Rejoice your vacation

Hike to Nature’s Hospitality:

Away from city’s hustle and bustle, beyond the hazards of technology, the best gift, you can ever offer yourself is -the beauty, the purity and silence. Pack your bag, leave for few days, enjoy tranquility. Due to well-built roads and well-established connectivity, regular places are really packed now-a-days. To avoid crowd, hike some distance; touch the exquisiteness.

to read more click - https://tigseeproduction.azurewebsites.net/Magazine/Hiking & Trekking/Hike-to-Nature’s-Hospitality


Golden Temple:

The holiest Sikh gurdwara Harmandir Sahib of Amritsar is famous as Golden Temple as the upper floor of this two stories building is covered with gold. The gurdwara is surrounded by Amrit Sarovar (a large lake) where you can find large colourful fishes playing on their own. Underground springs feed the sacred lake
continuously. Because of this lake the gurdwara is isolated from nearby constructions and stands like free and
independent. .......... https://tigsee.com/Magazine/Country/India/Golden-Temple--Amritsar


Taj Mahal:

Agra is the most tourist crowded place in India because of Taj Mahal- one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This white marble mausoleum is situated on the southern bank of Yamuna River. The entire area is known as Mughal garden which is around 17 hectares wide and was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife Mumtaz........https://tigsee.com/Magazine/Country/India/One-of-the-7-wonders---The-Taj


Kerala:

Kerala is a state in South India. It is famous for its natural beauty. There are several tourist attractions like sea beaches, temples, falls, tea garden; but the major attraction which has made it famous among tourists all over the world is house boat and backwater tourism. It is all about a luxury, lazy and cosy, comfortable vacation trip.....https://tigsee.com/Magazine/Country/India/Kerala-Backwaters-God-s-own-country


Kashmir:

The most beautiful largest well inhabited valley of Himalaya in India is Kashmir. It is famous all over the world for its scenic beauty. The main river flowing across this valley is Jhelum River. Srinagar of Kashmir valley is the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir which is the north most state of India. The valley is about 135 km long and 32 km wide. The average altitude of the valley is around 6,070 ft..... https://tigsee.com/Magazine/Country/India/The-Valley-of-Kashmir---Heaven-on-EARTH



Varanasi:

An ancient city of India and one of the oldest continuous inhabited cities in the world is Varanasi, popularly known as Kashi. It was established around 3000 years ago on the bank of Ganges- the most sacred river to Hindus. This holiest city of India is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh on Delhi-Kolkata National Highway....https://tigsee.com/Magazine/Country/India/Varanasi-–-India’s-Spiritual-Capital

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Set transparency in Word/PPT images

Have you ever try to change transparency level of any image within word file or powerpoint? No? then try it. Yes? then you must be frustrated searching options.
I was trying to do the same for last two days. Went through each and every option available there. But not a single option helped me.
Then I started engineering options in my own way and finally, after hours experiment, results into a charming success. I am here to share the tricks to all of you.

No picture added directly through insert option will be able to change its transparency level. We have to add it using a different route.
1st add a rectangle from Insert --> illustration --> shapes




now right click on it and click on 'Format Shapes'


select the option Fill, then in right side window select Picture or Texture fill. Now through File option select the image you want to have transparency.


say the selected image is


After selecting image, change the transparency level by sliding the bar.



Now see the effect..


Owaooooo.................

WHERE NATURE EXHIBITS EXCELLENCE!

satisfaction with হাতুড়েগিরি

দিন শেষে একটা কফি বানালাম। কিন্তু এমন অখাদ্য বানিয়েছি যে নিজেরই মেজাজ গেল খিঁচরে। তাই মেজাজ ঠিক করতে চলে এলাম এখানে। আসলে আজ মনটা  দিব্যি ভালোছিলো।  অনেকদিন পর হঠাত হাতুড়ে-গিরিটা করতে গিয়ে এত সহজে কাজটা করে দেবো নিজেরই সেই ভরসা ছিল না।
নাহ, শুরু থেকে বলি।  একটা লম্বা তার পেয়ে মাথায় এলো bed switch বানাবো। শীত কাল এসে গেছে। তার উপর সদ্য খাটের জায়গা বদলের ফলে switch board দুরে চলে গেছে। তাই এই ব্যবস্থ্যাটা জরুরিও ছিল বটে। তবে করা সোজা নয়।  অনেক দিন এসব কাজে হাত দি নাই। অতি সাধারণ কিন্তু দরকারী জিনিস গুলিও হাতের কাছে নেই। আছে বলতে শুধুই তার টুকু আর একটা screw driver. তবু লেগে পরলাম।
প্রথমে switch boardএ একটা extra switch খুঁজে বের করলাম, যেটার সাথে লাগানো টিউবটা আমি use করিনা। সেটা খুলে বের করে নিলাম। তারটা series এ জুড়ে দিলাম CFL এর সেই switchটার সাথে। একটু যুদ্ধ করতে হলো কারণ বহুকাল আগের wiring, অনেককাল কেউ হতও দেয় নাই। তাই জমে জট পাকিয়ে ছিল সব তার।  তবু হয়ে গেল শেষ অব্দি। টিক-টক, টিক-টক... testing ok. দিব্যি কাজ করছে।
এবার বিপদ বাধলো খোলা তারগুলো নিয়ে। black tape নেই। কি করি? এদিক ওদিক তাকিয়ে দেখি stick padটা পরে আছে। খুঁজে পেতে একটা cello-tape পেয়ে গেলাম। তাই দিয়েই খোলা মুখে ঢাকা পড়ল। check করে দেখলাম কাজ হয়েছে। খোলা switch এর জায়গাটাও বন্ধ হলো একই ভাবে।কি যা-তা কান্ড।
এবার bed-switchটা bed অব্দি আনতে গিয়ে দেখি তারটি লম্বায় খাটো।  কি জ্বালা রে বাবা। সাত-কান্ড রামায়ন  কি এই জন্য করলাম? কি করি? কি করি? আরে ঐতো ! সবুজ পাতাগুলো ঝুলছে দেওয়ালে। ব্যস।  দুটো পিন খুলে নিলাম মাঝের থেকে। আরেত্তেরি ! হাতুড়ি কই? খোঁজ খোঁজ .... গোটা  ঘর গরু খোঁজা খুঁজেও পাওয়া গেল না তাকে।  নিকুচি করেছে। সাজিয়ে রাখা পাথরগুলো কি কাজে লাগবে? ধর পিন পার পাথর। হা হা হা হা হা। হাতুড়ি নেই তো বয়েই গেল। পিন পুঁতে সুইচটা দিব্যি চলে এলো এক্কেবারে বিছানার পাশটিতে। যাক বাবা! যোগারু কাহিনী জিন্দাবাদ।
সব সেরে হাত তা ধোব কিনা ভাবছি ... আরে ধ্যাত। আমি একটি আস্ত গর্ধব। দেওয়ালে ঠকাস করে switchটা ঠোকা খেতেই নিজেকে উপাধিটা দিয়ে ফেললাম। কেন বলুন তো? আর কেন! টুক  করে board থেকে খুলে তো নিলাম switchটাকে, এবার একটা পেণ্টেলুন লাগবে না ওর? ওভাবে থাকলে তো মাঝরাতে আমাকেই ঝটকা দেবে!
বেজার মুখে ঘুরছি এদিক ওদিক। এটা  দেখছি, ওটা দেখছি। কত কিছুই পরে আছে কিন্তু ওটাকে এখন কি দিয়ে ঢাকি! পরেছিল একটা ছোট tik-tak এর খালি বাক্স। হঠাত বুদ্ধি খেলে গেল। একটা দিক কচাত করে কেটে উড়িয়ে দিয়ে switch বাবাজী কে প্যান্ট পরিয়ে দিলাম। যাক, আর রাতের বেলা হাত বাড়ালে ভুতে ঝাকুনি দেবে না।
একবার ভালো করে সব দেখে নিলাম। নঃ! আর কিছু বাকি নেই। কি মজা। নিজেই নিজেকে বাহবা দিলাম এটা-ওটা দিয়ে কাজটা শেষ অব্দি নামিয়ে ফেলার জন্য।
পড়তে গিয়ে মনে হতেই পারে - এটা একটা blog এ post করার মত ঘটনা নাকি? সত্যি বলতে কি একদমই নয়।  কিন্তু তবু আমি করছি। কারণ আমরা এখন এই সব ছোট-খাটো জোগারু কাজের জগত থেকে অনেক দুরে, বড্ড বেশি technical আর sophisticated জীবনে অভ্যস্ত হয়ে পরেছি আমরা। তাই এই রকম টুকরো টাকরা কাজ এই ভাবে হাতের কাছে পরে থাকা জিনিস যোগার করে করার কথা মাথাতেই আসে না। আমাদের মধ্যে অনেকেই engineer হয়েও এই সব কাজের জন্য লোককে টাকা দি এক গাদা। এই লেখা পরে হয়ত অনেকের আবার মনে পারে যাবে যে এই রকম কাজগুলো আরো ভালো করে হয়ত তারাও করতে পারে। হয়ত এইটা পরে কয়েকজন আগামী কিছুদিন electrician কে পয়সা না দিয়ে নিজেই কিছু কাজ করে নেবে। সেটাই হবে বড় পাওয়া।
কেন?
সেটা নিজেরাই ভেবে দেখুন না!

My Dairy Page: Rock Garden Hangout


 A day full of journey and enjoyment. Till now we are on travel; travelling by train to be back to Delhi to have a sleep in our cozy beds. ‘We’ means me, my husband, and my parents. Today we came down to Chandigarh from Amritsar to visit Rock Garden. An open-air garden, visiting in a hot sunny day in India, cannot be advisable; but we had no option. Day was hectic but wonderful.
In our childhood days, we often took part in competitions of making decorative handicrafts using thrown-away. But one can make a 49000 square meter garden of models and dolls using waste materials, is really unbelievable. Till yes, it has been done. Mr. Nek Chand Saini, a road inspector of Chandigarh of its development age, made it possible. The garden is known as Rock Garden as well as Nek Chand’s Garden. This park is a part of forest reserve area adjacent to Sukhna Lake, an artificial lake formed during making of Chandigarh.
A nominal value tickets were collected from the wolf den like window and we entered into the garden through a low roof entry gate made of stones. Incredible ambiances were there to welcome us. We suddenly got encompassed by deep green trees, stony walls and tranquil environment. It was wonderful and refreshing. Sculptures were there on the both sides of the trail. After a small walk of few meters we reached the hut which was the studio of the creator. 
 

  Mr. Nek Chand did his creative works in his off time. What a great mind he had! He collected urban and industrial waste and garbage from demolition sites of the under construction city and put them together to make models of men, women, birds and animals. From broken glaze tiles to damped ceramic holders and even broken glass bangles all were collected and recycled for creativity. Nothing is useless if we have the intelligence and willing to use it. He spent years after years secretly in making these surprising collections. Secret because the canyon in the forest he used for his creation was declared as reserved land and no construction was allowed there. He successfully kept his project hidden for 18 years. In 1975 it was discovered by Government. But huge public support stopped demolition of this brilliant construction and the place became open for all in 1976.


Listening the story while walking in that relaxing geoge put me in the middle of the happening history. An unexpressive exhilaration amazed me. Complete trail is also planned very proficiently to boost the amaze of milieu. Narrow lanes between high stony walls give an unknown excitement in mind. The finishing of statues, decorated by wasted potteries, made me spellbound. The statues decorated by broken bangles have ultimate beauty and color. Among different animals and birds, peacocks are the best in my eyes. The park became more attractive because of two beautiful water falls.
 
After an hour walk we reached near the exit and a lifeless crowd waited there to goodbye us. The most attractive thing is the uniqueness in creativity. 100% originality reflects in his works. The figures he made are not all different from each other. A group of similar statues placed in array pattern over an area – is a quite unusual sight. His inimitable thinking made his creation gorgeous and more attractive. 


After one hour and fifteen minutes when I came out of the park, my concept about beauty had been modified and definition of creativity and intelligence was changed. I have rarely had such a knowledge enriched trip. I was speechless for few minutes. I seemed like I just have completed reading a good novel full of originality and inspirations. The urge of creation is still diverting my concentration from real world. I was so impressed that failed to resist myself from writing dairy in train only.

Dhanaulti Revisited (no more visit recommended)

My previous experience is given in this blog. click to read.

The worst experience we ever had. We planned 2 nights stay at Dhanaulti, a small hamlet of Garhwal. We came here before and was very much impressed then. A sweet small village with few villagers;  very clam evening and dark blue sky; dense forest with a smell of old and wild.
Last year also I went there. The place became a bit crowded and small village was expanded. People became bit less innocent. Till we never dreamed that what we faced this weekend.
raining
the hotel
We started from Roorkee in the morning around 10.30 or 11 am; reached Dehradun after driving through heavy rain for an hour or so. Roads were water logged in the city; Stopped for lunch @ Hotel Sidhharth Paradise. I had a good experience of staying here and the location is quite easy to locate for people like us who had almost no idea of Dehradun.
After having lunch we decided to stay there only for that night as till it was raining. The distance between Dehradun and Dhanaulti is around 56 km. So, thought not to take risk. Booked room in the same hotel. They charged ~1500/- per night for a good ac room. It is specious and well-maintained. But the room service was not at all upto the mark. They also have a tendency of cheating. The room they allotted had a non-working ac. They knew it. It took the chance. The TV was also faulty. Finally after several complain they changed our room and that one was fine. But as I already said, room service was horrible. No one even donot pickup phone at room service after 9 o’clock, though they supposed to take order till 10.30pm. Anyway, it was a sudden stay. We enjoyed in our own way, watching TV and doing chit-chat. One of our friends also visited us in the evening.
Next morning we started for Malsi Deer park at around 11 o’clock as it is just 10km from the city. We planned to stay there if any option available. But the park was impressive for us neither any stay option was available. After spending an hour or so, we started for Dhanaulti.

Mussourie road is quite good and easy to drive. But not the road for Dhanaulti. Before 4km of Mussourie one has to take a right turn to move to Dhanaulti. The road is very narrow for first few kilometers. Few patches are very good and wide enough but rest is not much.  The entire road is full of lawless curves and enhanced by greeneries. The beautiful drive ended at destination polluted with unexpected crowd. No rooms are vacant in government rest houses. Below average hotels were charging more than huge. For a room with bed, single bulb, very old and too small TV was charged 1600/-. After searching few, we decided to have lunch first and to think about hotel.
The best hotel in heart of the hamlet is Drive-Inn. It is one of the oldest too. We went there for lunch but the food quality was upsetting. After lunch thought to visit Apple Orchard but the private road is not at all good. So after driving few meters we gave up and drove back to the centre.




By that time we were almost decided to be back to Roorkee. The crowd was actually pushing us back and the illogical huge charge was really disgusting. It seems like selling a 10/-rupees product in Rs.1000/-.
Light rain we got on near Mussourie, but rest was eventless. At one place we spots monkeys on the road having fun in their own way.  The red setting sun was also visible behind a dense forest of big trees. So we stopped there for few minutes to catch the moments. Clicked few snaps too.
Driving back to Roorkee, having lassi in civil market, dinner in Prakash (the worst even dahi valla) has nothing special but Santanu’s surprised expression after seeing the length of his special paper masala dosa.
But the dead line is – no more trip to Dhanaulti. This place is no more advisable for those who love to spend weekend in silence on the lap of nature. Not advisable for those who love to mingle with innocent villagers during their vacation. The place becomes too commercialized and honesty is no more a part of Dhanaulti.
We are planning to find another destination in my next possible trip.

1st Snow Trek


I love to hike in Himalaya. Love to be on lap of old green nature. The purity can be smelled, the beauty can be inhaled and life becomes dispute less. No cupidity can over rid your honesty here. Our 1st hike was to Doditaal in 2010. Then we visited few more places too.
In the last March we went to Chopta for a hike to Chandrashila, the highest summit of Tungnath. This was our 1st icetrek. To read please go to indiahike forum.