क्यूँ समाज मुझे ऐसी नज़रों से देखता है जैसे माँ न बन पाना कोई श्राप हो ?
क्या अब मैं एक बेटी , बहन, दोस्त , पत्नी भी नहीं?
क्यूँ मुझे कोई समझता नहीं?
क्यूँ मैं शिकार हूँ लोगों की नज़रों में छुपे सवालों का या दया की पात्र ?
सास ससुर कुछ कहते नहीं मगर दर्द तो उन्हें भी है
पति की तो जान हूँ मगर फिर भी मेरा दर्द देख कर उनकी जान निकल जाती है
अपने लिए न सही मुझे औरों के लिए तो जीना ही है
माना कि सपना देखा था हम दोनों ने अपने एक चिराग का
एक नटखट बेटा या एक चुलबुली लड़की
मगर अगर माँ बाप न बन पाये तो कसूर तो हम दोनों का ही नहीं न
किसी का भी नहीं...
दुनिया में और भी तो बच्चे है जिनका कोई नहीं
वो भी तरसते होंगे न एक घर के लिए, माँ बाप के लिए, भाई बहन के लिए , उस प्यार के लिए जो उन्हें नहीं मिला , दादा दादी की कहानियों के लिए, रात की लोरियों के लिए...
तो क्यूँ न मैं उन्हें ही अपनाऊँ ?
क्या हुआ अगर वो मेरा खून नहीं हैं तो ?
क्या जन्म देने वाली ही सब कुछ होती है ?
ममता तो सबके ही होती है न ?
ज़िन्दगी के इस मोड़ पर शायद मेरा सुख इसी में है
किसी को अपनाना, ज़िन्दगी भर के लिए, अपनों की तरह जैसे वो मेरा ही एक हिस्सा हो
देखना फिर यह मायूसी के बादल छटेंगे, फिर सबकी आँखों में ख़ुशी चमकेगी
फिर इस आँगन में खुशियां खेल खेलेंगी
फिर मैं उनकी आँखों में मेरे लिए ख़ुशी देख पाऊँगी
फिर से मैं ज़िन्दगी को जी पाऊँगी ...
फिर से मैं दुनिया के आगे फक्र से सर उठा पाऊँगी....
Online shopping - the fastest way to save time and money and also its a bit convenient. There are a whole lot of sites spread over the net in India which promise great deals, huge discounts, lowest prices and what not but not all deliver their promises. Some are fraud, some dont ship on time, some have huge shipping charges and some have customer care which dont pay any heed.
I have been online shopping since years now. I started with Flipkart in 2009, shifted from there due to huge free shipping limit and high prices, went on to Infibeam and then shifted finally to Amazon India when it made its online debut in India. It also promised the same things and I thought to give it a try. It did deliver. With the lowest prices across various websites , fast shipping (before the due date) and long delivery timings from 8am to 8 pm , it became my first priority.
During my various dealings with websites, I have always been cautious to deal with websites and however loyal I may appear at first glance, I can turn my loyalties around with a single mistake the website does. Its my money at stake. The latest causalty in list- Amazon India.
Here`s what happned yesterday i.e. 20.2.2014. I had placed an order for 2 books within the delivery time of latest by 6 pm. The delivery person called me up saying that he is handling over the package to the guard of my office. Most courier are dropped at the point of first contact in offices- Guardroom/ receptions. I told that delivery person that I am coming downstairs and will myself take the delivery of the package. He says to me ," सर जल्दी आईये मुझे और जगह भी जाना है ".
In the mind I was , " तुझे जल्दी है तो मैं क्या करूँ? तेरा नौकर हूँ क्या जो तेरे हिसाब से चलूँगा ? ". I was at the guardhouse in the next 45 seconds max. The guard handed me the package and I asked the delivery person where I have to sign? Although I know that 2 signatures are taken- One in the Touchphone device and another in the paper sheet containing the details. He was writing something on the phone and gave me the paper sheet to sign. I signed and left and immediately knew what had happened. I immediately contacted amazon customer care through chat and asked them whats the name of the receiver in their records for the order that has been delivered?
Image is only representative
They told me that its Shwetabh Mathur. Asking for specific to the touch device, they replied in the affirmative. The forged fraud came to light and I apprised Amazon of the situation. That delivery person had signed by my name on the device despite me standing besides him at that very moment. I told them that I`ll be suspending all my future purchases from Amazon with immediate effect. The customer care executive did sound apologetic and assured me that this issue had been escalated and suitable action would be taken, but I am in no mood to relent. Had he entered the guard`s name on the device, I would have said nothing but that would have later created mismatch in the paper sheet and device. It was basically a point of no return. No apologies can hide the forged fraud in broad daylight.
I have yet to hear from Amazon in this regard. I am writing this article to warn you all what might happen with you. I haven`t opened the package still, its still packed. Its not just Amazon, it can happen with any website, any person. With paper confirmation becoming obselete and time taking, all companies have these touch screen devices where a simple sign on the screen tells about the instant confirmation of the delivery and the customer is informed through sms within the next 5 minutes.
So keep your eyes and ears open while taking the delivery of your orders. Mine was just books. God knows what would have happened had it been a high value item. It could have been siphoned off somewhere else..
लो भई 2014 का भी book fair आ गया और हमको फिर मौका मिल
गया किताबों के बीच दिन काटने का... अब जो मज़ा stalls घूमने ,
किताबें देखने में है वो और कहाँ? जगह वही इकलौती सी... प्रगति
मैदान . और जायेंगे भी कहाँ ? यहीं लगता आया है. पूरे दो साल बाद
मौका मिला लेकिन इस बार अपने पास पलटन थी दोस्तों की. स्कूल,
कॉलेज सब टाइम के दोस्त एक साथ.. मैंने सोचा सब एक साथ
मिलेंगे तो जान पहचान बढ़ेगी और फिर जम के मस्ती भी होगी. तो
दिल्ली और आस पास के इलाकों से फ़ौज निकल पड़ी...न न...
पलटन..
हम चले फरीदाबाद से , एक चला मयूर विहार से, एक राजौरी, एक
रिठाला, दो गाजियाबाद से... तो 6 लोगों की पलटन चली किताबों पर
हमला करने. जो लेट थे उनके टिकट रखे और एंट्री कर ली. पहले हाल में
घुसे..हिंदी का हॉल था.. अरे पलटन के सैनिकों के नाम बताना तो भूल
ही गया- मैं था, tungesh , रतीश , अमित और सनी. कुछ स्टाल घूमने
के बाद प्यास लगी तो सनी और अमित चले कोल्ड ड्रिंक की बोतल
लेने.
हमारा गला ठीक नहीं था तो गरम कॉफ़ी बढ़िया. अब देख रहे हैं कि
सनी और अमित हँसे जा रहे हैं. कोल्ड ड्रिंक पिए भी जा रहे हैं, मुँह भी
बना रहे हैं और हँस भी रहे हैं. पता चला की गरम बोतल है. पैसा देने
के बाद अमित ने जब काउंटर वाले को बोला की फ्रिज ने निकाल कर
दे रहे हो तो कम से कम ठंडी तो दो..
जवाब क्या मिला ? " सर फ्रिज में ट्यूब लाइट तो लगी है मगर वो ठंडा करने वाली नहीं है, सिर्फ लाइट के लिए है...फ्रिज तो चल ही नहीं रहा ". लो लग गयी चपत. जैसे तैसे खत्म की और आगे बढ़े वैसे ही पलटन तितर बितर हो गयी. कोई इधर, कोई उधर. हम चल दिए इस बीच रतीश को रिसीव करने. वापस आये तो देखा अमित और सनी राज कॉमिक्स के स्टाल पर कॉमिक्स देख रहे थे. मन किया की ले लूं मगर थोड़ी महँगी थी.
हॉल से बहार निकले और गए हॉल नो. 12 में.. English सेक्शन. अब कुछ बात बनेगी. नामी प्रकाशक यहीं थे. मुझे क्या पता था यहाँ मेरी बैंड बज के रहेगी. एक तरफ भीड़ नज़र आयी. पता चला की Ruskin Bond आने वाले हैं. खड़े होने तक की जगह नहीं थी. मैंने सुन रखा था कि Ruskin bond की कहानियाँ हर उम्र के लोग पढ़ते हैं, आज देख भी लिया. भीड़ देख कर नहीं..किसी और वजह से. पिछले बुक फेयर में नैना मिली थी दो साल पहले.. इस बार कोई और . एक 50 साल के आसपास का आदमी एक ३०-३२ साल के युवक का हाथ पकड़े आगे कि तरफ ले आया. वो युवक भी नैना की ही तरह था- देख नहीं सकता था, हाथ में छड़ी थी मगर Ruskin bond को सुनने की लालसा सब पर भारी. उनके आते ही ज़ोरदार तालियों से उनका स्वागत. थोड़ा बहुत सुनने के बाद मैं चला आया. भीड़ बढ़ रही , खड़े होना थोड़ा मुश्किल था. वहाँ से खिसके एक स्टाल पर तो दिपाली जी नज़र आयीं .
एक दोस्त के बुक लांच में आयीं थी. बुखार है, पर्स में गोलियां भर रखी हैं मगर...बुक फेयर आना है... ऐसे में लोगों का कुछ नहीं हो सकता. Tungesh कहीं और था, और बाकी हम पलटन के 4 लोग एक साथ. बाकी लोगों के सामने मुझे कवि कहा तो अजीब सा लगा. अचानक से " और भई Zombie " सुनाई दिया और धपाक पीठ पर हाथ आया किसी का. हमले से उभरे तो देखा आदित्य भसीन सामने. बहुत सही.. पलटे तो लो जी प्रियंका डे.. सारे Indibloggers एक साथ, एक ही जगह ? बाकी सब तो ठीक है मगर इन दोनों लेडीज ने अपने स्टाइल में क्लास लेनी शुरू की तो हम निकले वहाँ से. नहीं, डरते नहीं हैं, बस एक और दोस्त से मिलने का इंतज़ार था. मेरी बचपन की दोस्त अनुप्रिया. स्कूल के बाद आज 15 साल बाद मिलने का मौका था. पुराने दोस्तों के मिलने की ख़ुशी अलग ही बात होती है.
कभी इस हॉल से उस हॉल करते करते वापास उसी हॉल में आये जिसमें पहले थे. Tungesh बातों में लगा था उससे. बहुत ख़ुशी हुई उसे देख कर. परिवार के साथ आयी थी. मज़ा आया. फिर कुछ बातें हुईं हम सब की कॉफ़ी पीते पीते. इधर हम स्कूल कि बातें कर रहे थे और उधर अमित को भी blogger बनने का बुखार चढ़ गया था. जब मेरे blogger दोस्त वहाँ मेरी क्लास लगा रहे थे तो सबको मज़ा आ रहा था.
कुछ वक़्त बाद अनुप्रिया चली गयी और हम सब बढ़े आखिरी हॉल की तरफ. मैं रोली बुक्स का स्टाल ढूंढ रहा था. हसरत थी बस परम वीर चक्र वाली कॉमिक्स देखने की. वही जिसको बढ़ावा देने के लिए मैंने वो कविता लिखी थी. मन था नयी कॉमिक्स खरीदने का. वहाँ पहुँचे तो देखा नयी वाली तो नहीं आयी थी मगर दो रखी हुई थी और देख कर साफ़ लगता था बहुत से लोग ले कर गये .. मेरी मेहनत बेकार नहीं गयी. आखिरी स्टाल पर गए तो Fighter Planes पर किताब देख कर मन और नियत डोल गयी. इनको कैसे छोड़ दूँ?
अब चले राजीव चौक थोड़ी पेट पूजा के लिए . मैक डी ढूँढ ही रहे थे बातें करते करते ही मिस्टर सहाय दिखे. वही खिलौने बेचने वाले CP में. इनकी कहानी मुझे ही पता थी. 3 साल पहले फेसबुक पर इनकी कहानी पढ़ी थी मगर कभी मौका नहीं मिला. Tungesh को बोला की उनकी फ़ोटो ले और उनसे मैंने 2 रबड़ वाले खिलौने लिए. दोस्तों में से किसी की भी समझ नहीं आया की इनकी फ़ोटो क्यूँ खिचवाई मैंने ?
इनकी यह कहानी है ( जो मैंने पढ़ी है ) - रिटायर्ड बैंक मैनेजर हैं . उम्र कोई 77 -78 के पास. अपने बेटे की पढ़ाई, ऑफिस की लिए अपनी पूरी जमा पूँजी लगा दी. वो बिना किसी को बताये Bahrain चला गया CA की नौकरी के लिए. एक सड़क हादसे में उसकी मौत ही इन तक आयी. यह तो उसको देख भी नहीं पाये. तब से यह CP A - F ब्लाक के बीच कठपुतली नुमा खिलौने बेचते देखे जा सकते हैं. रोज़ रोहतक से आते हैं. पड़ोसियों को पता न लग जाए की वो यह सामान बेचते है दिल्ली में . परिवार में और कोई कमाने वाला नहीं है. पत्नी, बहू और उसके बच्चे हैं.
2011 में मैंने जो फ़ोटो देखी थी उसमें इनके पास एक झोला था जो इनके सेहत की हिसाब से भारी था..आज इनके पास उससे भी भारी ट्रैवेल बैग था...चलने के लिए walking stick . खम्बे का सहारा लिए खड़े हुए थे. शायद उनकी ट्रेन का वक़्त हो गया था तो बस उसके बाद वो बैग उठा कर चल दिए और हमारी सारी पलटन पेट पूजा की लिए restaurant क़े अंदर. हँसी मज़ाक क़े बाद हम भी चल दिए और एक यादगार शाम का अंत हुआ. मेरा काम तो शुरू ही हुआ था.. घर पहुँचते ही मिस्टर सहाय की फ़ोटो फेसबुक पर डाली इस उम्मीद में की उनकी यह latest तस्वीर लोगों तक पहुँचे और लोगों को पता चले की सेहत उनकी अब पहले से कितनी बदल चुकी है. मुझे यह नहीं पता था की जो मैं कर रहा हूँ वो क्यूँ कर रहा हूँ ? बस दिल कह रहा था की इनके बारे में दिल्ली को जानना चाहिए ( भले ही इन पर बहुत सारे Blog लिखे जा चुके हैं, इनको भी पता है की ऑनलाइन लोग इनको जानते हैं ) मेरा मकसद सिर्फ एक- कुछ ऐसा हो सके की इनको दोबारा काम करने की ज़रूरत ही न पड़े.. इसी उम्मीद में चल पड़ा यह मदद का सिलसिला. मेरी पलटन ने बढ़ चढ़ कर like और share करने में हिस्सा लिया.. अब तक कुल मिला कर 90 की आसपास Like और 38 shares हो चुके हैं. इनकी कहानी और आगे बढ़ेगी. मैं नहीं चाहता की लोग इनसे सहानुभूति क़े कारण सामान लें. इनका आत्मसम्मान है. यह ऐसे ही पैसे नहीं लेंगे. उस ठंडी रात में मैं जैकेट में था और उनके पास एक स्वेटर. अपनी मुहिम जारी है...पता नहीं किस अंजाम तक पहुँचेगी ? इसके बारे में और जानकारी बटोर रहे हैं.
यार यह Book fair भी अजीब है. हर बार कुछ न कुछ करा देता है. पिछली बार नैना मिली थी, इस बार उसके जैसा ही एक और मिला, पुराने दोस्त मिले बरसों बाद, Blogger दोस्त मिले, मेरी Reputation का कुल्फी फालूदा भी हुआ, हँसी मज़ाक हुआ , ट्रेन पकड़ने छूटने क़े किस्से सुने , आमलेट की भर्जी बनी, खिचड़ी जलवा दी, मिस्टर सहाय मिले... एक दिन में इतना कुछ...
जो भी हो मज़ा आया खूब... थोड़ा मज़ा, थोड़ा फितूर ......बस यूँ ही...
From the stages of childhood when we start to understand things, our parents tell us - Do the right thing. It later transpires into helping the others in whatever way we could , either by cash or in kind. Something which gives the receiver and us - both happiness. Everyday we come across people who are different from others and we think that there must be a way to help them anyhow... just anyway because we know that its the way to do it.
Sign language - their way of bonding
I have always thought that we become a bit restless when we are ill or recovering from an injury - hoping to get well soon and bring our life back on track and on the same pace. What happens to those who are disabled in some way or the others and live their lives? I came across one such story and an endeavor long back and was awed by it. Its a story that featured many times on the various publications and various websites. It has also won various awards... Awards because it has touched a lot of lives.. Its the story of those who cant hear, yes its about them...the deaf people whom I refer to as the Hearing impaired.
Its the story of Mirakle Couriers, a Mumbai based courier courier... it employs low income deaf men and women as its staff and my bit of doing what I feel is right. I read about Dhruv Lakra sometime back through an article I was reading and came across this story. It was heart touching as I could feel the pain.
I now present to you the story about Mirakle in my words as well as the history taken from the website of the company itself as I want more people to know about it.. Here it goes.
Mirakle
Couriers was started in January 2009. The idea to help the deaf was
triggered by one particular incident
Dhruv Lakra experienced while travelling on a bus in Mumbai.
Once , Dhruv was sitting on a bus next to a young boy looking eagerly out the window. In fact he was not just eager but actually very restless. He was looking around anxiously, seeming slightly lost. Dhruv asked him where he was going but the boy did not respond. It took him a few seconds to realise that this boy was unable to hear or speak. He was deaf. Though the bus conductor regularly announced the stops this boy still did not know where he was. Dhruv took out a piece of paper and wrote to him in Hindi asking him where he was going. Through the back and forth pen and paper exchange, it suddenly dawned on Dhruv how difficult life was for the deaf. Something as straightforward as a bus became a struggle.
It is an invisible disability. You can not know when someone near you is deaf as there are no obvious physical attributes, and so its totally ignored. It is also a silent (voiceless) disability. There is very little public sympathy for the deaf, and , a severe lack of government support for them in India. Particularly when it comes to employment there are no opportunities because no one has the patience or the foresight to learn deaf language and culture. This is how Mirakle Couriers was born.
Over the next few months Dhruv spent time exploring the deaf culture and learning Indian Sign Language. He focused on a courier business because it requires a lot of visual skills but no verbal communication. The deaf are extremely good at maps reading, remembering roads and buildings because they are so visually inclined.
How its done ?
Everything from pick-up to delivery is carefully planned at the branches in sign language. The field agents receive instructions via sms of a client’s address and a time for when documents need to be picked up. Upon arriving at the client’s office the shipments are counted and a count confirmation sms is sent back to the branch supervisor.
Once the packages arrive at the branch they are sorted, processed and prepared for delivery. The female staff will sort out the shipments based on pincodes. Further sorting is carried out by each field agent who is responsible for a designated area of delivery whose narrow lanes and unmarked buildings he has mastered. Once sorted each document is given a tracking code and entered into the system. This allows us to track and maintain transparency as to who is responsible for which shipment.
Proof of Delivery (POD) or a digital delivery status report is then returned to our clients the day after delivery. For faulty or changed addresses we have one phone operator who will call the client or the consignee to confirm a new address. Any part of this delivery procedure can be customised by our clients if they have special requirements.
Cellphones- the medium of communication
Where do I come in?
It all started with twitter one day. I saw a tweet from Mirakle that they needed cell phones. I enquired and came to know that they need cellphones for their staff as all the information is relayed through sms. We all keep buying new cellphones for our needs and discard the old ones by keeping them in one corner. Why dont we send it to them ? Atleast they can use it. Since that day I am putting up tweets, posts asking my friends to send their now unused (but in working condition ) phones to Mirakle. Even though they operate currently in Mumbai but they accept phones from all over India.
So do your bit...do help it because its not about money, its about help of a different kind and because its right. Give them a chance to serve you too...you might like the change.
All the relevant info about Mirakle could be found at http://www.miraklecouriers.com/
Thats my story I want the world to know.
The TATA Capital Do it right initiative -
Initially I wanted to write about Mirakle as one separate post but I got a chance to merge it with this beautiful story from TATA Capital- the common cause being Do it Right. This is a part of the Do it right campaign by TATA where Pankaj Trivedi travels from Dharamshala to Guwahati bringing half stories which need to be finished, the end how we want it, how we want them to change lives.
This is about a school in Mumbai- Koshish, for the deaf and dumb students who learn new things under ENT Dr. Ajay Kothari. Mumbai , the city which is always in rush, always running to get ahead from the others.
Apart from the usual ways of learning, they are introduced to a new thing- photography. With 3 days of training providing such beautiful results , it was decided to gift 2 cameras so that they discover something new.
The story is here -
Its not about the money, its how I see the half story being finished –
1. Capturing the world as it is. Part of their memories collection over the years.
2. Its said that a picture is worth a 1000 words and there are quite a lot of times when one simple click expresses many unspoken thoughts and emotions. It would be the power of their expression.
3. Journalism
4. Some careers like having your own photo studio. A photographer these days are required to handle a variety of roles and this will also open many mainstream avenues for them.
5. Explore the country with the camera and help in bringing the country closer.
This is how I wish the story to be completed. Where one simple camera merges with their passion to explore things and shows them how beautiful the world really is.
One fast paced city- Mumbai
One half story- Koshish
One story carving its own path- Mirakle
The feeling of helping both- Priceless
Both tied together by one feeling- Do it Right
Although a part of a contest, there are a lot of people I wish to thank in these 2 stories-
1. Ajay Kothari- the trustee of Koshish.
2. Dhruv Lakra- the founder of Mirakle Couriers.
3. TATA Capital- for the Do it right initiative.
These is my half story and how I wish it should end.
For the Do it right initiative and more half stories that need to be completed , head towww.doright.in
Part of the Indiblogger Contest in collaboration with TATA CAPITAL ( the story of Koshish).
Come fall in love with this sweet, cute, black and white award winning movie from Walt Disney and Pixar.... and keep that speaker on for that lovely music .... Enjoy love
Studies - the one word which makes the children dread with fear maybe even more than the ghosts. There comes a stage in everyone`s life when one wants to study for his / her passion. The thirst and hunger for more knowledge , for the passion about something you damn and truly love and not just for money earning later on and maybe utility. Many times people want to study just because of their love of their particular subject or topic to know more and more.
The role of these 3 is huge in war and peace.
Although I am an MBA but one topic which really intrigues me and keeps me glued and undoubtedly increases my hunger and thirst for more and more is Defence Studies. The one thing about which I can keep glued to books happily more than ever. There`s so much to learn about the tactics, weapons deployment, strategies, etc. that you cant get just enough out of all this.
King`s College
If I could get a chance to make it to the UK for a course and place of my choice it would be King's College London, University of London. It is one of England’s oldest and most prestigious universities: a multi-faculty research-led institution based in the heart of London. With 40 acad staff for a pupil strength of 50, it means that there is personalised attention to the students pursuing this course. Plus military studies is such a complex and interesting topic that you really need all the different ways of looking at things and what better than different set of people who can think at various points of tactics and yet arrive at a common point.
Kings has a host of facilities and activities which would help the students progress and also bond with the other students-
1. Student Advice & International Student Support for all the issues faced by the students regarding any issues they might face during their tenure at the college.
2. Counsellors to help the students feel at home despite being away from home
3. A health care center and a religious care so that every research student can be in top form physically and also practice their faith and bond with others.
4. Accomodation amongst with the serene beauty of London with available options to reside amongst students from other countries to experience diversity in all forms.
Memorial gates memorial... The soldiers left their mark
The glory of the Indian soldiers is also associated with England. They fought alongside the english soldiers in both the world wars and brought fame to their regiments and displayed feats of extraordinary courage under impossible odds winning the Victoria cross on numerous occassions. It would be my honour to read about them (if thats possible in the curiculum) and how wars have been won or lost since ages. One strategy changes the tide of the conflict. Its all about the role of strategy and the analysis of various wars and conflict. This would be my version of the Wargames understaken between two countries to understand the tactics and co-operation much better. India`s courage and West`s technology is surely a lethal combo to confront.
King`s Strand campus will also bring me closer to the Indian soldiers. Confused?? The Memorial Gates war memorial at the Hyde Park Corner is just 2 miles (3.2 kms) by bicycle along the picturesque banks of the Thames. Who said you cant visit your inspiration? King`s gives me so many things at one place-
1. The beautiful Thames.
2. The Memorial Gates where I can be closer to my inspiration- the Indian soldiers.
3. Excellent faculty and a wonderful chance to pursue my passion about a subject I am damn passionate about.
Maybe I am just a civilian right now but the course at King`s would enable me to become a TOPGUN in my own right with the extensive knowledge I`ll gain... Someday... I`ll be the TOPGUN...
#KNOWLEDGEISGREAT .
This article is a part of Indiblogger`scontest about British Council`s Study in the UK Programme which can be accessedhere .
Its never easy being a blogger and even never easy to say no to a business day invite to an exclusive event to the Autoexpo 2014 - the grand daddy of all motorshows in India. I had just got a call for the business day invite to Autoexpo by Honda. Decided to go for it this time as I had always heard that how grand it was and all such stuff. The next day it was destination Greater Noida. Along with Prashant, I was the other person heading there. I was carrying no expectations and it was all a case of lets go and see it for myself.
Even though it was a business day but there was a huge rush. Thanks to Diwakar, we had our business passes ready. We made an entry and immediately figured out that was it pathetic in terms of marking of ways and directions. There was no place which was clearly defined and marked out. Had it not been for Diwakar guiding us, we would have not been able to make our way to the hall. Hall no. 14 straight infront and Hall no. 9 to the left. Dont know what were the planners thinking?
So we were in the Honda hall now surrounded by beauties ( the cars as well as the models). It was a really tough competition. After roaming here and there, clicking pics and observing the Honda hall it was time for the presentation to start. A nice video about the existing and upcoming better technologies from Honda so that the environment doesnt suffer. I was surprised to note that the future engines of Honda would be somewhat smiliar to the KERS systems of Formula 1 cars where braking energy is stored as kinetic energy and can be used later on. Thats what I call as #STEPINTOTHEFUTURE.
Asimo
Dancing to Bollywood beats
Everybody must have remembered ASIMO- the almost human robot from Honda who made waves years back in the world. He did make an appearance here too... on the screen and challenged a few of us for a Dance. Match his moves and prove you have it in you for some rythm.
Next infront of us was Franz Harary- the famous illusionist who had made the Taj Mahal dissapear. Now it was his turn to shower some illusions on us. He took a ring from one of us and made it dissapear before our own eyes...and where did it appear??? In the hands of a girl inside an empty barrel kept behind him. How did he do it I dont know. Next he called up a guy and suspended him mid air while removing the supports from beneath to prove it was real...now I am speechless. I know it was all illusion but how did it happen I didnt knew ever. He left and we were given a chance to experience Honda Mobilio first hand.
The model there at Autoexpo was an Indonesian one and I just could not experience it in home conditions as I could not gauge the real thing. When it comes to India, there would be a lot of changes in it so that it suits the Indian market and the Indian consumer. I got the chance so I experienced it otherwise I was really not happy. The carmakers should atleast put up only those models which they would launch. It looked just like the world was offering F-22 Raptor jet ( the fighter customised to American needs) when the Indian Air Force really needs is an Sukhoi 30 MKI (tailor made for Indian pilots). Such a mismatch.
Its not that I didnt like any cars from Honda..all eyes were on the concept cars- they were sleek, beautiful and awesome. Just stole the heart ( yeah...the car, not the model this time). The Honda Vision XS -1 was cooool... it had a digital speed console just like from the Need for speed series and doors which opened just like the Batmobile. They slided back, not upwards. We were the privileged few to capture the shots of those concept cars although touching them was out of bounds. We could go only as far as the camera would allow us.
The show stealer for me was the Honda NSX. Dont knew what all I held inside itself in terms of performance and power but it looked a total mean machine.
The Honda Accord Hybrid was another concept car but after seeing XS 1 and NSX it looked just like water after wine. The real power was with the real 2. Waise....how much price for the NSX ??
Honda City.. one of the most successful cars from the stable of Honda. Its new with sunroof , a bit more comfortable backseats, front ones seemed a bit narrow and they come in Diesel, Petrol variants - manual and automatic both.
For the rest of the cars and the rest of the AutoExpo we could see in the limited time we had afterwards, I take you on a tour of the various pics clicked. The most Impressive stall was BMW nevertheless. Awesome cars and even a covered up Formula 1 car waiting to be unveiled later on. That was awesome.
Mobilio console
In the end it all came down to how I saw it -
1. Even on the last business day, there was such a rush that i was thinking what would happen on the general days.
2. Parking was a problem that day and jams would surely follow once the event got over each day.
3. A lot of people would surely go lost - no clearly defined ways or directions on the outside and not to mention nobody knows where the food court is, which is darn expensive.
4. Its all a mixture of glamour and cars. The glamour factor being the girls standing besides the cars and they surely do know about the car and its specifications like the back of their hand.
I might have gone the next year too but seeing how ill organised it has been this yaer, I think I`ll give it a miss. Although I and my friends would have loved to explore a bit more but time was surely not on my side and seeing how chaotic it was, was in no mood to go again - on a sunday too. I`ll just relax thinking about the experience I got on getting an exclusive chance to see the concept cars...nobody from the public would be allowed I am sure. Like I said, being a blogger comes with its own set of advantages.
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