Who is Bhim?

Who is Bhim?

Is he the giant pandav you proudly are able to recollect n brag about in front of your kitty gang? Oh yeah, he is that of Mahabharata fame who probably was the first body builder India had ever produced! Man, how powerful he was to tear the mighty Jarasandh's humongous body in two pieces like you would pluck a flower in your backyard. Isn't he the same guy who also eventually killed the baddy Duryodhan? Hey you, I also know his wife's name was Hidimba. I mean his second wife whose son was the fearsome Ghatotkach.

Oh babes, what's going on out there? Did you care to check the spelling? It's bloody not our 'Bheem' but indeed their 'Bhim'!! For God's sake how could you all be so dumbs to not even care about our revered figures' purist names and act like a Pappu? You certainly don't deserve any sympathy from anyone. That's why it's named as such and is exclusively curated for its rightful recipients who have been subjugated by some random behenji for the last so many years on end.

Now just have a look at its virility as it slowly explodes in the hinterlands of her fiefdom in the coming weeks. It will help waking people up from their slumber and since it's their own 'Bhim' they would embrace him like they never did anyone else.

I told you earlier also and you made fun of me then just couple of months ago. Days ahead of the US polls I had humbly opined as under.

"I have a simple analogy to offer. People who voted for Brexit didn't know what they did. They were just impressed with the very thought of 'profiling'. The very same logic goes here as well. The Americans who would otherwise want to boast about their 'liberal' ethos in public would secretly vote for Trump!! Mark my words."

Today also I am telling you guys that the hetherto ubiquitous behenji might not be able to save her own deposit and her 'jamanat' might get 'zabt' leave alone her dreams of getting back to the centre stage.

Now you know who is 'Bhim'! Don't you? Start marking my words. If not for anything else then to just earn some quick bucks in the markets (it's another matter that I am an antithesis when it comes to use my own words in making moolah for myself)!

(C) Rits Original 

Https://scorpiofury.blogspot.com

Welcoming New Year's in Mumbai's Europe

Mumbai boys and girls! Ladies and gentlemen! Wherever you are in the town just don't miss the new year geity of Hiranandani Powai. It's to be seen to believe. I promise you won't have enough of it. You might have plans to usher the new year in tomorrow somewhere in the city n for tonight it might already be too late for an impromptu Dekko but just don't miss tomorrow evening before heading to your party circuit. It's mesmerizing to say the least. I recently went to Gold Coast in Australia n fell in love with its vigour but this time our own little Europe has beaten that blue. Come over guys and treat me for seducing you into getting an eye candy for yourselves you would remember for your life time. If you don't like the show bill is on this poor chap of course. That's the unapologetic n unconditional money-back guarantee from yours truly.

Come, fall in fun!

Cheers :)
(C) Rits Original
@ https://scorpiofury.blogspot.com

Diwali Musings!

Diwali Musings!

They say, "Diwali is a festival of infinite lights & we celebrate it with gay abandon to commemorate the famous victory of good over evil (as it finds its maiden reference in the Hindu mythology when on the occasion of Lord Rama returning back to his constituency Ayodhya after a hiatus of 14 years and immediately after conquering the all mighty devil king Ravana his folks got jubilant and made merry while unleashing all their quota of fun which was suppressed for all these years).

To me it is an opportunity to purge our whole beings of all the impurities we have so (in)voluntarily stuffed in our systems in the past one year. It is also a chance we give to ourselves to let bygones be bygones and make wish for a fresh beginning. For some of us who have had a remarkable last year we celebrate our happiness by bursting fire crackers & by distributing sweets among our near & dear ones. For others who didn't exactly have a noteworthy outing out there it is another fresh dawn today full of promises for the next twelve months (or so) allowing us to get the monkey off our shoulders and make a resolution that we shall strive hard to set the record straight as we bow our heads with uncompromised faith in front of the elephant God Ganesh & Goddess of wealth Lakshmi.

This is also one such festival which helps bonding the loose strings as all family members make it a point to rush to a common reunion joint, mostly their parental homes. No matter where they are across the globe they engineer their plans in such a way (months in advance) that on this day they get to greet each other.

To all those who couldn't find a reason to cherish today, "Go, find your happiness in the smallest pleasures of life. Just don't sulk or wander about with no purpose. Life is so full of surprises, and i am sure you can easily find at least few pleasant ones to bring a cheer to your sombre mood. If not anything else, read this post at least once again along with the never ending archives of the author on his blog but please...." and yes, make merry but do responsibly top it up by making it peacefully rocking!

:-)

Festively yours
Ritesh

(C) Rits Original
@ Scorpiofury.blogspot.com

Am I done with Dubai yet!!

Am I am done with Dubai yet!!

In my last text immediately after landing in Dubai on 30th Dec. 2015 I had expressed my owe for the miracle that Burj Khalifa is but the real amazement came from my 4 year old daughter who got immensely fascinated with the ‘rocket’ building. After having heard a lot about the great “Dubai Mall” there was no way we would have headed anywhere else but this ostensibly monumental real estate extravaganza.

The imposing Burj Khalifa

It made sense also as it was directly connected with our hotel Sofitel via a one KM long chain of air conditioned travelators which made for another joy ride for my young lady. Once we reached the mall I won’t say that I was disappointed but quite matter of factly, I found all of its awe-inspiring adulation quite pretentious as back home in Mumbai there are scores of malls which may not have as much of carpet area to boast about as this world famous landmark proudly possesses but they won’t show a pauper’s face while showcasing almost equally glamorous bells and whistles! So beyond its strenuous distances (which quite astonishingly don’t allow for any less fatigue by inadequate and dare I say misleading signage) there was little to gung-ho about. Of course there were two majestic waterfalls within the mall which more than made up for an otherwise ordinary outing. The life-size busts of upside down hanging divers were a sight to behold. Just do not miss them should you decide to pay this mall some of your precious time while in town.

Dubai Divers

The indoor Dubai Aquarium was just about alright and it may appear out of this world to only those who haven’t been exposed to any decent aquariums anywhere else around the globe. Unless you are hell bent on ticking all the boxes in your bucket list (prepared on guidance from some popular websites / reference travel magazines) I won’t recommend your hard earned money on this grossly overrated experience. You may as well have a look at this transparent (of course it has to be as such) aquarium from outside its perimeter which is very much visible from inside the mall!

The real action lied towards the exit leading to the Burj Lake which houses the famous “Dubai Fountains” starting its fascinating 5-7 minutes long show every evening at 6:00 PM and continues it until late in the evening until 11 PM at an interval of half an hour. The Dubai Fountain is the world's largest choreographed fountain system featuring water that jets as high as 500 ft (152 metres), which is equivalent to a 50-storey building. My four year old had a charm spell cast upon her as she merrily watched the water “snakes” swirling around to the tunes of enchanting classical, Arabic and world music. They say that the beam of light shining upward from the fountain can be seen from over 20 miles away, and is visible from space, making it the brightest spot in the Middle East, and quite possibly in the entire world. It indeed was the high point of our visit to the Dubai Mall.

Some more on Sofitel Dubai Downtown

Call it an infatuated paramour’s obsession for his coveted heartthrob, if you will, but I do not have any worldly inhibitions in openly admitting my adulation for one of the ‘Best’ stays away from home I have ever experienced. In my last post I had shared my first impression about this captivating property in Dubai the very fact that I had completed & posted this story 2 hours post mid night after having struggled with my own typing devices would itself be a good enough indicator of how seriously I fell in love with both Dubai on the very first day of my landing there and Sofitel. To top it up what a beautiful coincidence we bid farewell to 2015 from our suite no. 2015 :)

Sofitel's Welcome

We had planned indulgence in luxury after doing full research on Google, Trip Advisor, www.visitdubai.com in selecting Sofitel Downtown’s Prestige Suite as “The place” for celebrating the New Year eve right in front of the legendary Burj Khalifa which hosts mother of all the fireworks at the stroke of midnight on 31^st December every year. I have showered enough encomiums on Sofitel in my last post and even as I am running the risk of sounding boorishly repetitive for my so very patient readers, as it turned out, by all means we were so very proud of our decision. From the word go we were treated like Royalties and got pampered with a never before experience infused with such elegance and class. We had a dedicated, well attired and awesomely cultured front desk executive Fatima who was too adorable and sweet to help us in every little way she could. 

Sofitel's Magnifique Lobby

As my wife’s would put it in her own words, “This was the place for enjoying touch technology, unrivalled views of Burj Khalifa & musical fountains as well as to admire exotic glass lamp shades, huggable pillows, feather light quilts which just wrap around to give the perfect sleep with a smile, a simply wow shower area, hi-end cosmetics / toiletries, body wash n shampoos from Paris, mind boggling selection of music of all languages with Bose speakers in the entire suite, bathrobe, slippers, n towels arranged specially for even our cutie pie! 

Shades of Rainbow @ Sofitel

Sofitel’s breakfast buffet was a revelation of sorts as the moment one enters the buffet area an array of refreshing colours welcomes you. The entire space is so tastefully and uniquely done to find a match elsewhere. And to top it up are the relishing delicacies in the most amazing cutlery! It probably was the most premium breakfast we have ever been to (and it beats all our 5-star experiences until now hands down). It was no less than a छप्पन भोग with राजसी ठाठ बाठ Chappan Bhog with rajsi thaat baath as we say in India (popular euphemism for the most extensive and elaborate spread). The varieties served in the buffet was so enormous that out of curiosity I thought to check n decide my vegetarian menu before picking up the plate and you won’t believe it took me one hour to just decide what I will finally put in my platter! From the fruits, smoothies, cakes, muffins, cheese, mousse, cookies, breads, salads, dressings, juices, dry fruits, sandwiches, mini burgers, pizzas, waffles, crepes, spring rolls it was just like an ocean of food! I mean this is called love for detailing as we got treated to countless surprises & yummylicious delights, fresh from their bakery. My favourite was kiwi n green apple tarts and for our own apple pie she couldn’t have enough of sugar coated candies.”

The Royal Feast

They say that the way to a man's heart is through his tummy! Well! Why just males only? This place for sure had a (breakfast) spread for all shapes n sizes of tummies. Scrawny ones with lesser appetite would just feel frustrated for their being less biologically privileged to stock all of it up. The ones with pot bellies would get so much of it for all their guilt & the ones pregnant with immense possibilities would have all of their cravings satiated here. What a blissful place & what amazingly delectable offering! Surreal indeed!! Now I can die a well fed glutton ;)

If we weren’t pampered in the most aristocratic manner already during our 2 day stay there Sofitel didn’t forget us even after our checking out and moving on to another Accor group hotel! Next day on our way to the Ibn Battuta Mall we had to come back to Sofitel as it suddenly started raining. The ever so courteous & helpful staff gave us umbrellas and stroller for our daughter! I must say that this hotel would go a long way in keeping its relationship and bond so strong with its patrons. They really value their customers and we were completely flabbergasted with their hospitality.

The ‘Two’ Fireworks in Dubai

All the hotel guests had been strongly advised by the management several times to get back to their hotel premises by no later than 5 PM on the new year eve lest it turn into a logistically challenging and financially burdensome endeavour for them as the sea of humanity (estimated to reach a mammoth 2 to 3 Million) would flock around the area to get a glimpse of the fireworks at the midnight. We did duly pay heed to this advisory and got back in time and started anticipating the event of our lives unfolding right up there. It was around 9:30 PM and I was sitting in our suite while overlooking Burj Khalifa & the Burj Lake through its window. The late evening show of the Dubai Fountain was just about to begin when I saw some sparks billowing out of a tall sky scrapper. We all were just going through the motions to wait for the midnight 'artificial' fireworks. Already having downed two beers I could only think it was some sort of a weird (as it obviously didn't look like one) kind of rehearsal (or may be a teaser) just couple of hours ahead of the real 'fun'!! But my initial reaction dramatically changed as within just 2 minutes the ‘fire’ appeared to have embraced the entire building! It was the same place where we went for our lunch just few hours ago, one of the glistening city’s most prominent luxury hotels, The Address! It goes without saying that all that excitement and anticipation for the clock to strike 12 went in a flash as everybody was just so concerned for countless of those who could have possibly got trapped inside a gargantuan structure of 63 floor having 625 rooms & apartments. The number of people finding themselves in such a horrific situation could only be imagined to have swollen beyond its capacity as tonight was the night when this property would have also welcomed scores of non-resident guests already who would have paid a bomb to have an unobtrusive view of Burj Khalifa! No such mishap could ever deemed to strike at a worse time (my sincere apologies if that sounded outright insensitive) but in the circumstances it was just the last thing anybody could have imagined in their most bewildering of thoughts. Amidst all of the commotion and a valley of emotions almost an hour later somebody broke the news that there wasn’t any casualty and all of the hotel patrons got evacuated in time! That was a relief which everybody was praying for and all thanked their own Gods for blessing a sea of humanity from a very likely collateral damage.

With the settled sentiments (but amidst loads of uncertainty over the prevailing scenario) everybody once again (tentatively) started anticipating “The Event” to unfold right at midnight! The moment did come and for the next 8-10 minutes what we saw was an out of body, out of mind extravaganza. Every single millimeter of the whole of 829.8 metres of Burj Khalifa seemed to be lit up on its own while vying for attention of every single awe-struck eye around (there were at least a couple of millions of them). It won’t be an overstatement to say that most of us had to fight with nature to keep them blinking for the entire show’s duration lest they miss the ‘unknown’, jaw-dropping fireworks ever being staged on earth! According to the organizers the Burj Khalifa was fitted with 400,000 LED lights and 1.6 tons of fireworks were used in the display. For those who still haven’t watched this spectacle online here is the link that captures the full show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od-3zxMi55M

By the time the show got over we were still gasping for what we saw in front of our eyes. At the same time everybody thanked the great Almighty God for the divine intervention in averting loss of even a single human life in what looked like could have been a massive tragedy in the hours leading up to 2016. Cheers to the bubbly positive spirit of Dubai topped up with its palpable enthusiasm as it welcomed the New Year with such a mature and definitive approach. As they say, the show must go on!

Fun in Dubai

1.  Desert Safari

In my childhood whenever I used to see a Land Cruiser or Rand Rover zipping past me I used to wonder as to what would be their 'own' to do justice to their muscle. I finally got my answer when I visited the desert of Dubai. The trip started off with our driver picking us up from the hotel after lunch and as he took us out of the hussle and bustle of the town we realized that he got hundreds of other from his clan to give him company. After a brief pit stop just before the 'thing' the fun began and next one hour was to be felt to believe. It was nonstop madness as all of these trained driver indulged in dune bashing as they played with sand like nobody else could. I was also mesmerized by their discipline, coordination and also the precision with which one would exactly emulate the guy right next to him in the pecking order!

After the most enervating thrill ride it was time for fun as all the people who have booked a Safari get to enjoy sexy music, fire show, belly dancing, folk dance while having their dinner. The whole evening was simply too good.

Fun @ Desert Safari

2.   Miracle Garden

      We had heard so much about this man made wonder that we postponed our original plan of visiting Dubai in the month of October by a couple of months since we realized that this garden is open for just over 3-4 months starting towards the end of the year (you would have to check the exact dates online as it might change for a particular year depending on the weather conditions).

      The world's most beautiful flower show I ever saw and that too in a desert city! Even as it's size was huge like it would never end we made sure not to miss even one spot or lane of this truly incredible masterpiece. Each of the intricate and elaborate work had its own beauty n charm as it won't fail in casting its mesmerising spell on the thirsty soul. We especially loved the umbrella lane. For any Dubai visitor this garden should feature in their "must do" bucket list.

Awesome Dubai Miracle Garden

Umbrella Walkway

Umbrella Foodcourt @ Miracle Garden

3.  Butterfly Garden

After having a thoroughly entertaining time at Miracle Garden when we saw that there was a butterfly garden right next door we were filled with lots of anticipation but very soon we realized that it couldn't hold a candle to the "Uber Cool" Miracle Garden. What a pity it turned out to be a real bummer. Unless you are bored and out of options to spend your rest of the day this place can definitely be given a miss.

4. Dubai Garden Glow

We had heard about this garden and it appeared that it was the latest entrant in the already long list of places that compete with each other in enthralling their visitors. Most of the cabbies also didn't seem to be aware of this place and as such it was more than just some effort in finding the place towards the end of day.

At the entry gate itself we realized that we are going to be in for something truly extraordinary and it sure did! To sum it up it was a fun packed blockbuster having valleys of lights, fiesta of colours and celebration of ideas facilitating for an absolutely amazing display of creativity at The Garden Glow. Again, this place shouldn't be missed by any person, regardless of their age.

Dubai Garden Glow

Garden Glow's Glory

The Light Carpet

What a delight!

Awesomeness has a new meaning

The Glowing Kids

5.  Dubai Aquarium

As I said earlier, unlike other mesmerizing man-made wonders Dubai can't really boast about its aquarium. For those who haven't been exposed to some of the finest aquariums around the world it might still seem enchanting but when a person like me has seen the World's biggest property in Atlanta over a decade ago I found the Dubai aquarium quite ordinary and it's not something you would want to extend your stay in Dubai another day for.

For our little girl it was a beautiful afternoon though in The Lost Chambers Aquarium @ Atlantis as she enjoyed watching different species of fishes, tapping the glass, running behind when a big fish came closer. She especially loved the jelly fish changing her colours n wanted us to take one to our home n put in the bed beside us.....wish I could fulfil this wish of hers.

6. Ski Dubai

Of all the things that we enjoyed doing in this desert city Ski Dubai would undoubtedly rank up there on the top. It has to be put among the modern day's wonders especially as it's a serious task to maintain such a massive infrastructure made up of just snow and ice all around the year and that too in one of the hottest cities of the world! Truly incredible.

As for the indulgences Ski Dubai has to offer there are many for all the age groups. As you are geared up in the thick suits made of special fabric to provide you insulation against the freezing cold weather inside you just can't help taking your gloves off the hands to capture those magnificent frames every single minute! That puts your body under double whammy and eventually you are forced to come out of the chilly terrains to get your body back to its normal self. If that aspect be taken care of you sure have a gala time at Ski Dubai. For all that it has to offer, I found the entry ticket price of AED 325 per person way too steep as there is no guarantee that one would be able to spend quality time inside owing to the challenging requirements from one's body. I would recommend this thrill ride to only those high on self confidence and will power.

Ski Dubai

Fun n frolic @ Ski Dubai

Sledge @ Ski Dubai

The Gold Souk

Mercure Gold Hotel Al Mina Road - A Home away from home

After having spent the last two nights of 2015 we ushered 2016 in the comparatively (and obviously) less pretentious property of Accor viz. Mercure Gold Hotel on the Al Mina Road in Bur Dubai. For all its warm hospitality and ease of access to different parts of the town while not puncturing a hole in your pocket I very strongly recommend this property to the tourists of all types, whether in friends group or family.

Accor Le Club

In my earlier posts I have strongly recommended about this annual membership offered by Accor group of hotels and I once again quite convincingly reiterate on the same. I have been using this membership for the last three years and trust me the kind of value proposition it brings along it's a no brainer to go for this. One could get the entire membership fee reimbursed in the form of a free night which could be availed in any of the Accor properties (and there are hundreds of them) spread over the Asia Pacific region including Australia and New Zealand. For example I have booked myself in Sofitel Melbourne on Collins (which would have cost me 18,000 bucks or around 1.5 times the membership fee) & unlike such other membership proposition from other hotel chains this one is absolutely less fussy. If you have planned your holidays well in advance you could be almost sure of getting your free night in your chosen property.

Also, add to your complimentary night the other privileges which come as part of the membership it's a real steal. I won't take too much of space here in listing them but just the thought of going for a lip smacking dinner with your family in the best Accor restaurant of the town while getting a birthday cake served on the table along with two signature cocktails (yes, all as part of the membership) should be good enough to fall for this patronage.

This membership also gives one access to the global sales from Accor (and they do so every quarter) ahead of the general public apart from giving an additional 10℅ discount all round the year.

As such this recommendation to Accor Le Club membership comes with a money back guarantee of yours truly.

Last but not the least - Have you still not heard of The Entertainer?

Some of the finer things in life come when you are least expecting them. During my basic checks while planning our Dubai sojourn I accidentally stumbled upon something called as 'The Entertainer' and thankfully didn't pass it on as just another website. There was something in it that kept motivated and glued to it to know more about its concept and value proposition for its customers. After getting convinced with it in its first impressions I just bought it for AED 445 and what it returned to me was simply incredible to say the least.

I got one night's stay free in Abu Dhabi during our 2 days stay there and saved around AED 600. At Ferrari World I could get an express pass valued at AED 500 free (I could have got another free if we were in a bigger group). At Ski Dubai I availed another free offer worth AED 325. Add to it virtually all the eateries in Dubai and five star restaurants that give you one free with other (BOGO) as you flash your Entertainer app and you have made a killing when it comes to saving your money on vacation. Alas, I didn't know about The Entertainer before booking my stay in Dubai or I could have tried availing the "one night free with one" offer at the same properties we eventually stayed.

The Entertainer is spreading its wings in all the geographies in a phased manner and that is only very exciting for people like me. It provides it's users with the BOGO offers in some of the best hotels, restaurants, spas, amusement parks and recreation centers for the city you have purchased the App for (yes, The Entertainer has localized products for some of the major tourist destinations across the globe). What more would you ask when you get to know that when it comes to hotel bookings you could actually avail the BOGO offers anywhere in the world (of course, The Entertainer has to be having a presence there) regardless of which local Entertainer app you have purchased! Essentially, I can book a complimentary room night in Grand Hyatt Goa using my Dubai Entertainer app. How cool is that!!

If only The Entertainer was already present in Australia I would have been far more happier with my family's upcoming vacation starting in next couple of days.

Closing Remarks

If by now you are already fried up reading the above lengthy piece you might find the article I posted on some of the finer logistical & practical nuances while planning an overseas trip just handy.

Cheers
Yours Everlastingly
Ritesh

(C) Rits Original @ https://scorpiofury.blogspot.com

The Scorpio :)

P.S.: Excuse any typos and/or contextual errors as like always I have composed this entire write up over my rather plain handset's 5" screen devoid of any spell checker.

Day 4 - The God's own Highway: Srinagar to Kargil

Day 4 - The God's own Highway: Srinagar to Kargil

Our houseboat's otherwise affable caretaker gets off the hook if you ask him to give you an early morning tea. So when i sensitized him last night that we would check-out at 5 he threw his usual tantrums but we didn't really have a choice & i could finally motivate him.

Barely half an hour into our 216 km long journey (which took us 8 hours to complete) the great nature started unfolding layers of its magnifisence. It was truly a treat to watch gentle yet pure greeny white water streams giving us their healing company for most part of our trip. The hills along the tricky road would challenge you for any colour blindness as you end up testing your cognitive skills to identify how many colours in different shades of Revlon are actually there on a single piece of rock!! You bow your head in respect when you see what precise chisel work is on display in the nature's workshop. I could hardly decide what to capture & what to leave! Such was my helplessnes in my effort to do justice to the sheer regality & elegance of this road (which at times i thought was teasing me) that my Pa had to gently remind me that we had some unfinished business.

Sonamarg disappointed as there was absolutely nothing to write home anything about it but we got the icing on our cake when we halted at the Drass Memorial. I went 13 years back in time when giving our final year engineering exam we got to know about the challenge our enemy had posed for us by intruding these vary heights which are so strategically located. Blood would run then when we would hear about the ongoing developments on war thru media. I once again had goose bumps as memories of the war & the war heroes who fought so valiantly in enormously challenging circomstances to save our Mother Nation's pride & honour. Meeting some of the soldiers was indeed a surreal experience.

There was nothing to do in Kargil & after landing at 1:30 pm we kept ourselves confined to the hotel room for the rest of the day.

Day 2, Part 2 - The understated charm of the Garden City

Day 2, Part 2 - The understated charm of the Garden City

While scripting my itinerary for diffetent locales I would always get stuck in Sri Nagar city. For whatever impression i had about it i never expected it to offer something of its own beyond the shikaras n houseboats. Also, some how the image i was shown by different channels didn't put for a very exciting showing by this pristine town. For instance the revered Hazratbal mosque might find its mention in just one of the dozens of popular travelogues / websites! I personally liked the place very much. Of course, it may not be as overwhelming as Khwaza Moiuddin Chisti's in Ajmer Sharif but it has a presence & religious significance of its own. Don't forget to spend 30 minutes in the serene, quaint, Dal facing lawns of the mosque. I bet my money that you will forget all your miseries & would want to take more than a power nap here.

Which city comes to your mind when you recall "Mughal Garden"? I am sure some would try to instinctively say, "Delhi". I don't fault them for Sri Nagar hasn't let the world properly know it has not just one but actually three such jewels!! Here also, your tour operator might (unknowingly / unintentionally) want to guide you that "Chashma Shahi" is also called THE Mughal Garden. He is right!! Just one third of it if doesn't tell you that "Shalimar Garden" & "Nishaat Garden" complete the mindblowingly awesome trimverate of what was intended to be known as Kashmir's Mughal Gardens. Our cab driver revealed this & i got my money's worth there itself.

Shalimar is an imposing structure which makes you fall in love with it the moment you enter its modest entrance which grossly belies on what it is protecting!  Its lush red n green facia reminds of all those Hindi movie songs which have made certain Chopras n Johars what they are today. I, the solo flying bird, for once regretted having missed the ethereal feeling of being in love with the concept of love. Excuse my gibberish treatment, i am getting overwhelmed by the great artistry. It being a Sunday, the place is thronged by the locals who have come in droves. Did i actually see a bunch of 30 odd free spirits sipping a cuppa tea, served pipping hot from a large vessle, with biscuits??!! My-o-my!! I felt like shamelessly asking a cup for my thirsty soul but my forcibly imbibed civic sense didn't allow me this privilege :(
There i passed by this careless Indo-firang couple engrossed in their own world of literary debate (i just overheard "Othello" by the graceful lady). There were mom's who came with their nursery going kids while their husbands would be deliberating about Dhoni's jibe on Tendulkar.
I realized that i had to keep an evening excusive for this beauteous creation of man. Alas, i had to move to the next one. For all my stay i had this strange feeling that something was amiss. I could sense that even as this Master could give any Mahi a run for his  money on any given day perhaps it was not at its charming best! Could it be put on to the weather which possibly was not the best now? But who is complaining?? I actually am motivated to make sure that the Champ returns to its full glory when i seek my next appointment with the royalty.

Next on menu was Nishaat garden. Like Shalimar it is also crafted under the foot hills of a gigantic hill. Its tall boundry walls conceal what's gonna be revealed. On entry my immediate reaction was, "Thank my good heavens, it's not going to sap me of all my pluck". Trust me you guys truth couldn't be any closer to my poor imagination. Barely did i end up relishing the breathtaking beauty of the mazzanine floor i realized there were some stairs meant to take me to the next level. To cut the story short, it was a multi story beauty with each level (there were at least seven i vouch) trying to attract the penthouse premium from the other! Yes, each level had its own infiniti pool & a centrally liberating waterfall!! The size of all of them was at least that of Wembley and some of them could indeed aspire to beat the biggest olympics stadium hollow! I particulary got impressed with the way children & elders had UNRESTRICTED access to the pools. Every body just seemed to have forgotten that they were in a public place as they enjoyed with gay abandon. Kudos to J&K tourism for being so open & considerate on this largesse to its patrons. What a master stroke!! Even as by now i was literally dragging every single bone of me to the next higher level i finally gave up on the second last (and for which i won't forgive myself). What a visual treat it had been! I cursed myself for not researching well before coming here or i could have managed my stay more judiciously.

The last one was Chashme Shaahi & i got relieved when i realized that it was a poor second cousin to its more decorated siblings, both in sheer size & maintenance. I quickly winded up in just over five minutes & came down with (medically) heavy head wanting to hit the sack immediately. Then came the shocker! "Haven't you brought the water with you?" On my dead zombie like reaction the shopkeeper giving company to my Pa all this while educated me that there is a continuous stream of water coming out of a fish eye opening and that it had some medicinal properties to keep your digestion in order. So much so that the legend has it that Nehru Ji would get his daily dose shipped to him DAILY. I couldn't say no to the silent curiosity my Pa had & went up again first to drink myself besides filling in a bottle. As they say, "Every Chashma has its Shahi day".

Tip:
1. To be able to do justice to the royal gardens don't pack them back to back on the same day. Trust me you'll end up missing all the fun & your limbs also won't shower praise upon you.

Day 2, Part 1 - Awesome Gulmarg Gondola

Day 2, Part 1 - Awesome Gulmarg Gondola

Wow! Had quite an engaging day unlike y'day. Enjoyed a lovely morning weather on way to Gulmarg with cool, pleasant breeze gently massaging every single pore of my body n soul. Ah, sitting beside a driver was never so carefree n relaxing!! Gulmarg treated us with downpour while on way to the Gondola from taxi stand. This is something deliberately done to favour the pony-wallahs as the long 1.5-2.0 km stretch can actually be demotivating for someone not used to casual, brisk walking even as motorable roads are available!! Then i had to negotiate my way thru the unrelenting touts who make it a point to prove that for riding "Pushpak Vimaan" all such efforts n pain are worth. Gondola itself was truly awesome as it takes u to an elevation of 3,950 mtrs. Getting out of our Gondola itself was an enthralling experience. In the company of some state sponsored VIP's you also feel privileged. I made up for the missing 50 mtrs (from the psychologically ego boosting 4k mark) by climbing to the snow point which shouldn't be anything less than 250 mtrs above from where Gondola leaves us. It was a surreal experience to feel the real "snow" in hands & get myself clicked in 4 different poses on a ski at a measly 50 bucks. Coffee n maggi at that remote place were always meant to be worth every cent spent. It's a real pity i couldn't climb up to the ULTIMATE heights as we had to go down within 3 hrs!! On our way back to the taxi stand we hired ponnies & saw the lush 21 holes Gulmarg golf course, probably the most decorated one in the country.

Tips:
1. Always carry one umbrella each for all the group members.
2. Don't get frustrated with the forgettable Gondola booking experience. The management is hands-in-glove with the unscruplous touts but keep your spirits high for what's in store ahead.
3. On reaching stage 1, don't just stop there. It would be a good idea to immediately proceed to the stage 2 which is worth all the time u can spend (or are allowed to spend).

The fourth anniversary celebrations of my Blog

Boy-o-boy! Oh boy! Time surely flies and how. Today my younger baby (the first one is the only biological yet) grows four years old. Guess in its four years of existence it has done reasonably well to bring smile on at least few faces even as of late I haven't been able to do justice to it in giving my quality time for its continued evolution. If you guys didn't get an opportunity (or motivation) to follow its immediate post-birth days that time and you have a fascination for the captivating Kashmir n Ladakh region I promise to get all of their charm playing live on your hand held devices as in the course of next couple of weeks I shall be republishing those absolutely out of this world memories again on my blog, day by day as it happened then. Keep hitting https://scorpiofury.blogspot.com until 15th September. I do hope it won't let you down in devoting your precious little time. Cheers.

http://scorpiofury.blogspot.in/2012/08/journey-of-life-time.html

Everlastingly yours
Ritesh
(C) (W)Rits Original

@ https://scorpiofury.blogspot.com

Story of a little princess

My little Princess' story so far...

From being just another face in the crowd to carrying the biggest names in the industry on her tiny shoulders. All of that in a flash (just over 100 days to be precise since she first hit the screens on 7th May only)! And the best part is that she seems to have found her karmic vanity (oh yes, she just loves the vanity vans whenever she gets her stage to show all her wares) in doing whatever she chooses to do while enchanting all the industry veterans and curious onlookers. Am I a proud father? I would sound very selfish in saying so. I am just so very thankful to the great Almighty God for blessing me with this Angel who has changed the very meaning of life. I am also very grateful to all of my well-wishers for pouring their warmth on me and her without which I wouldn't have got so many moments to cherish. Last but not the least it's the mom of the Princess who should be held in the highest esteem for all her bravado and hard work in polishing her ward.

https://youtu.be/EiNQYCEzsSM

https://youtu.be/Dn-F-Jwe2Xs

https://youtu.be/qNxCTTyd-EQ

https://youtu.be/Ere5dInwrDI

The story is far from being over as many more such chapters of absolute delight are to be unfolded for everyone to be charmed with a zeal for life and positive attitude to reckon with. Amen!

Moral of the story (if at all I am qualified to add that): All the kids are born with a unique talent and vista. If only we could allow them to explore their true potential it would make for such blissful and cherishable moments forever. Let the small, beautiful flowers bloom to their fullest. Amen!

Cheers

(W)Rits Original

https://scorpiofury.blogspot.com

A cute little request - Shriya @ Lakme Fashion Week

A cute little request - Shriya @ Lakme Fashion Week

Ever since she came in our lives a little over five years ago Shriya has been mesmerizing us with her infectious charm and zeal for life. Even as her age defying sense of compassion amuses one and all her earnestness to do well in all walks of life with a surgeon's precision and a hermit's self assured focus has brought her lot of academic and extracurricular laurels already at such a tender age.

Only recently she won lot of hearts by her performance in the Mother's Day tribute by Pepsodent https://youtu.be/sxrwf-h_yKE and the new age Father's Day celebration by LG https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn-F-Jwe2Xs

Just a couple of weeks ago she became the cynosure of all eyes as she walked the ramp @ The India Kids Fashion Week with a confident gait associated with the top industry veterans.

Now, Shriya so humbly aspires to walk the ramp @ The Lakme Fashion Week which to say only the crème de la crème get to do would be an understatement. And it sure is a tough task ahead to clear the hurdles along the way. In her endeavour she would need the vociferous support of all who love her.

If you want the adorable Shriya to walk the ramp at Lakme Fashion Week, vote for her by liking her picture on the link below as only the top 10 girls & top 10 boys with maximum likes will qualify for the Hamleys Ramp Camp Audition in Mumbai. If you wish her to do really well in this test you may also want to share this post on your own FB wall so that your friends could also get to vote for Shriya.

The voting closes on Friday, 24.06.2016 at 11 AM.

https://mobile.facebook.com/Hamleys.IN/photos/a.1217344314944539.1073741935.130120583666923/1217346124944358/?type=3&source=54

Thanks a lot in advance for all your love and affection for Shriya.

Cheers

Ritesh @ Rits Original

https://scorpiofury.blogspot.com

Planning a weekend trip to Lonavala - Look no further!

Planning a weekend trip to Lonavala - Look no further!

It’s been almost a decade since I moved to Mumbai and all these years I have realized that the default name to strike any Mumbaikar's mind and tongue while planning a short break away destination is Lonavala. Isn't it? Whether it's with someone's childhood buddies, colleagues at work place or with family friends there doesn't appear to be too many worthy contenders to take away the numero uno's crown from this sleepy yet lively town which doesn't require too much of an advance planning or research.

For such a casual vacation you would ideally want to not think too much in booking either a bungalow or a hotel / resort from the plenty of options available depending upon various factors like your group size, tastes of most of them, budget, etc. But eventually the only thing that could pose a challenge in 'fixing' the 'hotspot' is to choose from across the multitude of bungalows each vying for the prospective patrons' attention and the so called resorts each beaming in your face through the length of Mumbai Pune Expressway vide jumbo billboards. As such quite invariably the time spent in merely pinning down on a name could turn out to be more than what one would actually get to spend in Lonavala!

We are a group of few families connected together by our kids who share their school. Almost every week we go out and try to have a gala time while having our food and drinks together. Kids mingle n don't care for anything around while having their own sweet time. As such we are always on the lookout for kid friendly places. We had earlier tasted the idea of ten families going together on a farm house at around 3 hour drive from Mumbai and we once again started mulling over the idea of repeating the fun. Quite a many locations were researched around Mumbai and honestly none of them could give an “in-principle” assurance of it not turning out to be a damp squib. This time we were eight families along with ten kids between 2 months and 11 years of age. Quite providentially I chanced upon Picaddle and instinctively loved the place from how it appeared online. I could sense that it was a decent 3 star property having a good number of rooms available at an almost median price you would get while budgeting for Lonavala. Not so surprisingly I found that among all of my colleagues and friends no one had heard about this place which I later realized could be because of the management not coming from the “carpet bombing” school of thought while marketing their property. They would rather let the word of mouth create awareness about them being a worthy host of choice.

This time I am not going to get into the details of how our experience was as I simply don't have to! All of us had a ball and my friends have poured their hearts out in expressing themselves on our 24 hours fun filled breakaway from our homes.

As for my own thoughts I would just say that I would be surprised if any other place could have been half as merrier as Picaddle was. It surely earns for itself yours truly's money-back guarantee. If you are one of those who care for his words, rely on their authenticity / objectivity and get a not so pleasant experience at this property after acting on this recommendation please don't feel embarrassed in letting me know of your disappointment and I promise to refund you 50% of your expense there or INR 10,000 whichever is lower.

So, what are you thinking as you already have a temptation to book Lonavala for yourselves? Kids' summer vacations have already given you ample opportunities to time your own convenience. Just do it and have a 'Picaddle' for your family and friends. Don't skip my wife and friends' words below this piece if I couldn't motivate you enough already :)

Cheers

(C) Rits Original

@ https://scorpiofury.blogspot.com

“Jawani Janeman Haseen Dilrubas” is what we call our group which in English would mean a group filled with life and vigour having lovely ladies who make every heart pause and smile! Super tired with our jammed routines we decided to take a break. When we as in our group takes time off we really mean only n only loads of crazy fun. Every single person put on their research analyst hat to kick start and get the best deals available and when the people from IIT or IIM or Strategists from Forbes’ top 50 company or Businessmen who are market leaders or professionals excelling in finance, law and accounts research you can surely understand they want "Theee Best" for their time, money and family. After all crazy late night WhatsApp chats on different properties we finalized "Picaddle Lonavala". It was surely bang on with the kind of experience each one had. Right from the start Picaddle's location which was in the heart of the Lonavala market having prime resorts and German bakery next door to the bright yellow prominent plate which caught every kids’ eyes to jump and point with finger shouting "Yeaaah Picaddle", "Papa stop.....stop it's come"!! We entered the property with a smile ‘coz there was no problem in finding the hotel .We didn't miss or took U- turns it was just on the main road..........The valet car park made it smooth ......the bellboys were spontaneous... The receptionists were calm n composed well dressed helping our entire jing - jang in smooth check in. To our delight the rooms were not only good in size but also had amazing balconies with sitting arrangement. The décor and upkeep of the room n bathroom was must say very impressive. There were different wings in the hotel North, South, East and West each having their own bunch of luxuries. Excited to play in water, kids changed into costumes and were ready to splash. The glass lift, the Jacuzzi, the kids pool, two pools with separate sitting area where many groups can have good times together were amazing. We went to the biggest pool of the hotel and that was the Pirates Pool having a crazy Shark House. The sun was up and filled the space with smiles on the face. Splish splash! Both kids and grownups went zooming n screaming their lungs higher and higher on the rides.

Pirates Water Park was superbly maintained and the smiling waiters who served us chilled beer made a perfect afternoon. It didn't stop here as we were served the best Indian high Tea and snacks on their lavish lawns after the pool. While the girls relaxed enjoying the fresh breeze the kids gobbled the tasty pakoras on the swing. Men had awesome time in the indoor gaming area playing chess, carom, table tennis n air hockey. Gearing up for the evening we all were surprised with the beautiful cake and a lovely hall on our floor. We couldn’t have asked for more with rooms adjacent to the hall kids sleeping and mommies and daddies dancing the night away. A special mention of both the waiters who took care of our late night dinner with loads of love and concern. They did not force us to wind up early or switch off the lights. We laughed, we giggled, we danced, we gossiped, we chilled till our brain waves became dormant and stopped responding to external stimuli.

Next morning we enjoyed their sumptuous spread of mouth watering dishes from idlis to wadas to alu poori to dosas to uthappam to sandwiches to shakes to croissants to Danish pastries to donuts to cakes. Yeah it was a perfect Indian treat. We decided to go to the lions point for a drive and had fun there riding on camels and clicking selfie. Picaddle served us with a good bye lunch of Indian n Chinese feast leaving our taste buds mesmerized with "aw"....... What more could we girls want on this Women's Day !! Thank you guys and Picaddle for making this 8^th March 2016 Women's Day so special to each one of us.
-       Maneesha Garg

We decided to stay at Picaddle @ Lonavala this time with seven more couples and their kids. The trip started off on a very smooth note. The hotel was easy to find as it is very conveniently located, bang on the main road in the heart of Lonavala. I was happy to find ample parking space in the resort despite being at such a prime location. Check-in was super smooth. Room size and luxury exceeded our expectations given the price point. Restaurants staff was efficient and food was excellent with a nice buffet spread. I particularly enjoyed the desserts and felt a bit fatter post check out :-) The pool was essentially a mini water park with slides and many fun things to do. Both adults and kids enjoyed the pool activities to the core. The pool was indeed the highlight of the hotel. We got a banquet for our dinner at the same floor as our rooms, that too along with music which was awesome. Our daughter fell sick and did vomit on bed midnight, but housekeeping staff was quick in attending us and cleaning up the room at such an odd time. We were traveling with an infant and to our bad luck just after check out our baby demanded feed. But the hotel staff was very kind to provide a room to us for 30 mins even after check out/payment which flattered us. Overall I will say it was an excellent experience. Picaddle was really value for money.
-       Utkarsh Khandelwal, Equity Research Analyst with an MNC Investment Bank, B.Tech. (IIT Chennai)
-       Pooja Khandelwal

Yay!!! That's the initial reaction many a world weary Mumbaikar has whenever a trip to the picturesque town of Lonavala is mooted. This time however, there was a significant difference due to the meticulous planning of our erudite friend Ritesh and the ever accommodating staff at the Piccdale hotel/ resort/ water park/ friends place/ home away from home. The hotel is ideally situated on the main road surrounded by serene views of the hills around with staff that was attuned to the needs of 16 raucous adults who've had more than a few gulpfuls of the sweet blessed nectar and 10 precocious children from a 2 month old to an 8 year old who after having spent an amazingly fun afternoon at the water park were still full of zest and energy to enjoy at the banquet venue provided specially to us by the hotel just to accommodate the large numbers. The trip indeed was a memorable one where the sweet taste of friendship and camaraderie was garnished by the wonderful time our children had. We owe all this to our effervescent  Ritesh and the affable staff at THE HOLIDAY SPOT known as Picaddle. So 3 cheers and deserved kudos to both and here's to hoping for many more 'Cheers' to come..... -       Kunal Sharma
-       Tanu Sharma

A journey started with a smile on the faces to meet new and old faces.... Children excited to meet their buddies and packing swimming trunks..... As we check in Picaddle resort... with almost everyone reaching in about same time....the rooms big and yet cozy....  A true value for money....  Time to eat and the restaurant was ready with some delicious food....  Children excited to go and splash some water.... very clean pool and beautiful landscape around the hotel... All the couples joined in for the fun of splashing water.....And some beers to refresh as after pool hunger was evident some high tea snacks were ready for us..... A banquet for the entire group - this was the highlight of the trip..... All rooms on the same floor and same floor the banquet....  We couldn't have asked more than this comfort......all the kids playing and music was played till everyone had slept....Drinks were on the house....With bottles getting finished in no time....No one was ready to move out from the hotel...Dinner served with a happy smile till late night....  breakfast was very good and then lunch was too good....All the kids were so happy....That no one willing to go home...Let’s plan to go for the next destination.....  

Regards Shanaya dad n mom...Luv u all...Thanks for the fun...
-       Harshil Shah
-       Dinissha Shah

If you are ready to make big holes in your pocket running after popular big resorts in Lonavala stop reading. But if you are looking for luxury with value for money, Picaddle Boutique resort should be your inevitable choice. We redeemed luxury facilities at a reasonable price. Stayed for a day and night along with seven other couples and the resort exceeded our expectations. Cozy rooms, courteous staff, a good veg spread, a clean pool and well maintained water park. We even had a small banquet hall for a private party. The resort was a perfect conduit for the amazing time we had in Lonavala. A special mention of the water park staff who gave me first aid help for minor bruises and injury I got during camel ride at Lion point. Overall, a strong recommendation to anyone planning for great time in Lonavala.
-       Achin Bhati, Vice President - ESG and Sustainability research with an MNC, CA (ICAI), MBA (Raj University)
-       Kavita Bhati, MBA (Symbiosis, Pune)

Studies after a monotonous work life was sounding some fun, but managing studies along with a toddler was some challenge.. Well nothing less or more than working mothers of course. But for giving exams too..! After almost a month of studies, project presentations and exams I really needed a break and requested a few close friends to join.  Friends always have better ideas to give and a better plan came out when we discussed to have a bigger group. As we agree, more friends = more fun!!

 
While I was struggling with my exams, my friends had put in best of their efforts to find out the best of places and properties around Mumbai.. And we finally froze Picaddle resort, Lonavala. We woke up all excited on Saturday morning and started for the trip. A smooth drive from the city took us to Lonavala and within no time we reached the resort, which is located at the heart of the town. The ambience of the property and the lavish room brought a smile on our faces forgetting any little tiredness we would have had by travel!
 
After settling down at the resort we went for the lunch buffet. Surprisingly the food was awesome with plenty options available even for the vegetarians.. The room service was friendly and quick. And yes, the resort is kid friendly as they took care of our preferences when asked for a special preparation for kids. The resort is happening enough to spend our entire time inside, with a well maintained swimming pool, game zone, spa etc. The water park is one of the highlights of the resort. It was good fun for both kids and adults. Overall it was a real value for money and a holiday with immense satisfaction. Highlights: Ambience, food, rooms, water park.

- Ritu Tiwari Mishra