbestos (Chrystolite). This is now very ridiculous since the asbestos discussion was already started some 30 years ago in the US and Europe with the final result that asbestos is defined and worldwide recognized as a cancerogenic and even a single cristal e.g. in the lungs can provoke a cancer. The result was also that for enormeous cost buildings had to come down or had to be sanatized for millions of dollars because there roofs or insulating materials contained asbestos. All covers of brakes of cars had to be changed and assurance agencies are paying billions of dollars to people formerly exposed to asbestos.
But now India , having no money to keep there existing streets in order , provide electricity and water on a regular base to his population has to repeat this research. And this in a country where even for the weather forecast they rely more on the stipulations of western forecast than on the Indian, admitting that the sensors, equipment and software tools they are using are less adequate.
What is even more astonishing is that the Asbestos Cement Products Manufacturers Association will contribute with some 32,000 euro to this investigation. That is as the tobacco industry would contribute to the investigation of the danger of smoking.
WHY not using the money to recapitulate the evaluation of the risk of the use of DDT to fight malaria and dengue instead of repeating measurements already performed years ago with less efficient measurment tools.

MURUD BEACH TALES I

Arriving at Murud, the weather was turning nasty. I mean just nasty for me , the Indians enjoy rain, and this is very understandable , it is live and also the cooling down of the all area. Me ... well I had already enough rain as W- European and even if the rain comes at regular shower temperatures it is still wet. But having this pre- monsum weather nature changed and all the picture in nthe following just reflect this mood , India turning in to Turner- like paintings


The hotel Swan resort was real nice and comfortable even from a Western view and being an excotic , managment took care about my comfort and could even get 3 beers in the evening altough the hotel as no permit.
But they do not serve any fresh sea food. The prawns tikka , no idea, but burned

One of the strangest expierneces I was on my walk over the bridge and than coming to the center of the real small village of Janjira, still following a small path close to the sea a man wild stipulating told me i was not entitled to take that path ....shouting , sister , mothers!!! I thought at first is a moslem and there are some women without brothers, or I am too close to the rocks were the big crabs or lobster can be catched , was puzzling me all the time. But of course took a another path at more distance to the rocky beach

Later I most probably I find out why .... I saw at the sandy beach man just sitting down at the border line shitting , with the legs all open showing the keys to the promised land (someone will understand that) and doing what they had to do , but I did not take pictures of these private moments, so obviously the more rocky part of the beach was preserved for woman .... or were there still idden lobsters ?
Of course I had to see the portuguese castle ... and I saw , but I could not enter, the sea was to wild to get a small boat to get into it ... as to be next time.

INDOCRINATION, SMOOTH ADAPTATION OR BRAINWASH

Obviously the original family education is not sufficient anymore to make Hindi wifes behave like Hindi wives : A special school in Madhya Pradesh actually trains women to become ideal, obedient and submissive wives and daughters-in-law. Though it has many takers, it has drawn the ire of social activists and women's organisations.
Founded already in 1987, the Manju Sanskar Kendra in Bhopal teaches young women the art of being good wives by serving their husbands and in-laws, and thereby preventing splits in the family.
"The primary aim of the Kendra is to prevent Indian families from breaking up under the pressures it faces nowadays," says Bhau Ayaldas Hemnani, the founder and director of the rather unique school.
It offers a three-month course that stresses on the importance of "Indian culture" and the woman adjusting to her new family after marriage. While students spend the first month learning Sikh and Hindu scriptures, the second month has lessons in naturopathy and the third is entirely dedicated to domestic life.
"We teach women how to serve their husbands and win laurels and how to behave with in-laws. We also tell them to be tolerant while adjusting to their new home," Hemnani told IANS.

Chandna Arora of the All India Women's Council, says: "Thousands of women are doused with kerosene and set on fire by their greedy husbands and their families. Most of these dowry-related deaths are passed off as kitchen accidents. How will they resist dowry or other domestic abuse?"

Contrary to one's expectations, the centre is very popular with over 4,500 having graduated from it so far.

Says Sudha, another student: "The school not only teaches us to be polite and obedient towards our in-laws and the husband but also teaches us cooking, sewing and daily prayers without any fees.

"It tells us that these are the basic essentials an Indian girl must learn before marriage, regardless of whether she is a working woman or chooses to be a housewife."

Hemnani believes the education imparted by his school will go a long way in preserving the Indian joint family system - now being fast replaced by nuclear families, especially in metros.
"The joint family will remain intact if you imbibe Indian 'sanskars' (values) from our great religious books," he stresses.
The students not only listen to lectures instilled with religious and marital wisdom but are also taught devotional songs and practice household chores.
Shelly, however, maintains that girls should instead be taught to resist greed and violence on the part of in-laws. "Official figures show that the number of women killed by their in-laws over dowry is rising by the day, despite it being illegal," she points out.
An ideal Indian wife, according to Hemani, should have four virtues - obedience, a healthy lifestyle, be loved by her husband and attached to the household.
"A new bride is generally expected to win the hearts of all by her work and submission and we prepare her for that," asserts the director.
And it sure seems to have brainwashed many young minds. Said Bandana Raizada: "I'm confident that after this course, I shall not commit any mistake in my in-laws' house."

No comment, I just like to remind that India has one of the lowest divorce rates worldwide, therefore also has the highest suicide rate for women worldwide. But we should not forget that only one generation ago, some catholic educational institutes had the same goal as mentioned above.

The text out of Hindian Times