Friday, June 27, 2008

Maharashtra Hill Stations

K.F. Sahiwala
Those curvaceous craggy ranges that spine along the coast of Maharashtra, the Western Ghats, are the home of several little known but charming hill stations. In fact they almost belong to the colonial era, when people travelled up to these stations to escape the heat of the plains.Many of them still retain some of that old world charm and would make for an ideal holiday even if it be only on the weekend.MatheranThe nearest of these hill stations from Bombay is Matheran. You can catch any Pune bound train from Victoria Terminus which will take you up to Neral, in about two hours. From there you travel uphill in a delightful little toy train. Take in the panoramic view of the plains below as the train chugs uphill. It makes several stops en route, where the local tribals will sell you forest fruits such asjambouls and karvandas.This is the only hill station in the country which is out of bounds for vehicular traffic throughout the year. Matheran market is where you could pick up some good bargains especially cane and leather goods made by the tribals. There are several viewpoints which one can visit; many of these still bearing those exotic English names. The Hart Point offers you a view of the night lights of Bombay.


Khandala and LonavalaSitting atop the Western Ghats on the Bombay-Pune highway are the twin resorts of Khanda'a and Lonavia. By train, the tracks snake in and out of several tunnels, offering you fleeting glimpses of the gaunt hills and their valleys. Suddenly you sense a freshness in the air and feel a levelling of the tracks on which the train has been travelling and you realise that you have reached Khandala. By road, you would take the Bor ghat road at Khopoli. The ghat is indeed steep, but the climb is faster and shorter and it is only an 8 kilometer distance before you reach the top. Khandala is especially beautiful during the monsoons: the clouds literally envelope the entire town giving you the ethereal feeling of walking on them. Look out onto the hills and you will notice a thousand waterfalls that gush from its sides and flow into the ravines below. Do not miss the sun going down over the hills at Sunset Point. Further up the road, you come to Lonavala. Over the last decade this town has developed rapidly and it is here that both the rich and the powerful have their farm-houses and holiday villas. Several of these fancy structures are out of place with the rural surroundings. While at Lonavala, do visit the Walvan and the Bushy dams. They are usually ftill during the monsoons and attract hordes of tourists. Lonavala is also famous for its chikki and its chiwda.On the Pune road, about 12 kilometres from Lonavala, are the Karia Caves. Belonging to the lad century B .C., they bear a striking resemblance to those at Ellora. The stupa inside the cave and the rock sculptures at the entrance are an eloquent testimony of the skill of the artisans of that time.Today Karia moves out of its ancient past to provide sport and adventure to tourists. Maharashtra Tourism provides courses in rock and fort climbing here. Also proposed at this place, is an Institute for Adventure Tourism. Great things are in store for tourists at Karia.






Panchgani and MahabaleshwarAmong the hill resorts of the state, Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar are the most frequented because several tourist agencies, as well as the government tourist department, offer package tours to these places. Tucked away in the Satara district, they are best approached from Pune. Panchgani, at a lower height derives its name from the five hills that surround it. This is an ideal base for some good trekking. You can explore several mule tracks that lead through the now thinning forests. Climb atop the Table Land', a flat mountain top from where you can look down on to the coastal plains below.Mahabaleshwar was the erstwhile summer capital of the old Bombay Presidency, which despite the increasing crowds that come there, still retains its quintessential charm. Numerous majestic mansions built during the days of the British, still stand as monuments of the Raj.It is a fairly big town with several good hotels and lodges for tourists. For variety of activity you can paddle around the Venna lake or explore the various viewpoints. The bazaar here is also fairly popular, with leather goods and tribal trinkets for sale. There are several small-scale home industries that make rather good jams and jellies.At both Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra Tourism has accommodation that caters to the needs of all categories of tourists.






AmboliFurther down the coast, Amboli, on the southern ranges of the Western Ghats, is a quiet but pleasant hill resort. The Sea View point offers you a panoramic view of a good part of the Konkan coast. Facilities are scarce here, but you can enjoy a restful holiday away from the crowds that you find at other resorts.Some other stationsUp in the Vidharba region of the state is another relatively unknown resort called Chikhaldara. The place abounds in wildlife with the famous Melghat Tiger Sanctuary in its vicinity. From here you can make adventurous forays into the nearby forests, explore ruined forts and find your way to several panoramic viewpoints. In southern Maharashtra, a hill resort teeming with history is Panhala. This was once a Maratha fort, but has now been converted into a comfortable hill resort. In Thane district, yet another virgin unspoilt resort is Jawahar. It is renowned for the rich and vibrant paintings by the Warii tribals. As varied as the different parts of the state, the hill resorts in Maharashtra, offer you a secluded sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of the city, allowing you to explore their natural scenic beauty. They are ideal spots for an invigorating holiday.

The Headache of Using Mobile phones.

K.F. Sahiwala





The development of mobile phones brought convenient and advantages to the world. Communication between people and people are easier and fast. Though, the disadvantages brought along with the fast grown technology cannot be ignored. These problems not only influenced people personally but also the society.
Symptoms caused by the radiation of mobile phones are one of the most argued problems. Many scientists believe that the radiation from the mobile phones may cause the users to have different symptoms such as headache, earaches, blurring of vision and even causing cancer. Though, these problems are still under research. Mobile phone users are advice to reduce the usage on mobile phones if it is possible.
Mobile phone addiction is a big social problem. Psychiatrists believe that mobile phone addiction is becoming one of the biggest non-drug addictions in the 21st century. Along with the age drop of the mobile phone users and the ease of prepaid method provide by the system operators, most teenagers now own their own mobile phone and network service. Teenagers are engaged on their mobile phones all the time, no matter on phone calls, using SMS text messages, personalising the mobile phones with ringtones and pictures etc. Besides this, many people are running after the lastest mobile phones. New models of mobile phones are released almost everyday. In order to get up-to-date, people tend to change their mobile phones once in a while. These became habits among the mobile phone users causing them to spend unnecessary cost on mobile bills and costs.
Cyber bullying is also another issue among the disadvantages of mobile phones. Cyber bullying is a bullying act using offensive words and behavior via online chatting, emails or SMS text messages. It was showed that the psychological effects of cyber bullying are much severe that face-to-face bullying. This problem now is among teenagers especially the secondary students.
There are still many problems causing but the new technology. Mobile phones with camera functions are causing privacy problems. Saudi Arabia had banned camera phones through out the country while many countries are concern about this problem. This is because many people have misused the usage on the camera phones such as using it as a hidden camera to take photos which are private. The spreading on computer viruses is also a problem for this new technology. Just like computer viruses, these viruses will affect the normal usage on mobile phones making them to malfunction and causing destructions.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Social Service

K.F. Sahiwala
Hi Folks ! A very great time to do something unconventional. Offbeat works pays you not in monetary terms but also in kind. There are peoples love to work without any intention as to boost their self esteem and intitution. There are various ways to do social service like Helping Hand, Charities, Donations, Sponsorship and Scholarships.

All these activites should go in hidden ways as it is been greatly said if you boast yourself of your social sevice you would not been paid the mankind price from others. Others will think he is showing of his greatness and richness or rather he is a showoff person. Social work is not carried in terms of money but you can contribute your timings, energy, mind, opinions, participation in any social related issues.

A friend of mine who is very poor in every tems like no momey, no time and said me that I am not eligible to contribute anything to others but on the contrary others are helping me out so how can I make good deeds and collect best wishes from others. I said only you have to think always positive for others. Positive thinking is always a good and simple social service. Humbleness, Honestness, etiqueteness, politeness, sweetness should be there in your approach and attitude.

Making happy and satisfying others are also great part of social services. Don't indulge in to argument and loose your temper but on the contrary you have to be quiet and humble trying to resolve the situation in calm ways. I know the story of a husband and wife. A husband was very found of his wife. I asked her the secret and she narrated that I respect and love my husband a lot and in return I get respect and loveness 10 times from him. So this is a great deal, so why should I reject it. The condition is this if you are humble and can bow and bend to anyone you will become lovable and sweetable to that person.

Turning your enemies in to friends is a great social service. You yourself has to come foreword to greet others If you know to love others, others will also loves you. It means whatever you sow you have to reap it in future.