Helping Hands

Always believed one need not help others only with monetary funds. Feel it is equally same sponsoring food for less privileged children or spending quality time with them. Being courteous is also of good help to our fellow living beings - moving inside the bus where ever possible instead of standing in the way blocking others to get in to a crowded bus, giving our seat to who are less able to stand if we can, saving water so that it may help some other who has less access make the possibility to get it, etc.

Recently seen an incident which inspired me to write this blog. I went to a temple, and outside the main deity worship place, an old man was serving small bits of paper to every one who were coming out. This need not require any money, but felt it is of great help. Most of us would need this at that time to have the sacred ash and kumkum to share it with our loved ones.

There is nothing like small help or big help, help is a help. Thanks to the man who have reinstated me with this thought, and I'll also be helpful where ever possible and in which ever small way.

Dravid Retires...

Rahul Dravid hanged up his boots today from International cricket. A selfless player who gave everything for the team's needs, and showed utmost commitment. He will be an inspiration for every one irrespective of their chosen fields, definitely a one for me.

Will like to see Rahul still serving Indian cricket either as an administrator or coaching young talents.

Fast Track

My flight to London got cancelled, so the airways booked a ticket for me in the next available flight in business class. On board, the crew gave business class passengers fast track invitation for the security check in London.


After landing in London, business class passengers were first let off. Everyone since they had (including me) fast track invitation went to the fast track counter. At the time we went, crowd was reasonably less at the security check. There were about 20 people in the regular queue, and since all the business class passengers took fast track counter, there would be about 30 - 40 people in the fast track queue.


After observation, found out there were only 3 dedicated counters for fast track but over 10 counters available for the regular queue. Those who were present already in the regular queue, and those who came after us and joined the regular queue, all completed their security check, and our queue was moving very slowly. I just looked around, everyone's reactions in the fast track queue were visibly frustrated.


Another incident, back in India, went to temple with Janaki and my father. It was heavily crowded that day, so we thought of taking the special entrance queue. Then my father told free dharshan queue is moving quicker today than the special entrance queue. Also in free dharshan, it would be a moving queue since people would be rushed to move immediately by the representatives, but in the special entrance queue since people have paid, they might stand in for an extra minute (common human tendency). So we followed the free entrance queue, and to my surprise, we had dharshan reasonably quicker in the free entrance queue as it moved very quickly.


Fast track will be helpful at many times, but realised fast track is not always fast track.

New Year 2012

The day was 1 Jan, 2012. I told it will be crowded, so we shall go to the temple the next day. But Janaki wanted to go on the auspicious new year day only. So planned to go to temple, and lunch at restaurant.

After reaching the temple only came to know this would be the plan for most of the people. As expected, packed crowd there. After dharshan, went to a restaurant that we've never tried before.

There was a decent crowd, not over crowded. We managed to get seats, and patiently waited for 10 mins.  No one came to clear the table or to attend, then I called one of the server and asked her to clean the table. She took off the plates and left, but did not clean. I was expecting she will come back to clean the table, and take the order. She did not turn up, so after some wait, I called another server who was passing by to take the order.

She took the order, but did not note it down. On the way, she had taken order from couple of other customers as well, but not noting down again. I thought she must have tremendous mental power to remember this if all the items ordered are delivered correctly. We were just chatting and waiting for the items. It was quite some time now, no signs of anything coming up. 

Then came the moment of the day which I have never seen in any of the restaurants till now. One of the server had one dish, and she was not sure which table to serve this to, and she was querying in each and every table whether they had ordered the dish. I was laughing seeing this, not sure if out of frustration.

Then we decided no point waiting here any more, we just got off from the table and left the restaurant. At least an event packed day.