"My country can be better place , clean ,green and beautiful" read Kiran Naiks blog .

As he says I too do not litter on streets be it somthing small like bus or a cinema ticket , it goes in my pocket back home in garbage I am sure all cld do this .Also wherever I can on the treks ,I pick up the garbage  left behind by others and clean up the ground .I do take time to speak to villagers about cleanliness and need to have a proper toilet and kitchen outlet. I do get curious glances but the idea seeps in sometime , especially if I offer to clean the hotel table myself.

I always carry saplings of various kinds as gifts when I am visiting anyone ,and people cherish that and every change of season I try and plant trees in places I can .If I can do it in Mumbai surely you can do it in any other city which has more space .

It is better than any puja or feeding a overfed bramin.

We must do every bit to maqke India a better place ,clean ,green and beautiful .I request you all to come up with more thoughts on this in your blog and make it a mission .

Incredible India , Atithi Devo Bhavah! Beautiful posters inviting you to visit faraway places , places you always dreamt of going ,relaxing in clean cool air .I love my India.

This year Munsiary was my destination in Uttarakhand ,the name carved from mythology , with Himalayan mountains towering over the little villages .

Munsiary has Panoramic view of Panchchuli mountains ,the five chullas of Pandava ,where they cooked their last meal before their journey to Heaven.The eastern Sun rises from behind Panchchuli so as the rays of the Sun rise up ,they give you an illusion of fire coming out of five chullas.Surely a divine and magnificent sight .

We are lucky to see various peakes like Trisul , Nandadevi , Sudarshan parabat , each peak with its name and history and myths surrounding it .The vast Himalaya is spread four thousand kms with innumerable valleys and peaksod abdunt beauty to visit .

Valley of flowers is one Valley it was named so by a Britishers Frank Smyth ,but all the other valleys also flower and bloom in Aug Sept and would be treasure of beauty to visit .

The people of Utteranchal fought for their right to have their own state.Tourism is their main income .

But what do you see ?We say we worship Nature , but really we abuse it as none other . The garbage and stink is every where , on the roadside , in the waterfall , any where a man can reach in India it is filled with fillth .and nobody cares people accept it our shrines in mountains are dirty .all along the road people are urinating there is a stink as you enter a village .

And surely it has something to do with being a Hindu because we are majority here . We call river , MA but no single river has remained clean .Tourist fasilities by Govt are badly  stinking no service ,you have almost beg for food .yes there are beautiful resorts but only when you go in that you get cleanliness .you go for round of city , town , or village it has heaps and heaps of garbage , add to it are hoardings and noise polution through garish music coming out of all temples,which are mushrooming by dozens at every bend and corner adding heap of garbage to the site .

And should I spell it out what all the garbage will do to the health of people around ?.

One has to go to neibouring country like Srilanka to see the cleanliness they have , western countries have few sites whish are beautiful and they gaurd it with great care for all to see.

I see no hope in this. tell me what you feel and your experiences and comments.

Shaurya Chakra in real life .My visitor this weekend is a young Indian Army officer,well, he is a family not a guest any longer .Young  Officers see a different world when they are in militancy inflicted area , it is fight with death and so many things flicker between the few seconds ,the desicions of that moment make your and your jawans  future to live or  die .

To the civilion comparison is only through a movie scene , imagination is far from real scenes , the emotions created are momentary ,in real life they are lasting in your heart forever .

He told me about the fight he had with the Pakistani militants , three of the Pakis were wounded , Major was under command by the Brigedier , heavy firing continued , the enemy wanted to retrieve , the wounded , Indians would not have it , the mahol continued when a Jawan was wouned , the commandant said do not stop firing but to continue it would mean , sure death of the jawan . Major glanced at him , the eyes pleaded for life , heavy firing wason ,Major stopped the firing,and retrieved the wounded it was risky ,but both sides withdrew with their wounded .

Major was called in for inquiry  ,he had disobeyed the Brigedier's direct orders.Major said he had to save his Jawan .Brigedier withdrew.Had the Major continued perhaps there would have been more Paki down but he surely would have lost his jawan.There was no medal for Major's action ,infact he had disobyed a senior.Nothing wassaid   but that day onward when both officer crossed,the senior  patted the Major on his shoulder and had pride in his eyes .

The real medal was won .

It was just after the 9pm news that this group arrived at home.They were a bunch of youngsters.

The look of honest young professionals clearly on their face .They were polite as not to offend us in any small way.They had come with a request .They celebrated Ram Navami every year with great devotion , but they wanted to do something different , which would also be a contribution to society .They wanted to honour Lt.Nawang and other Martyres from Mumbai on this day .

They video taped an interview so as to tell the little story of each young sacrifice to all .

So yesterday we went to Dongri at Sandurst rd . ,most crowded and sensitive area in Mumbai , always in news for all wrong things.The venue was a bylane in Dongri , next to Chinwala bldg , which had 250 families residing in it,with a tiny temple of Ram at the ground level..The stage was set up in usual lighting and satin curtain decore which go with our religious function .

A little platoon of very young NCC cadets , immeculatly dressed in best uniform were ready to recieve all chief guests.The managing commitee for this was all dressed well in same coloured smart shirts .and we were duly settled in our respective chairs .

They were all with their hands folded and in sombre mood .The little films of five minutes each were ,very well done and story of each soldier stood out distinctly ,we were all very touched .

On the stage were a retired Captain of Navy ,a serving Colonel of the Army and more importantly ,a  middle-aged mild Muslim neighbour and business man from the same locality.There were no over done speeches ,no mention at all of religion ,it was a function for PROUD INDIANS.

The Martyres' family members were honoured and Indian Army was honoured .This is the change we are seeing now in Mumbai , an area where few years ago people feared to go ,was changing ,education and spirit of city of Mumbai is done it again .

We were proud to be ONE , proud to be Indian

Dear Friends ,I have written about Paraplegic Centre in Pune earlier..Some more on it , I visited the Centre yesterday in Pune ,DR.Col Jyoti ,who looks after them is God in human form .My request is to those who can, must visit the centre. if you can visit in the evening you can share some hours with the inmates ,they are free ,and are playing games of basket ball on wheel chair .

Recently the centre has got new computer lab.For those who are computer savvy can help them in teaching also please tell me about self taught soft ware programme to improve english language and to learn computers .also your ideas how and which computer programme will be of use to them will be appriciated .they are literate from tenth standard and above .If you have contacts in Pune , you could get them jobs as clerks and peons , yes, they have motorised vehical transport so they can reach office. Just a reminder again when you and me were happy in our city playing and laughing with each other these young Indians fought with terrorists and took the bullets on themselves , now it is OUR TURN to help in gratitude .I know you all are well meaning but please act now .you can visit the site www.pararehab.org  or write to Maj Bisht  mahesh_bisht@dataone.in or call Maj Bisht at 09373312020.

Life is full of surprises ,yes but this one made a sensation ,please read on and tell me what would you do in such situation.Our dear old aunt decided to get married ,yes my own Mami at the age of 87 was ready to be a bride ! well ,let me make it little easier to digest the news .my dear favourite mami is European .She who was a rebel when she got married to my Mama those 45 years ago ,and stood by his side and our side to fight against the Portugese .She is  in every way Ours ,she accepted the joint family,took up the responsibility of getting younger sister in laws  married.Loved and respected  the elders and to the younger generation she was source of inspiration all along. She showed us all ,how to live life with joy and beauty .Mama has gone many years now long 17years ,they have no children .Life is lonely for her which she never uttered ,she is still strong full with life and wants to live on ....and get married ,we the younger generation welcomed it , but older ones thought she had broken the sanctity , of being the eldest Bhabhi, she has betrayed them after being their bhabhi ,they are bitter about it .

married that to at this age 87 years ,what do you think? does she not have right to fulfill her life with a partner and be happy may be for few years ?or , months or days of her life ?, or she should wrapp her self in dignity and deny her love and joy .Does society has right over her ? Is lonely life better to live ? what will you say ,please let me know.

On 26th Jan .our republic day ,I had nice evening with young Indians from accross the states ,they had put up a show on Surya ,the God.

 from Surya Namaskar,to the festivals importance of Surya in our life and around the world was well conveyed by use of visual, dance and drama . Chinmaya Mission who had sponsered the event had given free hand to about 50 youths to put forward the Idea of Sun and it's importance in our life .

The young group had divided , the parts in mythology , astronomy , science , and then the celebrattion of Sun in different part of Globe ,Japan, Greece, Inca, Egypt and of course India .

With chanting of surya shlokas along with performance ,the group showed lot of depth in their knowledge and performance.

I was enchanted and all the more happy because I do Surya Namaskar daily .It is total exercise and you need nothing else but your will to perform .Together withe chanting of shloka it is total mind and body awakening exercise.

I am back after long .Enjoyed cheering the joggers at Mumbai Marathon ,what a great sight it was to see one and all of all sizes and age running , jogging ,puffing , but moving on the effort of stream of people over flowing the roads of Mumbai ,Lage raho Mumbai .....

what does the Marathon mean ----it means that many people 33,000 , slogged for a year that went by to get fit ,they followed healthy life style ,they found time in their hectic routine for good health .

It also means that people who got together were of various religion and various class, and they had won goal to run the marathon ,to be healthy is to live well ,a happy lot of people.

I thought this to be better than any religious floodings in the street like Govinda and Ganapati.

I hope other cities will also pick up the marathon spirit to their people.

New Year , New Ideas , New Goals  ------------------------------------

same old Goals folks ,

Food for thought ,food for soul ,no it is food where it belongs , to good old stomach

to reduce the pound of flesh ,so then back to diet fads ,sweating out gyms ------------------

no no no-----------------------------

this year it is going to be change of philosophy

,change in thinking about life ---

thinking about most important thing in life------------

FOOD ---FOOD----FOOD

But I am relaxed ,my new mantra is eat everything ,

No saying No to yummy chocolates and pendas .

so one day I ate and ate all the chocolate I could,now I cannot stand the sight of chocolate .

just the thought that I can say yes ,to everything has me relaxed , the control has been built in me now ,

I can eat everthing ,yes, the catch is how much? I dare not go the chocolate way ,that has frightened me so I go on slow ,one at time . Mantra is of ONE , one bite, one piece,so you eat everything but not all the thing ,and friends it is working .Mantra of One and smiling face of satisfaction .

So today on New Years Day I have started of with my very own ,

silky soft ONE and Only OnePuranpoli with one spoon ghee.....

and it works it works . Eat all but eat one.

Will meet you end of the year slim as the number One .