My fav pic!

Clicked from a running bus :)

How to reach the fort in Ratangad!

Ratangad is the jewel of forts. It lies in the Ajoba mountain range surrounded by great mountains of Kulang, Alang, Kalsubai, Katarabai, Ajoba and Ghanchakkar. Geographically, Ratangad is at the banks of Bhandardara lake of Ahmednagar district.

How to go to Ratangad (the way we trekked up to the fort)

First catch a train to Igathpuri

Take an auto to Goti village (7-10 rs per head)

From there hire a jeep to Bhandardhara village (20 rs per head)

Here, you can visit the Bhandardhara dam.

Next, you will have to hire a trax to Amrutheshwar temple - this temple is at the base of that fotress (Ratnavadi village). (we struck a deal for 1000 to and fro together)

Amrutheshwar temple is a an ancient temple with a "Shiv ling" in it.

Next, you will have to hire a guide from this place...because inorder to reach the fort we have to pass dense jungles, streams, waterfalls... Its difficult to trek and find the fort in monsoons. We went with chander - infact, Chander was the master - wow! he knew every nook and corner of that place.

When we are almost near, there will be two deadly ladders and a rock climb for reaching the temple and fort on top. (Not for the weak- hearted). Also, one important thing - in monsoons, the rocks will be slippery - so be very very careful while climbing.

It takes almost four hours for the climb uphill. There are differnet routes to take, while trekking. While coming back you can ask the guide to take you through the less slopy route. My legs ached like hell while climbing down.

Map: http://wikimapia.org/1705491/

Stripped of life!

I feel that I am stripped of life

I crave for a space to breathe

I crave to leave this busy life to some peaceful country side...

But when I look around, I see the undefiable spirit of people who thinks that this mechanized life is everything and they fight to survive in this dirt

I am not a fool to think so... there's a better life than this outside

Crammed trains, dirty drains, people shouting on mobiles, no place to sit, no place to stand - I can't see anything so high in this...

Its my choice to be happy or sad - but a meanie i am, I can't be happy with this

I dont choose to be sad either...

I choose to be indifferent and happy at times, but with the unhidden shadows of sadness...

People have lost the common ethics
To be polite is a distant dream

I dont call this the art of life - I call this the "art of survival"

SPITUNNI

I am the great great spittunni (and the spits of the universe)

I spit everywhere ... I live in mumbai

Spitting gives me the high
I like to spit through the window of a running bus.
The thrill...
The wind...
Everything makes my spitting experience a worth while.

I chew pan and I like to create artworks at the bus stop
My ode to my fellow spitters is to spit and spit till mumbai becomes a spit land
that is red with our spits!!!

Have yu tried spitting from a local train
MAN..... if u have not then u have lost entire excitement of the spitting phenomenon

I like to spit on the road
on the walls
on the railings

I leave my mark everywhere...

JOIN THE SPIT FORCE...lets spit till we die !!!

Beautiful Ratangad!

RING TONE ROWDY

U can find this species anywhere
at the bus stop
at a cofee shop
at the mall
in the bus
at office or at home

A ringtone rowdy is someone who is fond of ringtones
be it old or latest!
He subscribes for new ringtones everyother day
When he acquires a ringtone, his soul attains the ultimate unexpalinable satisfaction
U can see a ringtone rowdy listening to different ringtones
wherever it be...
In the bus stop his ringtone playing skills are at its peak
He is satisfied when other's get bugged by his ringtones
He keeps altering the volume till he is satisfied by the ear defening output

A day in the life of a typical ringtody (ringtone rowdy)
He gets up late - and catches hold of his mobile
WOW! a new ringtone again..

Its the donkeys cry - he feels that the music tingles his ears
Its time to go to the bus stop
as soon as he reaches there, he opens the pandora's box of ring tones
Ear blasting, worst form of sound pollution.
A beggar looks at him with a sheepish grin.

He plays the donkey's cry (GUWAAAAAAAH GUWAAAAAAAAAAAAAH)
Few street dogs come running behind him.
He runs away for his life

Running and Panting, he reaches a churchthe church service was going on.
Total silence....
Suddenly, his best friend calls him on his mobile
"YEEEEEEEH DOSTIIIIIIII...hum nahinnnnnnnnn chodengeyyyyyyyyy"
All prayerful eyes on him with disgust.
He slips away with embarrassment.

He reaches back home
A call comes for him.. Himesh bhai croons as the ringtone goes.........."ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"
Baby in the cradle wakes up and screams his lungs out...
His mom throws his mobile out...
He goes out and picks the mobile; back to bus stop again!