A Simple Case Study

Based on a true, real-life incident that took place very recently in another PSU (same sector like us):

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An isolated location of a seemingly neglected division. Mundane daily life. Terminal / Office headed by one Sr Mgr. A young, fresh, 3 months old direct recrutee A grade reports to him. A few supporting staff. That completes the location.

One day, a team from the regional office, headed by a GM, assisted by a few DGMs, some chiefs and some of their orderlies pay a visit to this location for routine locational inspection.

The fresh A grade was entrusted to arrange the visit-formalities, accommodations, transportation etc.

The young man was sincere, quite enthralled to handle a novel assignment. He arranged for vehicle, inquired about the best hotel in the locaility, booked reservation therein, done everything, felt very contented in his inside for doing a good job.

The entourage came, visited the location in daytime. In evening, a party was held in the same hotel where the dignitaries were staying. Party was of course hosted by the location in honor of the top regional honchos.

The location in charge, the young man under him, their staff and the regional team were all present. Drinks and starters were served.

The young kid was the cynosure of all eyes. The GM offered him a drink.

The kid replied…”No thanks Sir, I don’t drink.”

The GM smiled, withdrew the drink and said…”O ho…it seems he needs our ED to come here and offer him a drink…then only he’ll accept it….he won’t accept drinks from a small fry like me”…then he chuckled and his sycophants followed suit.

The party suddenly felt silent for a while. Then gradually the tempo recovered. Pegs were served, mood regained the upbeat tone, peculiar jokes shared, inane songs are tried. All those rituals of a routine PSU parties followed.

In one corner, our young friend stood, left out of the milieu, stood embarrassed to the core of his heart. His reporting boss, the senior manager noticed him and moved forward….”look, you have done a huge mistake…you have really peeved off the GM…you shouldn’t have outright refused the drink…you should have been diplomatic, thanked him and accepted it…took a sip…then either should have kept the glass somewhere or poured it in sink when you’d have gone to washroom…this is really foolish and immature on your part to behave like this….in case you do not rectify yourself…you will be left out alone in every party and in every sphere of your life like this…”

The party ended. Everybody left for their own destination. The young boy came back home. He narrated the whole incident to his parents.

His father flew into a rage…”these buggers of your bosses…instead of giving you protection, defending you, teaching you values and ethics and give proper guidance…they are showing you road to hell…throughout my life I didn’t take a sip of a drink but still I do command respect in my office and was never left out…then why should you?? What does it mean?? To please your GM, you have to break your principle, change your habit??”

The young man wondered and wondered throughout the night. The next morning, he phoned his sister and confided everything with her and asked hew following three questions:

1.0>    “Did I do anything wrong?”

2.0>    “I am having appointment letter from another same sector PSU. Should I immediately live my present one and join the other at this stage itself?”

3.0>    “Continue where I am and change myself?”

Case Study : Imagine yourself in his position. What would have been your chosen option??

Be honest to your heart and reply.

NH-79 - From Kishangarh To Chittaurgarh

NH-79 (From Kishangarh to Chittaurgarh)

Every highway has its own character. This one is truly majestic, scenic, well-maintained, full of its own pranks, lively and enchanting. The captioned pictures speak for themselves. Enjoy at a leisurely pace….>>

Chittaurgarh - The Haunting, Mystic Fortess of Rajputana

CHITTORGARH FORT

Let the attached photographs, the captions be eloquent and speak for themselves. 

Only one thing – if comparison made with Kumbhalgarh – Chittaurgarh is spreaded over a vast hilly terrain complex. Hence, covering by foot is almost impossible. Its almost a mini town inside. 

Even today there is old residences (refer the photograph). Metalled road available inside. You need not trek right from plains through the seven nos of gates. But can comfortably drive your car right inside all the gates up to every nook and corner of the complex. 

From east to west – probably that’s the order – we covered Padmini Palace, Jaimal Haveli, Shani Temple with Jawhar Kund, the gates of the Jawhar Complex, Mirabai Temple and finally had a view of the evening-lit Chittaurgarh town from atop the fort complex view point.

Remember – sound and light show remains suspended in rainy season due to fear of short circuit. For the same reason they keep the fort illumination also suspended in the same season.

In Kumbhalgarh, the gigantic fort complex is compacted over a sheer inclination of probably a single hill slope. There is no motorable road inside. One needs to park car in the main parking and from there, trudge right up there along the steep slope of the fortess. Thus, in every nook and corner, in every twist and turn of the steep walkway, you virtually sense and breathe the history.

In Chittaurgarh Fort, you just drive down past the history. It flies down across you rapidly. It does not leave that long-lasting impression as Kumbhalgarh unless of course you walk down inside. But the moment you stop somewhere, there is a haunting sense of overpowering mysticism, so palpable and thick hanging in the air, as if you can literally cut it through sword. 

Some lasting images of Jaipur visit in June’13

Some lasting images of Jaipur visit in June’13

But beware – these are not the run-of-the-mill snaps and pics of a regular travelogue of Jaipur – which you’ll have plentiful in all sites and be flooded with them in net if you swim a bit. These are some off-the-bit snaps and recollections which people misses when they traverse by-the-way of this beautiful city.

 

I know that this first one is intriguing – not relatable remotely with the colorful Rajasthan tourism, with the pink aura of Jaipur.

But this is the dark side of Indian tourism. This is 39 Kms away from Jaipur, the entrance gate of Samode Village, the cobbled muddy route thru’ this dilapidated gate will lead to the colorful Samode Palace.

But beware, this last 1.5 kms will pass thru’ two nos of this olden gates, followed by a serpentine uphill gradually narrow kachha route thru’ a dirty, poverty-striken village that goes by the name Samode.

You’ll find graffities and signboards in ramshackle houses that read “Cradit Card Acepted hre”, “Orginal gamstone found here” etc etc. The village reeks like any of the underdeveloped and part of backward India suffering from malnutrition.

Finally when you reach the palace, you’ll find nothing else to do except marvel at the beauty of the palace.

But the approach road, the village itself has no medical facility, the road has no car mechanic shop, as you move thru’ the village, you’ll wonder where all the money earned from tourism and marriage parties that are regularly arranged at the palace goes??

We visited Samode village on 18^th June’13 and came back disappointed.

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The road leading to Sanganer via Jaipur road, then Tonk onwards to Bundi is a beautiful one, but what we’ll remember forever, on 16^th June’13, when the entire Uttarakhand was reeling under repeated beatings of cloudburst, nobody knew (please notice the sky in the snap), that a piece of the devastating clouds of monsoon will soon visit over this road and immerse the whole Sanganer for 2 hrs in evening with a mini-cloudburst. We went for shopping of block-printed handlooms, and got blocked in the middle of blinding water-curtains beside the highway with dark brown cloud roaring overhead and nothing visible beyond the water-curtain falling from atop. Finally after 2 hrs when the clouds relented, within 15 minutes, all logged water-pools vanished. We realized, whatever be the scenario in village, but at least in urban Rajasthan, the infrastructural system do work. 

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Late at night, the 5-batti-chowraha (the crossing of 5 lightmasts) on MI road in Jaipur is a vibrant place. Park the car opposite to the iconic Rajmandir Movie Theatre (the mother and father of all multiplexes in India – long long before the advent of all these multi-viewing halls and theatres, Raj Mandir gave the taste to all cine-goers what it’s like to enjoy luxury cine-viewing – and its thriving till date – no less an attraction in Pink City than our dear all Hawa Mahals and Jal Mahals). Enjoy the Raj Mandir beauty from outside and if you feel like, see a movie. If not, just opposite, there is a vibrant, colorful market with shops selling attractive items. Just around the corner is Yo!China for your dinner, there are many other fast-food joints. If not in the mood of movie, just take your fast food-plate, a cup of tea and simply enjoy the colorful crowd. Have a laid-back evening, laze around and enjoy.

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The old city is vibrant, colorful, with Bapu Bazaar beckoning you for its colorful “bandhani”s – but beware, color of “bandhanis” goes away easily – either use Genteel, or rinse with little salty water, or simply pray to God. Its better to savor the old world charm of old city by ambling around and tasting the food but limit your purchases in MI roads albeit the later is an expensive option.

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What to say of our political leaders, trust them to vitiate the once-beautiful pink-walls of the walled city. And this will continue till year 2014 when our gen-election is due.

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The rugged vista of ancient Aravalli raising its head against the foreground of old sandstoned havelies that dot the ancient exit-rout of Swai Jaisingh’s capital is breathtaking. Sadly enough, this beautiful route is no longer in much use and instead, both incoming and outgoing traffic is being diverted thru’ a new route that is opened recently in the name of water-logging of the age-old route. Needless to say, the new route offers none of these breathtaking vistas:

Passing by this vintage road and looking at these beautiful havelis, one may wonder of their glorious forgotten past, vibrant and rich, thriving in peace and splendor as Jaipur, unlike other regions of Mewar, Marwar etc was largely spared of any major war or attacks of invading Muslim army. This due to its rulers’ age-old, wise, pragmatic and diplomatic relations maintained with powerful rulers in Delhi throne at different centuries. The same was forged thru’ marriages, thru’ providing crucial military supports over various centuries. From Akbar to Aurangzeb, thru’ Swai Mansingh and Swai Jaisingh - all strong Mughal emperors got critical and crucial supports of Ambar (Jaipur); the result – most of Jaipur relics till date are spared of any historical war-devastation, unlike, say, Kumbhalgarh or Chittorgarh:

The Aravallis all over Rajasthan has a sentinel-presence around all major routes and presents an imposing aura as you pass underneath them. One of the reason why the kingdom of Amber was not really threatened by any of the major invaders in history is the protective presence of the Aravalli ranges inside which, the kingdom was nestled. And there are temples nestled high-up in all these cliffs with steep approach-ways dotting the hills:

Everytime we come Jaipur, we are full of joy, a new energy, the city never seems old or stale. Everytime we leave the city and catch again the old route of NH-11 back to Agra, somewhere in the heart there is a pang of pain. Jaipur is a lovely city, the call of the highway keeps the steam of life going, even when there is a sense of loss: