ARNABuzz

ARNABlog received some publicity by being mentioned in the SFU Business Buzz magazine:

“This is a story all about how Arnab’s life got flipped… I mean, about his AIESEC internship following graduation. He seems to be continuously sent around India by Satyam, an IT and consulting firm. Arnab always has something unique to say about the surrounding sights and culture. His flatmates are truly a bunch of characters and his search for Mrs. Arnab continues.”

The complete article about the Arnabian delight can be found in the October 2006 issue (page 5).

Maharashtra Marvels

On one long weekend, I ventured to Maharashtra with the goal of exploring the famed Ajanta and Ellora Caves along with 3 South Koreans and another Canadian. The nearest major city to the caves was Aurangabad. In and around the city we visited Daulatabad Fort, complete with cannons, moats, bat infested tunnels, and other hazards, and also Bibi ka Maqbara, the “poor man’s Taj Mahal”. Ajanta contains only Buddhist sculptures and paintings compared to Ellora’s broader range of Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain artifacts. Nonetheless, I preferred Ajanta due to its spectacular natural backdrop.

Having finished the caves in two days, we had a day too spare. Pune was nearby so we headed there. In Pune, I went to the zoo, parks, gardens, and a building where Mahatma Gandhi had been imprisoned. On the train journey home, we celebrated the birthday of my Korean roommate, with cake bought at the train station and some Rums Up (composed of India’s favorite soft drink, Thums Up, and another popular liquid).

Travel Checklist

This is the result of many days of research. The plan is to visit as many sites as possible!

Places of interest in Ladakh – jammukashmir.nic.in/tourism/ladakh/tourism.htm

Lei

Places of interest in Himachal Pradesh – himachaltourism.nic.in
Shimla
Manali
Kulu
Dharamshala

Places of interest in Punjab – www.punjabtourism.org

Chandigarh
Amritsar

Places of interest in Uttaranchal – gov.ua.nic.in/uttaranchaltourism

Dehradun
Haridwar
Nainital
Almora
Mussoorie
Corbett

Places of interest in Sikkim – sikkim.nic.in/sws/sikk_tour.htm

Gangtok

Places of interest in Uttar Pradesh – www.up-tourism.com

Agra*
Allahabad
Ayodhya
Jhansi
Lucknow*
Varanasi
Vrindavan
Fatehpur Sikri*

Places of interest in Rajasthan – www.rajasthantourism.gov.in

Ajmer
Alwar*
Jaipur*
Jaisalmer
Jodhpur
Mount Abu
Pushkar
Udaipur
Neemrana*
Bikaner
Sariska
Deeg
Ranthambor
Bundi
Chittaurgarh
Kota

Places of interest in West Bengal – www.wbtourism.com

Kolkata*
Darjeeling
Shantiniketan*
Kalimpong
Sunderbans

Places of interest in Gujurat – www.gujarattourism.com

Ahmedabad
Somnath
Dwarka
Gir

Places of interest in Madhya Pradesh – www.mptourism.com

Bandhavgarh
Khajuraho
Indore
Gwalior*
Sanchi
Places of interest in Orissa – orissatourism.gov.in
Bhubaneswar
Puri
Konark

Places of interest in Maharashtra - maharashtratourism.gov.in

Mumbai*
Pune*
Mahabaleshwar
Lonavala
Aurangabad*
Ajanta*
Ellora*
Nashik
Matheraan
Alibag
Ganpatipule

Places of interest in Karnataka - kstdc.nic.in

Bangalore*
Mysore
Aihole
Hampi*
Badami
Coorg*
Mangalore
Nandi Hills*
Belur
Bijapur
Halebid
Bidar

Places of interest in Tamil Nadu – www.tamilnadutourism.org

Chennai*
Madurai
Mahabalipuram*
Kodaikanal
Kancheepuram*
Rameswaram
Kanyakumari*
Ooty

Places of interest in Andhra Pradesh – www.aptourism.com

Hyderabad*
Vishakapatnam
Tirupati
Vijayawada
Warangal
Nagarjunasagar
Puttaparthy

Places of interest in Kerala - www.ktdc.com

Alleppey*
Cochin*
Trivandrum*
Calicut
Munnar
Wayanad
Kovalam*
Varkala*

Other places of interest

Andaman & Nicobar - tourism.andaman.nic.in
Delhi* - delhitourism.nic.in
Goa - www.goatourism.org
Lakshadweep - tourism.pon.nic.in

*Visited already!
________________________

Places Visited So Far (Days Spent):

Hyderabad
Mumbai (5)
Hampi (2)
Delhi/Lucknow/Neemrana (10)
Chennai/Kanchipuram/Mahabalipuram (4)
Aurangabad/Ajanta/Ellora/Pune (3)
Kolkata (12)
Bangalore
Cochin/Alleypey/Varkala/Trivandrum/Kanyakumari/Kovalam (6)
Nandi Hills (1)
Coorg (2)

Total Places: 23

Driving Test

Indian drivers are known for their passionate distaste of traffic rules, liberal usage of the horn, and uncanny maneuvering abilities. They are also required to pass a rigorous written examination if they wish to obtain an authentic driving license. As a frequent “joy-walker” I must also be aware of proper road regulations. The top ten excerpts from the state of Karnataka’s practice test:

12. Which lane must you be in while making a right turn:-
a. any lane.
b. extreme left lane.
c. extreme right lane.

28. Before leaving a vehicle parked, you should:-
a. Turn the ignition key off.
b. Stop the engine, lock the ignition, remove the key, and set the hand brake.
c. Look the car.

56. Over speeding or dangerous driving:-
a. Attracts strict warning from the authorities.
b. Is an invitation to accident.
c. Is an offence and is punishable under the law.

72. A pedestrian is crossing the street at an intersection in an unmarked cross walk, you should:-
a. Yield or give the pedestrian the “right-of-way’.
b. Proceed with care as pedestrian is ‘joy-walking’.
c. Reduce speed and warn pedestrian.

87. When the Motor Vehicle Inspector demands any information:-
a. Not obligatory to furnish it.
b. It is obligatory to furnish it.
c. He can refuse.

102. Why do we have speed limits?
a. To keep the traffic within a safe speed for existing condition.
b. More vehicles can be used on roads.
c. Authority can identify who is speeding.

106. When you approach a barrier, it is:-
a. Obligatory to stop the vehicle.
b. Mandatory to stop the vehicle.
c. Caution to stop the vehicle

116. When a cow is standing across the road:-
a. As to and wait until it clears the road.
b. Pass if from front.
c. Pass it from behind.

134. A driver shall drive in ‘one way’:-
a. Always in the direction specified by sign board.
b. Reverse direction in emergencies.
c. Both ways on Sundays.

136. If you are fined for any traffic violations you must feel:-
a. Proud.
b. Humiliated.
c. To correct your attitude in future.

Answers: 12. (c), 28. (b), 56. (c), 72. (a), 87. (b), 102. (a), 106. (c), 116. (c), 134. (a), 136. (c)

The complete practice exam can be found on Karnataka’s Road Transport Office website.

Hyderabad Happenings

Between Hyderabad and its sister city Secunderabad lies the man-made Hussain Sagar lake (or “God’s gift to Hyderabad” as the signage proclaims). In the center of the lake is an island containing a gigantic Buddha Statue, which is illuminated once darkness approaches. When the statue was initially being ferried to the island it sunk. A few years later it was rescued from the depths, perfectly intact. I took a pleasant boat ride to visit this monument.

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The Ganesh Chaturthi festival is celebrated with much aplomb in Hyderabad, with the bulk of the celebration centering on the lake where thousands of Ganesh idols are immersed. A substantial portion of the general population attends the event. After some strenuous, shouting, dancing, singing, powder spraying, and exploding of firecrackers, 3 or 4 men load the large idols onto a platform, which is then dropped into the water with the assistance a crane.

***

I feasted on a plethora of intriguing creatures such as rabbit, pigeon, and quail. These had to be ordered several days in advance, so that the restaurant owner/meat provider would have sufficient time to acquire the specimens from the “farm”. The tandoori rabbit was the most delicious of the bunch, followed closely by the pigeon. Arab-speaking companions found it humorous that Arnab (“rabbit” in Arabic) was eating rabbit. While a single rabbit can feed three grown men, it is advisable to order 2 pigeons per person as they do not contain much meat. Quail tastes like a combination of chicken and egg, which makes it quite a delicacy.

***

Due to my pending departure to Bangalore a few more farewell parties were held (9 in total). ARNABash (intern edition), ARNABash (coworker edition), Arnaberfest, and the Arnab Poker Challenge were attended by various luminaries. To illustrate the diversity of Satyam’s Crossover internship program, there were attendees from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Holland, India, Mexico, Poland, South Korea, Sudan, Sweden, Turkey, and UAE.

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Alas, I had to separate myself from my biryani and depart the City of Pearls, but my immediate destination was to be the City of Joy, rather than the City of Gardens. Due to some technical issues that delayed my transfer to Bangalore, I was granted a vacation to Kolkata while the matter was being settled.

***

ARNABombshell Status: Boiling Hot! A suspected change in the weather patterns had made the female interns frosty. As news of my imminent exit from the local landscape reached the ears of the international ice princesses, their chilly disposition towards the Hyderabadi heartthrob melted away. Lunch, dinner, and other invitations were accepted by almost all. Full details will be revealed in the ARNABiography, to be published at a much later date.