Chapter 2: Travelling by Metro in Bangalore

Regular readers of this blog (numbering to about one), may have noticed that I've started using the style of 'chapters'.  This is to indicate that this is part of the series of articles I've written about 'Getting around in Bangalore'

This time, I'm writing about my observations while travelling in 'Namma Metro'. It's a medium of transport that I use often, and like it too. So in no particular order, here are some observations, thoughts and facts:

• Once you enter the metro station, you are subjected to a security check. Which amounts to putting your bag through the scanner and going through a metal detector body search. While this is fine, what I find obnoxious is that many times, I've found the security personnel not even looking at their computer screens! What kind of screening is that?
• One can either purchase a token for the journey or a travel card (costing Rs. 50). I find the travel card easier to use, since it's just a tap
• Signage is weak. For example:
• Name of station - is at very few places. Once inside the train, not easy to know which station has arrived
• Route map - a static route map which has very small fonts. Very difficult to read from even a short distance
• No electronic signage inside the coach
• The announcement system inside the coach is horrendous to say the least
• Heavily accented while speaking English.
• Wrong grammar. Should be 'Train arriving AT MG Road', instead of 'Train arriving IN...'
• Why have such long sentences? When the train is approaching the station, you can simply say 'MG Road' and that's good enough
• Please make use of specialists for announcements. This sounds like a cost cutting initiative
• The coaches don't stop at exactly the area marked for entry and exit. Therefore, people get in even as people are getting out
• Not enough dustbins
• What's the protocol if one finds suspicious items in the metro? What does one do?

However, I still like the metro. You know why? They're always on time and the people working there are great.

NIOS October-November 2019 results

Update at 16:00 on 12th December 2019

The results are out for NIOS exams conducted in October-November 2019.

Click on the link here results.nios.ac.in And all the best!

Update at 14.50 on 11th December 2019

We are very close to getting the results of the NIOS exams held in October-November 2019. The update since 10th December 2019 is "Coming soon". Even if you hit the 'Check Result' button and try, you won't get any result.

I will update as soon as the results are out.

Trying to walk in Bangalore

In the 'Getting around in Bangalore' series, I wanted to mention how difficult it is for one to walk around.

So today,  I took the bus to come to work. It's half a km walk from the bus stop. But just look at this photograph...

This is right in front of the Traffic Police HQ. Where does the pedestrian go after crossing the road?

And here's another one..

I mean, where is the place to walk?

Chapter 1: Getting around in Bangalore

Haven't I told y'all, that of late I've given up driving on weekdays? Yes, you heard that right. I've boycotted my car and therefore driving on working days. Why, you might ask, have I given up the pleasure of driving on weekdays?

Not rocket science this. The answer is simple, it's the ever-boding, omnipresent Bangalore traffic, you see. Having driven to my current office location daily for the past 15 years, I'd had enough. I was at the precipice of going mad and driving everyone mad around me! This had to stop. Therefore, I had to make a decision and arrived at two options to choose from - a) boycott driving and figure alternative ways of reaching office or b) boycott work and figure alternative ways of earning money.

Surprisingly, the choice was not easy to make! Grudgingly, I chose a), but b) did die fighting, I must report.

In a city like Bangalore, contrary to popular notion, getting around is not such a daunting task. With the right amount of patience, health and cost consciousness and adventurism, one can get from point A to point B. For everyone's benefit, here is a list of choices available in Bangalore (though some don't apply to a few areas):

• Ride sharing apps - Uber, Ola, etc
• Car-pooling apps - QuickRide, Zify, etc
• Bike hire apps - Bounce, Vogo, DriveEasy, etc
• Cycle hire apps - Yulu, Bounce, etc
• BMTC buses  - this has an app
• KSRTC buses - applicable to only a few areas (for ex. Majestic to Yelahanka)
• Airport buses
• Metro - currently only two lines, but bound to expand soon
• Indian Railway trains - a skeletal suburban service exists, but about to be expanded

Over the last year or so that I've deployed my choice of no driving (on weekdays, mind you), I've used almost every option listed above. I've also combined options available. Having tried all modes of transport out there, I've come to the conclusion that my my most preferred (speed+cost effective) option is as follows:

Home to office: BMTC bus combined with either Yulu or Metro

Office to home: Metro combined with Train

And I'm seeing fantastic results of not driving. No longer that tired after reaching home, not irritable. And a great feeling of helping reduce traffic.

During my journeys, I have observed many things...that I will share in subsequent blogs. So watch this space!

Blogs Directory

Who are these animals?

With the rape and murder of the Hyderabad vet, I feel that the public has had enough. Already, there's a report of a mob lynching a rapist and parading him naked. If the government doesn't enforce a law that the average rapist will fear (castration, stoning, etc), I'm afraid people will take matters into their own hands.

But I'm really curious to know what makes a rapist...a child rapist...and a rapist/murderer? Surely they are not human beings. Filthy animals. But how do they become what they become. Whenever I'm out in the public, when I look at men, I always wonder if that one is a child rapist. Or a murderer.

I mean, what leads him to do it? When he sees a 4 year old, doesn't he see a 4 year old? What's sexually attractive about an infant? Does the brain fade that much?

Or what drives him to brutally rape and murder?

Apart from the law, what can we do to prevent it?

Seeking answers here. 

Review of 'Knives Out'

It's been a while since I saw a good whodunit film. And this one is a brilliant classic. Harking back to the days of Christie and Hitchcock movies, Knives Out does it with elan and panache.

From the opening sequence, showing two german shepherds (or were they alsatians?) running towards you in slow motion, to the final one with the cicle of knives, this movie is gripping. The piece de resistance of course is Daniel Craig, who plays a Boston detective, with a French name and a southern drawl. What a combo! But he's done a marvellous job.

The story keeps you hooked till the end. Watch it!

Review of the Joker

It's not often that I come out of the theater in a trance. The last time I remember was when I saw The Green Mile. This was one such 'trance' event.

Joaquin Phoenix has taken the art of acting to another level. Even when he runs, it's the authentic Joker way of running. And boy, when he laughs, does he give you the creep.

If you were to categorize this movie, it's easy to slot it into an 'against all odds' kind of a movie, but the message and sub text runs very deep. It is the story of every marginalized person in our society. The Joker only amplifies what they all feel. And amplifies it brilliantly.

If Joaquin doesn't get the Oscar for this performance, I'm going to wear a skirt for one full day!

Review of 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood'

Like many people, I too have been a fan of Quentin Tarantino over the years. I went for this movie not having seen any trailers, so didn't know what to expect.

But what a brilliant, brilliant movie. It's like a song that grows slowly on you, and suddenly, you find that you're hooked to this song. That's how he builds this movie towards the end. There's not much of a story, it's more like poetry....visual poetry, told stylishly.

There are two protagonists here. You know who I'm talking about. And I can't say who is better, but I enjoyed watching Leo's vulnerability.  What I also liked was the depiction of that era. Extremely authentic.

Would love to watch this movie again. 3 hours of paisa vasool!

An idea following Article 370

Now that the Article 370 has been made toothless, and all states and UTs are at par, here's an idea I have:

• Start an annual process of 'twinning' states. There's already this concept of twinning cities across the world, but they are meaningless
  
• In our case, twinning will have meaning. For example:
• Tourists between the two states will enjoy benefits (discounts, vouchers, etc)
• Employers taking in associates from the twin state will be incentivized
• Setting up businesses in each other's state will be incentivized
• Tax breaks for doing business with each other
• Any other that you can think of
  
• Each year, say on Independence Day, lots are drawn and states/UTs are twinned. So this year J&K is twinned with TN this year and Mizoram the next, for example
  
• One way to revive the notion of national integration

Makes sense?

Can the Kashmir problem be solved?

Over the last two decades, there has been so much violence in Kashmir, that it is no longer bearable to watch, hear or read about it. There seems to be no end in sight to the cauldron of strife between the triumvirate of India, Pakistan and the Kashmiris (not including Jammu and Leh/Ladakh here).

I don't know if this impasse will ever be resolved, but I might have a solution. 2 points really.

1. Hold the (god-damn) plebiscite / referendum
Having promised this since 1947, a referendum to decide the future of the region should be held. Ask Kashmiris (on both sides) what would they like to do - a) Join Pakistan, b) Join India or c) Get independence.

No matter what the result is, it should be respected and followed through peacefully. How long will we (I mean both) go on spending heavy money in protecting a territory that may not belong to us? And lose lives for no logical reason? Someone's missing out on a ton of money to be made from tourism and forestry; but first peace needs to be restored. How? See point 1. And see Point 2 as well.


2. Trade like there's no tomorrow
Which movie has the line, 'Money talks and bullshit walks'? Build such a strong trading relationship between India and Pakistan, that no one will ever think of disturbing the equilibrium. Why can China never go to war with India? Trade. Why is the US overtly friendly with India? Trade. Look around the world. Bigger the trade relationship, lower the chance of war, or war mongering.

Trade between the two countries stands at $3bn today (official). There's talk that the potential is $30bn or maybe even higher than that. And imagine the possibilities in manpower - we get lower wage skills and they get high tech skills. Also, we get a large market to sell our stuff. They get access to education and healthcare.

No more bullshit then.

So. The good news is that, at least theoretically, it's possible to have a better future with the 2-point solution. The bad news is that there's no one in sight who can implement it.

But future generations reading this in 2050 - if the situation is still like in 2019, try and implement my 2-point formula! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Review of Uri

I'm writing this a bit late. I saw Uri with my wife on Valentine's Day, 2019. My first reaction after the movie was, 'Revenge begets revenge', which I told my wife.

And how true that turned out - Pulwama happened a couple of days later.

Anyway, coming back to the movie itself, it turned out to be exactly how I had thought it would be - steeped in nationalistic jingoism and basically ,'maaro saalon ko' (beat the bloody buggers).

Lots of people I know have enjoyed the movie, but strangely, I did not. From a pure cinematic experience, the script was really thakela (tired). Too predictable. Many goof ups too - for ex. the Indian woman spy calling the Indian security advisor on the mobile, as if she was next to him in Delhi!

The intent of the movie was to spew hatred and encourage revenge, which it did well, but as a movie buff, I was disappointed.