FB:Bangalore Roads

Gaurav Shankhdhar i wish i have a magic stick to improve traffic administration in Bangalore during peak hours

Wed at 12:57 · Comment · Like

Harshita Kamal Mehta likes this.

Harshita Kamal MehtaWill you lend it to me.. once you get it…

Wed at 13:12 · Delete

Vanitha Rangarajanwhen u get the wand, make sure you wave it around Diary circle and BTM 1st stage !!!!!!!

Wed at 13:29 · Delete

Sundar SelvarajDo u think it will work …..?

Wed at 13:38 · Delete

Vipul KariaI would commute with you in that case

Wed at 13:59 · Delete

Priyank JainI think all the corporate employees in Bangalore should get together and use the RTI act to ask the govt. where the massive funds they collect as taxes from all MNCs go.. I don’t believe that govt. don’t have enough money to plan the infrastructure of Bangalore.

Wed at 16:16 · Delete

Abhinav Agrawalits all u cyber coolies to be blamed

Wed at 22:43 · Delete

Kanupriya GoelU are also one of the cyber coolie@abhinav

Yesterday at 00:04 · Delete

Abhinav Agrawal… not d one from “ur” country. here at my place we dont make 4 out of 2 lanes to traffic jam.

Yesterday at 00:08 · Delete

Anurag Vishnoic’mon …lead from the front dude …don’t keep wishing …build a new one

Yesterday at 02:44 · Delete

Gaurav Shankhdhar@Harshita, sure ma’am

@Vanitha, that will be my first priority

@Sundar, Its magic so i hope it should work

@Vipul, we will have bike pool

@Priyank, yeh, nice idea, ithink Petrol & Road Taxes r highest in Bangalore among all metros… Read more

Yesterday at 07:55 · Delete

Abhinav Agrawalm just not of you… n i was never one of you.

n regarding the more space less people… its because we are educated enough to know its benefits…

now u’ll listen to kanu… u r so dead dude

Yesterday at 11:00 · Delete

Gaurav Shankhdharno surprise! typical desi thing to do! Once u r in Cali, forget the Kalibari

Yesterday at 11:25 · Delete

Abhinav Agrawal..always learn from the best.

Yesterday at 18:50 · Delete

Kanupriya Goel@gaurav sir..let abhi nav say anything he wants..he is n indian..kitna bhi firang ban jayeee,,his chidren will always sing jan gan man,will call dadi dadu to his parents..he can never get away 4m all that…pagal hai vo..lolzzzzzz

9 hours ago · Delete

Gaurav Shankhdhar i wish i have a magic stick to improve traffic administration in Bangalore during peak hours

Wed at 12:57 · Comment · Like

Harshita Kamal Mehta likes this.

Harshita Kamal MehtaWill you lend it to me.. once you get it…

Wed at 13:12 · Delete

Vanitha Rangarajanwhen u get the wand, make sure you wave it around Diary circle and BTM 1st stage !!!!!!!

Wed at 13:29 · Delete

Sundar SelvarajDo u think it will work …..?

Wed at 13:38 · Delete

Vipul KariaI would commute with you in that case

Wed at 13:59 · Delete

Priyank Jain I think all the corporate employees in Bangalore should get together and use the RTI act to ask the govt. where the massive funds they collect as taxes from all MNCs go.. I don’t believe that govt. don’t have enough money to plan the infrastructure of Bangalore.

Wed at 16:16 · Delete

Abhinav Agrawalits all u cyber coolies to be blamed

Wed at 22:43 · Delete

Kanupriya GoelU are also one of the cyber coolie@abhinav

Yesterday at 00:04 · Delete

Abhinav Agrawal… not d one from “ur” country. here at my place we dont make 4 out of 2 lanes to traffic jam.

Yesterday at 00:08 · Delete

Anurag Vishnoic’mon …lead from the front dude …don’t keep wishing …build a new one

Yesterday at 02:44 · Delete

Gaurav Shankhdhar@Harshita, sure ma’am

@Vanitha, that will be my first priority

@Sundar, Its magic so i hope it should work

@Vipul, we will have bike pool

@Priyank, yeh, nice idea, ithink Petrol & Road Taxes r highest in Bangalore among all metros… Read more

Yesterday at 07:55 · Delete

Abhinav Agrawalm just not of you… n i was never one of you.

n regarding the more space less people… its because we are educated enough to know its benefits…

now u’ll listen to kanu… u r so dead dude

Yesterday at 11:00 · Delete

Gaurav Shankhdharno surprise! typical desi thing to do! Once u r in Cali, forget the Kalibari

Yesterday at 11:25 · Delete

Abhinav Agrawal..always learn from the best.

Yesterday at 18:50 · Delete

Kanupriya Goel@gaurav sir..let abhi nav say anything he wants..he is n indian..kitna bhi firang ban jayeee,,his chidren will always sing jan gan man,will call dadi dadu to his parents..he can never get away 4m all that…pagal hai vo..lolzzzzzz

9 hours ago · Delete

In Loving Memory of Amma & Baba

this post again originate from my laptop cleaning or better say disk space recovery. I have a mere 80 GB HDD

I came across a very short video of my Baba (Grand Pa) which was recorded by Bhola Bhaiya during his memorable Bangalore visit. And it brings a lot of sweet memories of my Amaa & Baba and my childhood

Both of them left me in last two years but their loving voices still echo in my ears, their caring faces comes in my eyes every now & then. Whoever i am today is because of blessings & selfless love of Amma (Grand Ma) and guidance & discipline of Baba.

My Dad passed away in a car accident when i was only 9 years old. I was too young to understand & realize the loss My dad was the eldest son in the family and a public figure. People used to admire him and looked upon him as a budding politician with good links in the state.

After his departure life has changed up side down for me. Baba & Amma never let us (me & my younger brother Shaishav) away from their eyes for a moment. We were their life and hope to live. I was Baba’s boy and my younger brother Shaishav was Amma’s dear son. I started sleeping beside Baba. He had a strict schedule of waking up early in the morning and going for a long walk to our fields & orchard in the nearby village with our black Doggy ‘Kalu’ . And i had to adhere with it I used to sleep beside Papa and he used to woke me up in the morning with his rough bearded chin:) But no more beard now as Baba used to shave regularly . No more playing & running around the street in heated June afternoons (pretending to be with Dad at his workplace ) Evenings were again a trip to our fields and orchard. An open air roof top dinner with him and sleeping under the moon while listening to his lines from great Hindi & English writers and from Vedas & Granths. In between there is school, homework & tutor.

He was a lecturer for humanities at local inter college and a good orator with loud and impressive voice. He used to manage Dussehra Mela singlehandedly in his early days and used to play Ravana in Ramleela . He was a crowd puller and people used to ask for his speeches in functions, festivals & political rallies. He was famous as Pandit Ji /Ma’saab (Master

Sa’ab). I had heard people saying “Pandit Ji kuch accha sa ho jaye” He wants me to be a good orator also and helped me in my school days with very good speeches. But with time i had converted into a book worm with cricket as the only extra curricular activity for next few years

For Amma, i was the sweetest boy in the world. I still remember her extra Rs. 100 note which he used to slip in my hand whenever i visited home for my monthly expenses Chachu (Uncle) se Mudra (money) lene ke baad Amma ka bo 100 ka note bahut accha lagta tha She was not very educated but life has given her enormous knowledge and intelligence. Whenever i felt low, i used to call her up or place my head in her lap. Her loving voice or gentle touch used to evaporate all the stress & worries. She gave me the confidence to win any hurdle in life. She is the real symbol of strength & wisdom in my life. She never asked about my studies but always make sure that i need not to worry about anything else but studies. Her delicious home made sweets & Namkeens were always part of my return baggage.

As years passed way and i don’t realize when i have grown up in a well placed & grown up engineer. Thanks to Chachu, Our family has progressed into a well known entrepreneur & politically influenced family in the surroundings My younger brother has become youngest ‘Member of Town area” and start writing for Danik Jagran as local correspondent. We have moved on from the loss of my dad. Both of them were happy to see us growing leap & forth. After the start of my professional life, an air travel to Bangalore for them was among one of the first few thing i did. We visited Tirupati Bala Ji , Mysore & Ooty. Amma never visited any shrine after my dad passed way. I am not sure about Baba but for Amma this was her first & last tourist spot trip. This was the most satisfactory spending after the start of my career Mom & my younger sister accompanied them . Those were the most memorable 5 days of my life Icing on the cake was the company of Bhola Bhaiya & Kapil Sir during the whole stay.

I will always miss Amma & Baba!!

Birthday Bash

first thing first i m very happy

only expected thing was the cake in the night. Dada, Mohit Preshit & Siddhu Bhai dropped in and everything which follows was a pleasant surprise

unstopping chatter & fun after cutting the cake in night

delicious lunch

party in the evening

everything was special and lovely

best part was surprise lunch at home planned by Trisha & Neelima

I was supposed to go office but i canceled it. I slept very late (around 03:30 am) and i ruined their surprise by staying at home

mouth watering lunch menu

- Kofta & Muttar Pulav by Neelima

- Fruit Cream by Trisha

- Karahi Paneer by Nupur (Mihul’s wife), in Guest Cook appearance she wasn’t able to resist herself and entered the kitchen by seeing her favorite Devar Ji Mohit Mittal doing the cooking stuff. But Devar Ji ‘hate nanhi’ (didn’t leave) and helped by cutting the Paneer

- Dal Makhani by Preshit

- Phulka by our cook Pitambar

with everybody’s cumulative efforts for making it in time, we had lunch at 4 pm. At the end of it, it was in the list of everybody’s best lunches in Bangalore (ever for few)

North Indian’s who are living or lived in South India can very well understand what this menu mean to us

It was all real !! Yeh, real Dal Makhani, real Karahi Paneer, Real Kofta

u must have heard “khana aur peena” few guys wished for a beer and Sandeep Sir obliged it

few ex H.N. 80 friends came late for lunch and were wondering if its somebody’s marriage or what?

everybody slept like a log but Preshit, Mohit & i didn’t have the privilege and left with Dada for another party in the evening

i slept for for hours today and started writing this after having Lalit’s special Adrak Chai (Ginger Tea) and ending with a tasty hot & sour soup by Trisha

Unexpectedly our landlady wished me. It was a pleasant surprise. She used her land line phone (Yeh, its true!!) It wasn’t that scary missed call after listening to our loud & unstopping noises She didn’t utter a single word after seeing the mess in the kitchen & drawing room.People who had visited or lived in HN 80 knows the importance of it

I m ready for a Yo China dinner now. Thanks to our office time lunches@ Chung Wa , i understand and can order few dishes in Chinese restaurants now

looking for happier year ahead and wishing the same to all of you!

It was all memorable and special.

Love you guys !!

Quote

I discovered following line in one of my conversation:

“Feelings are to express not to explain”
-Gaurav

Well the news from the most loved country in India USofA is that Barak Obama will be the New President and Here’s the transcript of his speech

Hope he will deliver
Good Luck to the man who made the history !!

The Accident, The Learning and The Overconfidence

thanks guys to add me on ur blog roll though i don’t deserve it

i am not a regular blogger

rarely writes and that too not very interesting

I feel guilty ‘Man you are not giving enough time to ur blog!! gurrrr… :X’

but yes i do read a lot of blogs

i have a separate bookmark folder for my favorites

i haven’t learn how to add my favorites in my word press blog

recently i have been learning car drive from few in house trainers

and they all have been boasting about my driving skills and quick learning

on the 3rd or 4th day of my learning, i am driving with one of them sitting next to me in a swift

if this man (Lovleen Bhaita ) is happy with you then he makes you feel like ‘The God’

so here we are driving on Outer Ring Road in Bangalore on Sunday

i have just started with car drive and i have never crossed 3rd gear

but the man thinks i m doing great hence we go ahead with 4th gear and the little extra press on Petrol (no Gas here heheheh )

In Bangalore you rarely find people  respecting yellow light

but my bad luck this gentleman driving ahead of me did the same on Sarjapur Junction and boss i press the break

but but but but…

its accelerator phew !!

i tried i tried  i tried hard  to avoid the  collision

but in the end a sound and right bonut of Swift has gone

i hit the esteem from back

sad! very sad!

Overconfidence turned in to lack of confidence

i didn’t drive back from Bharatiyam (HSR Layout)
i was warned n number of times ‘Careful about Break & Accelerator’

and here i was executing the blunder

i am yet to feel the ‘First Car’ as the swift wasn’t mine

Poetry

हमने जो है मिल के चुना बहारों का रस्ता
दूर हो तो सोचते हैं पास कैसे आयें
पास हो तो सोचते हैं कहीं बहक न जायें
अब सोचें हर पल कब होगा ये मिलन
चलेंगे उस डगर पर जहाँ बहारों का रास्ता
-better half

Just Like that

One of my software engineer friend in the orkut scrap book

—**—
Life’s @:

life’s boring right now… nothin new
Fed up with the routine life… udhar kya chal raha hain? kahi ghumne gaye fir se?
—**—-

I replied (just like that):

—**—
Gaurav:

kuch nanhi
ek din sadak par bahar nikal, bus main travel kar
train ke general dabbey main baith kar pune to delhi ki journey enjoy kar

Blue Line bas main baith kar Gurgaon aa ja
sath main baith kar party karte hain
sari boriyat door ho jayegi

—**—

this is so common with people around having 3 or more years of experience in software industry
they had worked hard, changed few companies, got best of the salaries in best of the companies
few got married
few are in dilemma ‘to be or not to be’
few are running behind an onsite assignment
market is not in good shape so can’t get better package (Yes I accept money is not everything but a good hike brings a smile on your face)
not much new projects in US or Europe so onsite can only be in Gulf or Asia Pacific

or got to US/UK onsite but just sit down infront of a Server and monitor it like a drudge

nothing to be happy nothing to change
what to do?

So Run behind some crap stuff in Orkut or facebook
Watch some sensless movies
Go to an all boys outing
Read some novel
Give some exam and get some certification
Prepare for GMAT/CAT, get into an good MBA college
But again end result is monotony

So enjoy what u r doing!!
at least you have a high paying job to bang ur head in machine (big or small)
what say?

Back from Hibernation

Today, I was reading a post at one of my favorite blog about Love & Friendship. I glanced to the side bar and saw that i have a Blog and haven’t updated it for three months!! God!! What was i doing?

Well, then i think it can happen with anybody who:

1. is working in Oracle Applications Technology Group (ATG)

2. Got engaged recently

 

and it did happen to me. 

Explaining first reason, My Business Group, don’t have any concept of project or bench. So, there are no days without work, no inter project relax, nothing!! But then i need not to worry about my billing during my appraisal discussion You work, satisfy some performance indexes, learn new Oracle Technologies, look into never ending bugs, troubleshoot & resolve customer issues, (of course with 100% customer satisfaction )

And about the second part, i got engaged during this time and i was enjoying the pre and post engagement time with the lovely lady. There ia also a potential (bad) third reason of the hibernation. I have been busy in resolving the conflict among the members of “The Great Indian Joint family”. I wonder why all the relatives save the grievances/complaints for any function/celebration.  Statements like:

“You haven’t given importance to us in past so why now?”

“Why should i come?”

“We haven’t given importance in the function!!”

“You must have called us on the day itself!!” etc .

Oh man!! its like all the “Bala Ji telefilm serials” are getting live.

I have heard somewhere “There are always two side of a coin “

Well, this post is to break the jinx, will write later about the “Thoughts”

Back ache/Back pain in Bangalore/Bangaluru

Backache, I think this is the second most dangerous or problematic ailment after HIV virus for the Humanity though i don’t have stats to prove that Its getting more and more common specially in IT & ITES guys. Here is my story of trouble and how i managed to come out of it.

I used to have mild and very infrequent backache during my college days. But it never troubled me much. Rest for a day or two and any pain reliever balm had worked for me always. One fine day in in May 06 i start feeling shooting pain in my left leg. Being fresh out of college and on board few months back i used to stay late in office to learn ins & outs of the product. For comfort, I used to ignore the pain or put my left leg on the chair.

But when it start troubling much i met a doctor on a Sunday in Sagar Apollo Hospital. He turns out to be the most inhuman doc I’ve ever met (my bad luck ) . After an unnecessary MRI (cost me INR 4500), he spoke everything to scare me and ask for a injection in the spine. His reasoning “The pain is coming because of disk bulge and the only remedy is two injection in spine within next two months”

I took second opinion with a doctor in Manipal Hospital. He seems to be a gentleman and asked me to meet a physiotherapist. He assured that there is nothing serious. I did the same. But it was not helping and the pain is troubling more with each passing day. I did a lot of goggling and did all the research on back pain and its causes. I think, now, i can explain the working & location of each & every nerve going through & coming out of spine

Unfortunately i met the same doc again and give my nod for the injection. It was a wrong decision which came after a very bad day in office because of the pain. I got admitted for a day in the hospital which cost me around INR 20k. Thanks to my medical insurance most of it was covered. After a 15 days bed rest at home, i was back to work. But from the first day itself there was no relief from the pain. I took leave in between my work and had to left for the day many times.

Since then i think, i consulted all the spine specialist in the Bangalore and now possessed a thick medical file. Spine specialist referred to neurosurgeon, neurosurgeon referred to rheumatologist, rheumatologist referred to psychiatrist (now its heights Maan!!). Most of them was trying hit and trail method on my body. It was so frustrating to take medicine (most of them were pain killer or neuro relaxant) without knowing the exact cause of your pain. Docs convinced me thats how they deal with these kind of pain related problems. Ridiculous!!

In my day to day work, i do a lot of troubleshooting stuff. I hate myself whenever i suggest or execute any solution assuming that it may resolve the issue. Boss, find the cause of the problem and then suggest any solution. But, all those dear doctors was going on their predictions. It was heights when one of the ortho doc in Sagar Apollo ( why the heck i visit that hospital again Now, I curse myself for this) asked me to get the MRI scan of full spine (INR 9K) and ultrasound of my stomach (i wonder now, why ultrasound for pain in leg?) He suggested that now i should meet a kidney related doc. He thinks that it might be because of kidney stone which is still in its nascent condition.

In last two and half year these docs who sits in most of the big & reputed hospitals in Bangalore cheated me for 60-70K for a mere back pain. I am not blaming each and everybody but most of them were looter.I wonder how can you be so inhuman that you don’t care about the side effects of unnecessary experiment on the patient’s body for earning more money? There were good guys who told me ” Boss!! You don’t have any serious problem. Be disciplined in your day to day life. Spend some time in exercise. You will be alright”. But few of them has only one motive “How to get more and more money from this guy?”

Something positive I came to know about INYS for natural therapy through my one of my colleague. As he was also troubling with backache so we both enrolled there for 20 days in Jan 08. It was full residential treatment through nature care and yogic sciences. One has to book in advance because its a treatment center cum Spa hence always full of people who visit here once in a year for the rejuvenation or for overhauling of their body It was a wonderful experience.I will love to join this place once in a year.

Since then i have been doing Yoga & Pranayama everyday. It is giving me a lot of positive energy and strength to cope up & live with backache (its not curable Maan!! ) In one of the doc’s words ” Its like one has weak eyesight and need to wear specs. You have the weak muscles around your back and need to do exercise everyday. You need to be disciplined in life and devote around 1to 2 hours everyday for your body.”

I personally thinks “Don’t get panic!! its not cancer buddy!!

I learnt and learnt in hard way that “Be careful and do your own research before believing on the docs for these kind of chronic diseases.”

SRMS Family

Well Let me start with one of the best thing happened to me till now.

It was back in Jan 2002 during chilly winter at Bareilly. Miss World Priyanka Chopra hails from here and one of my close friend claim that he didn’t gave a damm to her during school days. But thats another story and some other time i will come back to it

I was looking for a flat desperately. After a hell lot of follow ups with one of my lovely senior Mr. Dushyant Singh Yadav, i met Mr. Kapil Gulati. I found nothing interesting in him other than a angry look on his face. It looks like he had fought number of people on that fateful day. He asked me to accompany him in college bus back to his home in the city.
I was asked to sit in back of the bus. On the way, i met an ultimate character. Looking to his short hairs, i can understand that he is my batch mate so thought of interacting with him. But Bhai Sa’ab (fellow brother) he was in more angry mood than our senior and replied very rudely.
Excerpt from the conversation:

Gaurav(G): Hi, kya haal hai?
Batchmate (B): Tujhse matlab (with a weired look on his face)
G: nanhi aise hi, kaun si branch?
B: CS
G: arrey main bhi CS main hoon, kahan se hai?
B: kya karega?
G: aise hi pooch raha tha yaar (me irritated now)

(meantime a senior called me up)

B: Bahut khujli hai!! Ab Jaa Marra sale se!!
Senior: Oye kuch bola kya tune?
B: No Sir!!

Now me and the other senior
Senior (S): Hann bey kya naam hai?
G: Gaurav Sir
S: abey ye “Sir” kaun sa Second Name (sirname) hai India main?
G: My name is Gaurav Shankhdhar (now with few months in college i know what did he mean?)
S: Ab sahi hai (with a smile)

Suddenly Kapil Gulati (Mr. K) shouted “Oye Candle !! jyada hero mat ban chor de isse. Gaurav tu peeche ja!!”
I was confused about what to do? But again a more loud voice from our Gulati Sa’ab towards me “Oye teri samjh main nanhi aya kya?” and i was moving back to the last seat of the bus. From that point the journey was quiet and nobody called me. Our fellow Mr. B was surprised and a little impressed with this event and this time start the conversation:
B: Abey ye Kapil Gulati ko kaise janyta hai?
G: I know Dushyant Sir and he asked me to meet Kapil Sir.
B: humm, mera naam Abhinav Agarwal hai aur kaliwadi main rahta hoon tu kahan rahata hai?
G: main Budaun se hoon aur abhi Rajendra Nagar ke ass pass room dhoond raha hoon
A: acchi jagah hai!! Kapil Sir ke sath rahega?
G: pata nanahi abhi to room dekhne ja raha hoon
A: teekh hai

and here comes our Bus Stop (famous Deenanath ki Lassi ki dukan & Awadh Plaza) and i said good bye to dear Abhi’v and move on to see the room.
I get down with Mr K & Mr. Anurag Tyagi (AT). It was a surprise to me as i was not aware of his presence in the bus. I already met him during my first few interactions with Dushyant Sir. Mr AT was not very noticeable too, but always had a smile on his dusky face. At the Bus stop i met two more guys who seems to be their friends and my senior. Both of them are good looking and tall but thin (comes under the weak category ) These guys were seeking advice for the new shoes from Mr. AT & Mr. K. The thinner one was riding a Hero Honda CBZ and both of them were looking quite decent. Well, we move on to our room with following:

K: tune in dono ‘bina akal ke jaaton’ ko bhej diya jute lene. tu dekhna dukan ka sabse ghatiya piece lekar ayengey
AT: Arey “Gulu” jane dey. kaun dimag kharab karta udhar.
K: tu dekhna kya layengey ye dono.

Mr AT was smiling (his trademark) and i was thinking “Ek to ‘motu’ and ‘chotu’ doosra ‘kalu’ and ye dono shaq kar rahain hain do smart se dikhne wale bandon par huh..”

Anyways i found the room come Villa owned by Mr. K . Its a 2 BHK house and i kind of satisfied with it as i need it very badly. After all there will not be any landlord & neighborhood “bak bak” and i will be kind of joint owner of the house. I was living with a full joint family of my “Mausi Ji” and even after all her love & affection, i want to leave the place. She wept when i left the house Sad Na But there it was a big joint family and i know, i can’t spend my 4 years there. So, I said yes to him (Mr. K) and came back to my Mausi Ji’s place.

At the flat, i met Mr. Ali Sleem too. My first impression of him (or kind of portrayed by him and Mr. K) was of a Casanova. Mr. K and Mr. Ali talked about Mr. Ali’s girlfriends and about few gorgeous girls in the college on whom Mr. Ali is kind of “Line Marring”. Later in my college days and friendly relationship with Mr. Ali, i came to know that he was actually the Casanova personality .

It was about the journey to the house. I boarded the Villa after few days and on first night there i realized whats in the pipeline for rest of the four years in the house. Some other time about the fateful night.

From that day onwards i live three and half precious years of my life there. Witnessed to lot of events,fights,birthday celebrations, daru parties and other interesting happenings. I met number of peoples there involving 2-3 year seniors to 2-3 year juniors in my college and few people from outside the college. About more than 6 years from that day, those personal transactions had evolved to a second family to me. All kind of people are there and now has presence in every city of India & most of the major countries in the world.

With this post i wanted to say thanks to all of them who were part of my personal & social development. I learn’t a lot of things from each and every personal interaction. Guys, It so nice to have all of you around. I am thankful to Almighty for this.

To end the suspense in the story, the two guys on the CBZ were our own Dada (Mr. Prashant Teotia) and Munni (Mr. Munedra Singh) and they buy something like this for the Munni’s college dress shoes Now you know that how correct Mr. K was