………. and that’s why a proper planning required for each adventure trip!

Beatles-And I Love Her

A song from their 1964 album A Hard Day’s Night. Though I didn’t know they had this song on video until I stumbled upon this video on Youtube.
Beatles at their best. A must watch for a man in love!

Lyrics as follows:-

On 23^rd of September I went out for the first hill ride of my life on a bike. The place I chose for this was Landour- A place 4.5 km above Mussoorie.

Since I saw the pictures of this place on Flickr(see them here), I was fascinated and intrigued to visit this place. This summer, I asked my parents to allow me to go there on bike but was denied. After that the thought of visiting Landour was preoccupied by other things in my life.

The past two months of my life gave me a very hard time. Most of my friends know this. It was the worst experience of my life. And to add to this 7 hours a day at university plus sarcastic remarks that I usually get over there.I started feeling difficulty in focusing on my studies. Because of this I decided to take a break. Another motivation of making this trip came as I joined BCMtouring, few days prior to this trip.

Seeking permission from parents was not an option as only a loud “NO” was expected, so I decided to bunk a day from university. Prof. P. Kaushik’s lecture was the best day for this.

At 7:30am on 23^rd of September I was riding alone on my 125cc bike (barely comfortable for daily commute). After refilling at fuel station of Ranipur More it started raining. I was in no mood of canceling this trip so I stretched bike’s throttle to escape that rain. And, on reaching Rishikesh-Dehradun diversion the weather was dry but it was still cloudy.

While comfortably doing 60-75kmph, I reached Dehradun outskirts in 45 minutes. From there I took Mussoorie bypass just to skip the city’s traffic signals and also because I find it difficult to understand this city’s complex road network.

Within the ten minutes of ride on this road I was struggling with gears-shifts, getting line right for turns and corners, not to talk about the steep hairpin bents. The very next moment a thought struck in my mind— Wow! I’m riding a bike on a hill!

Few minutes later I caught the first glimpse of scenery in the valley. It was Bhattafall, and it was time to stop to take the first pic of the day. I took a couple of shots over there but all were disappointing due to the fog in the valley. Even after a lot of post processing I’m unable to make that waterfall visible from the RAW files. So, here’s only one pic worth uploading.

I chose the wrong day for this trip. A sunny day is the best form a photography point of view.

Getting there in Mussoorie was bit of adventure. The earliest I could get there was at 9:30am. I reached Mall Road from its east end and parked my bike above Bhutia market. Then I went down in the Bhutia market which was still opening so decided to walk for a while on mall road, which was boring. It was so because of the cold weather and the market was not opened up completely by that time.

Within a few minutes of walk on Mall road I found it’s useless to stay here and looked at the fuel gauge. It said clear no to my thought of visiting Landour- a place at a distance of which I was not sure!

But to make this trip productive I took the risk and decided to ride up to Landour. After confirming at 2-3 shops about the path, I rode up more than 1km and stopped to take third pic of the trip.

Next stop was at Lal tibba which was close at that time.

There with the help of a Chinese tourist I managed to get a pic of me.

I went up to the Sister’s market and turned back, stopped at Kellogg’s Church.

The state-owned broadcasters Doordarshan and All India Radio have repeater stations atop Lal Tibba hill, at over 7,700 ft., the highest point in all of Mussoorie-Landour. The transmitter of this station is an Eiffel Tower Paris- inspired, with orange and white color. This is the  most recognizable feature in all of Landour.

The Kellogg Memorial Church was built as a Presbyterian church in 1903 and was also the home of the Landour Language School where British people were taught Hindi at that time. The church was named for Rev, Dr. Samuel H. Kellogg (1839-1899), an American Presbyterian missionary active in Landour who wrote the best 19th century grammar of Hindi in English. The Language school is still being run today.

British forces occupied this region of Garwhal following the Gurka wars in the second decade of the 19^th century. Colonel Fredrick Young, an Irish officer in the east India Company army constructed the first permanent dwelling at Mullingar (named after a place in Ireland) in 1825.

Landour takes its name from Llanddowror, a village in Carmarthenshire in southeast Wales. During the British Raj, it was common to give nostalgic English, Scottish, welsh or Irish names to one’s home, reflecting one’s ethnicity.

In 1827, it became a convalescent depot for British troops suffering from malaria and other tropical disease. Those who were not survived are buried in the cemetery on the north side of the hill.

At the beginning of the 20^th century, a British Military Hospital was established and remained open until 1947. The hospital building currently houses the Defense Ministry’s Institute of Technology Management.

Sister’s Bazaar acquired its name from the nursing sisters who live nearby the hospital.

Some of the other early buildings include St. Paul’s church, built in 1840 by Daniel Wilson, Bishop of Calcutta on his second visit to Mussoorie; and the original Landour Cantonment Post Office at Char-Dukan.

While riding down I stopped by Char-dukan and after some refreshment went inside St. Paul’s Church. There talked few minutes with Ranbeer Singh, a servant there, and he showed me Ruskin Bond’s house from there. He also told me that Mr. Sanjay Narang, a local resident had took the charge of complete restoration of this church’s building and also of the future maintenance.

On reaching Ruskin’s place I found he was not at home, so decided to ride back to home.

Situated at an altitude of 7,500 feet (2286 meters) above sea level, the top of the Landour ridge is the highest point in Mussoorie. This also remains the most secluded and beautiful area of town, with spectacular views from snow clad Himalayas, dense deodar forests and peaceful slopes.Landour is a fabulous place to visit though the only thing you can do over there is to take a long walk. It’s a quiet place. There are no teeming tourists. May be because it’s untouched or may be because it’s a cantonment town. This place is awesome in mornings. No families tugging kids, no couples looking apprehensively like you’ll disturb their privacy. Just long empty road. It’s inspiring.

And at 3:45pm I was in my place. The whole ride was 215km.

But there is still something that I missed over there and want to cover in my next trip:-

• View of Landour from Gun Hill. (like this one)
• Castle Hill and the Castle. (see here)
• A sunny day photography in Landour.

A few more pics from there:-

And using this Use-me as a tripod stand I got a picture of me by self-timer mode.

——————-

]]> http://ankitvkc.wordpress.com/2009/10/06/23rd-september-a-trip-to-mussoorie-landour/feed/ 0 ankitvkc Covered in clouds, a view from Mall Road. By the Woodstock School. Lal Tibba resort. By the Lal Tibba resort. Sister's Bazaar. IMG_3306 CRW_3305 Kellogg Church. Landour Language School. Institute of Technology Management, previously a British Military Hospital. Institute of Technology Management, previously a British Military Hospital St. Paul's church at Char-Dukan. St. Paul's church at Char-Dukan St. Paul's church at Char-Dukan Ruskin Bond's House in Landour. Blossoms outside St. Paul's Church Tiny flower by the Lal tibba A Giant sunflower in St. Paul's premises. Tibetan dwellings at Landour. Famous Cambridge Book depot chain store on Mall road Use me's in landour Me http://ankitvkc.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/341/ http://ankitvkc.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/341/#comments Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:17:59 +0000 Ankit Chauhan http://ankitvkc.wordpress.com/?p=341 ]]>

A two days workshop and training on Science and Technology Intervention in Traditional and Rural Crafts, sponsored by Uttarakhand State Council of Science and Technology under its Entrepreneurship Development Programmes, that was held at Botany and Microbiology Department of  the Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar between 27-28^th of August.

Prof. Swantantra Kumar-Vice Chancellor,GKV Haridwar at exhibition.

Prof. D.K. Maheshwari, Co-ordinator UCOST District Haridwar, told that due to the prominence of science and technology development of the traditional knowledge and the associated small-scale industries are in a critical stage of extinction. This has resulted in umpteen number of unemployment in our country. With this age old knowledge is also on the verge of its extinction.

Even today 70 percent part of the total population of the Uttarakhand belongs to the rural area. Despite of the harsh geographical conditions, lack of instruments and challenging dwelling conditions our farmers and craftsmen are adopting self-employment. It contributed a lot towards the economy of this country, he added.

Nearly 150 craftsmen from all over the Uttarakhand participated in this workshop which was directed towards the training of the financially weak weavers, carpenters, blacksmiths, jewelers and Handicraftsmen.

Workshop was inaugurated by chief guest Prof. H.P.Garg (former Director General Madhya Pradesh Council of Science and Technology).

Prof. H.P. Garg said that this country has seen many revolutions in the field of agriculture and that of technology but still our country lacks self-employment. He told that after agriculture craftsmanship is the most seen employment adopted by people.

Dr. Venketramani of of Bhabha Atomic research Centre Mumbai expressed the need of opening craftsmanship research institutes in our country. He added that an amenable approach is needed to play a more proactive role in the development of these industries.

The exhibition was also organized to attract the viewers which was adorned by the items of Jaspur-Kashipur Block Printing Society, Navjyoti Handicraft and Handloom Development Centre Mohanpura Roorkee, Himalayan Handloom- Handicraft Society Veerpur, Doonda Uttarkashi and Mangalore Handloom Society, etc.

On this occasion Prof . Swantantra Kumar, vice-chancellor and Pro vice-chancellor Prof. Vedprakash Shastri; Dr. Rajendera Dobhal, Director UCOST, Dehradun; Dr. Chandra Prakash, Senior Scientist, DST, New Delhi; Dr. Venketramani of Bhabha Atomic research Centre Mumbai, Dr. Prashant Singh, District Comptroller-UCOST, Dehradun and Head of the Department Prof. R.C. Dubey, Prof A.K. Chopra, Dr. B.P. Purohit, Prof. P. Kaushik, Dr. G.P.Gupta, Dr. Navneet, Dr. Sandeep Kumar and Dr. Prabhat benefited participants.

Cadburys Dairy Milk – kuch khaas hai hum sabhi mein

This video brings back the memories of my childhood days and of good old 90’s. Loved that era!

This just a test post from my Nokia N 72 to test the WordPress’s new ‘Post by Email’ feature. Hope it works this time. Previous was try failed. Noticed that the wordpress email id was wrong.

The items I carry.

Originally uploaded by Ankitvkc

I was thinking of getting my own shot of the stuff I usually carry after watching lots of such shots in two groups what’s in your bag & The items we carry . And finally i got one for the later one. Though my photo is inspired from the Gustavfriends’s version of The items i carry.

These are the things that I carry in my pockets, though there’re lots of other things in my bag…. but it’s not allowed to post in this group.

Kumau University students protesting to get addmission.

I’m back in Haridwar after 3 days. Counseling of P.G. courses at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar cancelled again & that’s after giving admission to 125 students. Thanks to our Uttaranchal government’s orders to shut the counseling because Kumau University students didn’t have their final result declared yet!

With the sun at its zenith I was standing in the line for the completion of the paperwork, but in vain. It’s seems like the Kumau University students were hellbent to stop the counseling.

In spite of protesting in their own university for non-declaration of result they were insisting to stop the counseling. Due this admission procedure halted for an hour but after that the counseling continued with a tumult outside the admission cell.

These mayhem creating guys somehow managed to get the stay order till 26th of August from chief minister.

At 6:30pm after giving admission to about 125 students they announced that this counseling has been cancelled without giving any statement about those students who got admission till then.

Update:-

I was called for the second counseling on 27^th August again which I attended. On 27^th I was not given admission because the counseling was not resumed from the point it was left. The students whose documents and advance fees were submitted should have been given admission first. But it started by giving admission to the students between the the Rank 1-132,  who were unable to produce result on 11^th of August.  And by the time my number was called the Biochemistry and Microbiology branches were full.

Then I asked for Plant Pathology in Agriculture college. The dean of the Agriculture college said -“Ok you got a great combination of subjects in your bachelor degree( Microbiology, Botany & Chemistry), you can opt Plant Pathology!”

But then the bad luck arrives—-

Deans of other college that were present there asked again for my subject in B.Sc. before giving me that course. I said Microbiology, Botany & Chemistry.

Then they said Zoology,Botany, Chemistry is required for that subject & for every else course in our university other than Biochemistry & Microbiology.

Actually they were following the admission procedure as per the university prospectus but the question that bugs me even today is that- what zoology has to do with Plant Pathology?!

I think Microbiology is the only second thing that is needed other than Botany to become a Plant Pathologist!

And just because I’d not studied zoology during my bachelor course I was denied admission to G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology  at Pantnagar!

Up tells of an old man who makes his entire house airborne

Pixar film Up has opened the 62nd Cannes Film Festival – the first time an animation has launched the event on the French Riviera.

A host of celebrities donned 3D glasses for the film, not in competition, about a curmudgeonly man who ties balloons to his house in order to get airborne.

Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton was among those on the red carpet.

Brad Pitt, Penelope Cruz and Johnny Depp are also all due in town, with new films to promote.

Opening Cannes with an animation – and a 3D animation at that – is a radical departure Razia Iqbal, BBC arts correspondent

The event runs until 24 May, when the Palme d’Or prize will be announced.

John Lasseter, Up producer and Pixar co-founder, beamed with delight as he and colleagues mingled with the celebrities on the carpet.

“We’re just a bunch of animation geeks from northern California on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival,” he said.

The 10th feature film from animation powerhouse Pixar was warmly received earlier at its press screening, where the closing credits were greeted with a round of applause. Read more at BBC Website