Mammalla Puram / Mahabalipuram / Mahabs

Mahabalipuram

UNESCO Link: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/249

The Challenge: http://gounesco.in/ A  travel challenge which takes you to all the UNESCO world heritage sites across India over the period of one full year. 

Travel Group: 

• Anuradha Goyal ( http://anuradhagoyal.blogspot.in/) & 
• Sriram ( @bhsriram on twitter) 

Getting There: (From Chennai) : 

• SETC Bus from Koyambedu, 
• or any bus that you can find on the ECR [East Coast Road] going to Mahabalipuram

Staying/Boarding Options Used:  www.Couchsurfing.org  Robert Kennedy Sava .


Food: Multi-Cuisine @ the Bob-Marle-Cafe 


Getting Around: 

• Rented Self driven Moped 
• @ ₹150 for Four Hours (200 Per Day) [Petrol not included] , 
• Place to be rented 
• Othavadi St (Picture included in the blog)

The Real Chow! :

Our journey started with taking a bus to Mahabalipuram from Chennai [2 Hours]

We couch surfed with Robert who let us keep our luggage at his place & let us freshen up a this place. 

Tried in vain to hire an auto to get around the place.  As usual as it is in India, the auto-walla-anna, quoted a princely sum of ₹600 for a 3 hour ride around town totaling no more than... may be 15 Km.

Just then we noticed a place that advertised "Moped's on rent", found out the price which was pretty decent (Details Above)

From the Othavadi St, we headed off to the southern most of the monuments , The Rathas and continued northward in completing the group of monuments :

• Rathas / Monolethic Temples
• Mandapas / Cave Temples
• Structural Temples (Shore Temple) 

It took us about 4 hours to complete all of these. 

We went back to our CS host for dinner @ this restaurant which was PRETTY EXPENSIVE (₹950 for 1 Beer + 1 Starter + 2 Entrees + 1 Staple [Rice] ) by Indian standards .

We wrapped up the trip after dinner and went back to the ECR to hitch on a Volvo to Chidambaram. 

Are these doomed universities? (Click Link 4 Article)

What bench mark are we basing the comment that these 44 Deemed universities are doomed universities ?

How many of the UGC/Government universities in this country have earned a Nobel in any field since independence?

Government control of education is never a great idea. Until the Information highways opened up with the Internet, all we were taught in our GOVT UNIVERSITIES are subjects from out dated books. How manny of these baseline so called wonderful government universities have produced world class labs or technology or policy or anything compellingly life changing and empowering?

Instead of trying to set education free and trying to promote plurality and empowering education we are now getting ready to stem the much needed change we started after 60 years of nation building...whose results we all know about.

How many of our kids go abroad trying to get world class education ? shouldn't this be a marker for government in trying to set its own act straight in reforming its own universities, before blaming the private counterparts?

On Corruption (Click Link 4 Article)

Speaking of Corruption:

~Where does it exist?...MOSTLY in the government enterprise.

~Why does it exist?...Because the public servant can get away with gouging people for the lack of a TRANSPARENT system with effective controls where the person reporting corruption is neither a part of the investigation nor the end poin t of closing of the case.

~ What are these Trasnperency & Safeguards?...A citizen should have easy, free & anonymous access to complain and track reporting any forms of corruption and should be a part of sentencing in penalizing the corrupt officer. Officers should be PERSONALLY made liable for their acts of negligence and abuse of authority and power.

~What would be the single most effective step in trying to uproot corruption?...TAKING OUT THE JOB GUARANTEE FOR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. MAKING THEM EMPLOYABLE ONLY UP TO TWO YEARS AND THEREAFTER REQUIRING THEM TO RE-QUALIFY FOR THEIR POSTS WITH A PROVEN TRACK RECORD.

Denied porn, youth kills grandmother (Click Link 4 Article)

This is the classic case of the Indian family overshadowing and over protecting the kids.

The guy is 21 years old, he has no freedom to watch what he wants???

When guy has the right and duty to vote and select the government, he has the right to choose what he wants for himself which the family over shadows.

The strongest urge a human being has, is his sexual instinct. And when safe means to satisfy that urge (Watching Porn) is denied, I think you should face the consequences, which the grandmother did.

The grand mother has absolutely no right what so ever in reprimanding the 21 yr old in telling him what he should do.

The parents should be able to set the rules right after kids turn 18 that it is not their right to live at home any more. It is the parents that need to make it clear to their children that beyond 18, they are let to live at the parents as a perk and not their right, and that they need to compromise on whatever it takes for them to make the life of their parents more comfortable and not just them too.

I would blame it equally on the parents and the 21 yr old in case of this incident.

Losing an Edge, Japanese Envy India’s Schools (Click link 4 Article)

Folks,

I am gonna be REALLY sarcastic now, Hmm...So much so for the 3rd world teaching techniques we use, If reading 20 by 2 years, and using computers by 3 is called being edgy education, I wonder why we always remained and continue to remain a country of literate ppl and not educated.
Indians are known as miracle workers world over for their abilities, but too bad, not too many of us who are educated ONLY IN INDIA are almost good for nothing other than able to make your pay check at the end of the month.

A country in the west could afford to say Indian school are great...but knowing both sides of the coin, I would say, I would rather be educated than well literate like an average Indian.

:)

Sonia provoked me: Narendra Modi (Click link 4 Article)

So what Mr.Chief Minister, She has the freedom of expression, doesn't she?

You are not morally fit to be in any public office of any kinds for trying to say some one legally exercised their freedom of speech which you aren't able to amicably disagree with.

You are a prejudiced factionist who's true colors have come out today by the statement you gave out.

Bigoted people like you are a threat to a democracy.

Rape case victim was an adulteress: Saudi Arabia (Click link 4 Article)

What the heck, the point is whether or now she had an affair, the point is the archaic & barbaric law of the Saudi's. Not whether the woman went out of marriage.

The husband could have had more than one wifes to satisfy his carnal desires; this is not illegal. But why this discrimination against a woman ?

BECAUSE THE KORAN IS BEING INTERPRETED TO BE SAYING SO???

Get over it, the Law Ministry of Saudi. You should realize that you are not living in the desert kingdom of the middle east in the time period of 7th century AD.

This is the modern world, moralities have changed. This is the age of individual liberties & not a world run by archaic illogical and discriminatory customs.

If your rich can do whatever they want in the confines of the plush gated communities; The ladies of your royal family can take charter flights to Miami and sun bathe in a bikini….this tells that your laws are ending up as only instruments of oppression to the common man. When your royals, who are supposedly and MORALLY to be the upholders of the law aren’t in to follow it...in other terms...your socialites have no true regard for your (Saudi)law in practice or spirit, why are you trying to rub it on to people?


"A law should follow the path of present day realities"; Law that doesn’t meet the realities of life is nothing but a sham against civil society.

"Brand Nahi to Style Nahi"... Get a Life... VP of Mktg @ Zeiss

"Brand Nahi to Style Naahi"

So, the Indian society has hit another shallow low in trying to prepare hoards of 'Brand Bitches' eh ?

I have not had the Idiot box for the last few months since I moved into my new place, Marconi's invention which the Indians have adopted in a style that is mind numbing has kept me connected well enough with the circus called society around me.

Today on the evening of Diwali re-brushing on my lost skill of annoying the Idiot box to change its mind every few seconds, I came across an Ad from Ziess Opticals which can be called "Brand Nahi to Style Naahi". MAN WAS I ALL PUMPED UP IN A FIT OF RAGE AND DISAPPOINTMENT.

It comes to me as i put in more thought that the executives @ Zeiss who are paid all these fat corporate pay checks couldn't come up with anything more exciting and responsible than this super shallow Ad setting an even more pseudo standard that "no brand aint any style at all". And the Zeiss super bosses possibly with an overwhelming zeal to meet their sales targets, letting go of the last morsel of any respect or concern for the society at large approved this ad and the marketing agency who publicized this ad, again gave into the agenda.

Are we as citizens of this nation, so gracious & glorious, so apathetic and hopeless that the average by stander is so ignorant of facts of the actions or results that shape us and our psyche in bringing up and nurturing a coherent society.

I have already called the Zeiss offices and tried talking to their Mktg ppl with not much of an exciting response...Have also looked up the ACSI (Advertising Standards Council of India) website and the procedure to launch a concern in a formal manner.

Would request you netizes and citizens to please do your part in helping me help sensitize our society.

Indian youth are simply unemployable: Report (Click link 4 Article)

This comes as no wonder I guess, If the students are judged by one exam at the end of the year, and only in the subject that they are studying and no other courses to make them well rounded, the resultant output would be what the article has to say.

When fully grown students who are eligible for universal suffrage are disciplined 'like or worse' than kindergartens and not let to live up to their responsibilities I dont see why this article should come to us as a surprise.

Gene switch can alter sex orientation (Click link 4 Article)

When facts of science are proving stronger day after day that sexuality is a genetic factor, why don't we let the sexual minorities live their fundamental rights of expression and life?

By depriving them of their basic human rights, what are we trying to accomplish other than satisfying ourselves of an ego boost.

Keeping science aside, if equality is the grounding base for a democracy...can we call our democracy (India) a true democracy where minority rights aren't being protected?

Stay indoors if you feel threatened, HC tells politicians (Click the title for a link to the article)

I was LITERALLY Laughing my butt off...reading this article.

Seriously, why should peoples representatives be provided security unless they have an documented, open and unavoidable threat. Why should the tax payer take the burden of protecting a so called peoples representative (usually) with shady background?

To say anything more on this article would be an overkill...I think the high court said what was necessary. I just wish it went a little further giving a directive to the government stating that the comfort of the common man should be the utmost priority when planning security for these shady honchos.

Speed is the new mantra for Indian Railways (Click the title for a link to the article)

Is PATHETIC the word to be used for the speed record of the railways? Their track record of modernization, Meaning 'moving from Steam to Diesel' took them 50 yrs, lets see how many donkeys years they take to at least get the 150 Km/hr speed for trains to run on the existing tracks.

Bullet trains ?????? ;-))))))))))))))
I have nothing to say but drop my jaw and keep waiting for this miracle to happen and then pinch my self in disbelief if it is done in the next DECADE.

Who are you Kidding...Indian railways is probably THE MOST ANTIQUATED RAILWAY SYSTEM IN THE WORLD. Anything you say to me without practical substantiation in reality...I think I will let my judgment of their CRAPPY 60 YEARS OF TRACK RECORD DECIDE IT.

India sex workers demand rights (Click the title for a link to the article)

I see no reason why their profession should not be legalized. In a country of over a Billion people where every one of any age is expected to see nothing but PG-13 Moves and Programming and entertainment, I don't see a point in suppressing the only profession that meets the peoples human needs.

Although I am ALL FOR THESE SEX WORKERS RIGHTS, the only issue that bothers be is their health. I am not sure if they will be able to do the trade in a healthy and sound way. Most of the STD's and HIV cases arise cause of unsafe sex practices. I would put these workers on a pre-requisite health counseling and health practice course work before issuing any licenses and rights.

Baroda court summons Mallika (Click the title for a link to the article)

Don't these moral policing morons have a better job of doing nation-building rather than pointing fingers at what goes in a private party of consenting adults...and what the hell is the court up to...doesn't the jobless and hopeless judge have any thing to do other than admit farce cases like these???

Sunita Williams arrives in India (Click the title for a link to the article)

Why cant people get over the fact that she is a Born American and that she is just of Indian Origin? She neither lived, studied or did anything of value or get any sort of any anything but for being born to Indian parents...why isnt the media and country not able to get over her?

I would say this Opinion( Article) perfectly settles the pseudo-exuberant mood and brings us back to reality that India is high on in hosting Sunita Williams.

Innocence Violated (Click the title for a link to the article)

In the light of the following article which I believe needs each of our scrutiny and introspection into our lifestyles and beliefs when it comes to children. As a part of our today's culture which believes every one younger to you is a fool or more ignorant than you & that they need to respect you, how many of us have said to a kid things like shut up, idiot, stupid, good for nothing, 'you need to do it coz I said so'.

Have we ever thought that we were violating the basic human rights of these kids and hindering their development as individuals? Have we ever thought that bring them up in a 'bubble of bliss' (where parents protect until they die) is neither going to equip them to face the harsh realities of life nor is it going to make them better citizens of the society.
~How are they supposed to decipher for themselves what their rights are what exploitation is if we don't ever bring them to a world of knowledge and reality where they are able to THINK FOR THEMSELVES?

How many of us talk about how to deal with their instincts when they turn adolescents? How many of us tell them how to be comfortable with themselves when they are trying to explore themselves as they are stepping into adulthood? How many of us take these teenagers to the family doctors to explain how and what they should know about themselves?
~How are they supposed to decipher for themselves what is stimulation and what is sexual abuse if we don't ever bring them to a world of knowledge and reality where they are able to THINK FOR THEMSELVES?

As conformist & egoistic adults, we just strike down their budding love. Wouldn't it be great if we were there with & for them when they are experiencing their first ever euphoric rush of emotions as an individual.
~How are they supposed to decipher for themselves what is love and deception if we don't ever bring them to a world of knowledge and reality where they are able to THINK FOR THEMSELVES?

Imagine a world where we as family and friends are the first counselors at home where help them explore a world of all possibilities when damage control could be the greatest & they still have mom and dad to defend them when they make the small mistakes from which they can much learn than instead bursting their bubble once they attain adulthood and realize any learning is too hard to comprehend and face.

How many of us are ready to talk to a kid about the realities of life? End of the day we are hindering the quality of the 'foundation/ building blocks' of the society..."THE INDIVIDUAL". How can u expect a better family, society, state, or a country when the very foundation you are laying down are flawed in quality.

Now, HRD plans finishing school for engineers (Click the title for a link to the article)

I totally agree with the facts in the article saying most of India's engineering graduates are unemployable. It very unfortunate but I feel this is true coz of the following reasons:

* The young engineers aren't in touch with the realities of the world they live in.
* They are socially absent, culturally disconnected, and emotionally departed from the society.
* ALMOST NONE of our engineers in schools are made aware of the social consequences of their skills of trade like the socio economic and or the ecological effects of their work.
* These engineers only aspire for good grades but not holistic education.
* That's why we have the world's most competitive engineering schools which unfortunately SUCK at research that comes out of them. What is a university where there is no research? It is nothing but a brick and mortar housing where mugged up and or documented knowledge is being just fed into the best quality human brains with the 'highest grey matter absorbability' that are singled out after an intensive country wide search (IIT)
* Seriously, being modest about my mediocre education, I still consider myself a better equipped citizen than a dumb engineering geek who knows nothing but his drawing board or code.
* IIT's are ABSOLUTE BULLSHIT, of course they have the sharpest brains when a couple of thousand people are singled out of a million people, to me that's natural selection, and not necessarily the best selection for the purpose of achieving the pinnacles of research and education.
* I could be a mediocre student and still be able to get through to a Harvard or an Oxford, but in India if I didn't get the damn 99.99 percentile I am DAMNED.



We as a nation will never actually be educated unless we realize that education is different from being well literate. No wonder the west prefers Indian specialists, WHY? Let me tell you why:

* Most Indians in the west tend to become brain dead morons and work for their bosses, they, irrespective of their intelligence and or intellect just god damn follow their bosses orders and SLOG IT OUT to get the results.
* These people don't participate in the local society; all they care about is their weekend dinner party at a friend's or the temple gathering on a Sunday or an Indian movie screening.
* They almost never give back to the society that is actually helping them realize their hidden potential.
* All they have is to complain about the westernization BS.

Chiranjeevi's daughter marries 'filmi style' (Click this title to see the article)

This article brings to light the point on how we (Indians) bring up our kids without freedom to choose or freedom to make informed or independent decisions.

According to leading regional news papers, the film star had his daughter discontinue her college and almost house arrested her when he came to know that she was interested in someone not of his or his families choice...common sense tells me that this can only be called over-protective parenting.

Research says over protective parenting makes wimps of children and nothing more. Over protective parenting also kind of brings to light the insecure feeling that the parents have resulting in trying to protect their children more than required.

End of the day this results in a situation which is definitely not 'win - win'.

Bad parenting is nothing but a bad regard for your nation. Parenting that results in making weak individuals who aren't able to fend for themselves and the people around them will never be able to do good for their country and society at large. This over protective parenting where parents set an example to the kids in trampling their basic freedoms of choice and expression results in their kids imbibing the same choice of actions.

This vicious circle needs to be stopped. The start of a anything is from its most basic block...which in the present case is an individual.