30thJune

Completed walk for 55 minutes. Attended a conference in Oberoi hotel.  In chamber from 5.30 to 6.15 pm.
Retired to sleep at 10.30 pm.

29th June

Completed about 1 hour walk. Visited Center for Sight for follow-up check of  Venita's eyes..She is called again after 14 days. Silku and Ritsy came for eye check-up and met Venita. In chamber from 5 to 6 pm.
Retired to sleep at 10.30 pm

28th June

Went for 50 minute brisk walk. Varun of Dental Stem Cell banking  informed that he received a sms  from Babloo informing  that he would not go for it at present  I had sent Varun to Babloo for  his consent to store the dental stem cells from Akshat's milk teeth for utilization in future.
Thapa, who suffered from multi-joint arthritis in the second part of May 2012 , may resume duty on 1rst July after over a month's illness and rest. The Courts open on 1rst July. Spent the day reading newspapers. Had a cup of coffee at Cafe for Coffee Day at PVR Vikaspuri .
"Experts at Pennsylvania State University have claimed that the nuts  (pistachios in particular) help lower blood pressure and heart rate in difficult situations."
Retired to sleep at 10.30 pm.

27th June

Completed 50 minute brisk walk. Khyati's letter on her visit to Singapore is received. It is the first letter i have received from a grandchild. Our sons  used to write to their grandfather when they were of Khyati's age. My father was very happy to receive the letters. He kept their letters and read quite a few times. I have retrieved quite a few of them.
Could not go to the chamber.As Thapa  is resting due to illness, I am sharing Shri BD Sharma's driver. He has taken him for two day exclusive use. Shri Sharma is my neighbor. Spent the day reading the magazines and newspapers.
Retired to sleep at 11 pm

26th June

Completed brisk 50 minute walk
"Most cockroaches feed on decaying organic matter, which traps a lot of nitrogen. Cockroach feeding has the effect of releasing that nitrogen (in their feces ) which then gets into the soil and is used by plants...In other words extinction of cockroaches would have a big impact on forest health and thus indirectly on all the species," according to Prof.Kambhampati, Chair of the Biology Department at the University of Texas at Tyler. I was not aware of such an useful ecological role of cockroaches.
Visited SBI Vikaspuri and CGHS (Aurvedic). In chamber from12 to 1 pm and 3.30 to 4 pm. Had meeting and lunch  at Taj Mansing.
Retired to sleep at 10 pm.

25th June

Completed 50 minute brisk walk.
A TOI news says that... "from the current academic year, CBSE  exam will not just tell students whether they are eligible for higher studies, but will also test them if they are fit to live in society.They will grade boys and girls on moral values" It is a commendable move.
 Attended a talk of Dr. Madeleine Albright, Chair of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs and former US Secretary of State, at the Institute of Social Sciences,Vasant Kunj, New Delhi . She spoke on Indo-US strategic partnership. The talk was quite informative followed by an interactive session with the audience. .
Visited SBI.In chamber from 
Retired to sleep at 10.30 pm.

24th June

Walked for one hour.
"Researchers in Rutgers University, USA, found that more the family ate together, the meals tended to be rich in fruits, vegetables, fibre, calcium, vitamins and low on dietary components harmful to health. While family time together allows parents to teach children healthy habits, the increased focus on food eating leads to improved diet. Similarly, the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior reports that children in families that watched TV while eating meals together had a lower quality diet. Boys consumed fewer vegetables and more soft drinks. Girls ate more fried food. Alternately food served and meal situations in homes where TY is switched off during meals may be quite different." India Today, dt.June 25,2012,p.73.
Retired to sleep at 11 pm  

23rd June

                              Dental Stem Cell Banking 
Completed 5o minute brisk walk.
"Researchers at San Francisco State University have found that splurging lavishly-even on once-in-a-lifetime experiences-isn't that satisfying if it is done to impress others. Money might buy you happiness, but not at the cost of your friend's unhappiness. Neighbour's envy could be owner's pride, but not quite owner's joy." TOI,dated 23.06.12.p.16 under caption 'It's Happiness Silly'.

Stemade Biotech Pvt. Ltd., pioneering Dental Stem Cell Banking, visited us and explained the process. In this, they pick up a milk tooth of the child, take out stem cells and preserve them for lifetime of the child or as long as we want. For the first 21 years, they charge Rs.99000/-, inclusive of all expenses in collecting, dispatching and preserving the same at their Dental Stem Cell Bank, Chennai..Potential uses are manifold. and narrated in their pamphlet.We requested them to meet Babloo,our son , in Gurgaon for a final decision. They will meet him on Sunday.Queries can be made to their email <info@stemade.com> or telephone no.+912242547000.or toll free no. 1800-102-stem(7836)
Rretired to sleep at10.15 pm.

22nd June

Completed 50 minute brisk walk. Visited Aurvedic CGHS and SBI. In chamber from 12.45 to 4 pm."The ethical maturity of our society will be judged by how women fare in it."IE,P.11.23.06.2012,a good yardstick to judge the level of over-all development of a society..
Retired to sleep at 11.15 pm.

21rst June

Completed 50 minute brisk walk. Had a conference in Oberoi hotel from 11.30 am to 1.30 pm. In chamber from 2 to 5 pm. Retired to sleep at 11 pm.

Visit to Kashmir valley

On 11th


Left Delhi at 2:30pm. Arrived Srinagar at 4:30pm. Reached Police guest house at about 5pm. Walked along the Dal Lake for about an hour. The half of the walk was stifling as the air was much polluted due to the number of vehicles being driven on the road along the lake. Pollution appears to be dominating the exquisite greenery, the mountains and poplar trees. Not many tourists. Mostly local crowd of lower middle class. Did not see any foreign tourists. Noted the following passages in course of browsing through the papers and magazines in the plane:
1. "Billionaire businessmen and a huge middle-class are a historical novelty for India. This simultaneously makes India a land of opportunity, a land of corruption." ~ Ashutosh Varshney in IE, p. 10, 11-06-12
2. "Calling team Anna anti-national is to circle back to the same debased discourse they started." ~ IE, editorial, p. 10 , 11-06-12
3. "I absolutely love travelling.as it snot only destresses me, but also helps me to connect well with my inner self" ~ Nandita Das, Film actress
We are travelling a lot.these days.I don't know if we are getting destressed. In fact we find ourselves getting more involved in mundane things which cause stress in life invariably.
Retired to sleep at 11pm.  





On 12th

Reached Gulmarg at about 12:30pm. We were lodged in the Police Mess. Fairly comfortable accommodation. Took Gondola (rope-way) to snow capped mountains at  a height of about 14,000 feet. Sledged to the line of control of the Indo-Pak border. We could see our post called Sarso at a distance. We were told that there was a frozen lake beyond the hills over 2.5 Km away, which was source of water to India and Pakistan through quite a few rivulets. It is beautiful to see. Quite a few trek to it. The sledge pullers told that mortars fired by the Pak Army during Kargiil war fell down into Gulmarg valley. There were a number of people, men, women, old and young, playing, sledging, lying, relaxing, throwing snowballs at each other. We paid Rs. 1000 to the 2 sledge pullers and Rs 350 to the boy for rubber boots and sticks to walk on the snow. It was due to the help of the SHO Gulmarg, that we could get tickets for Gondola and visit the snow capped mountains. We took a drive through the Gulmarg town, saw golf course, children's park, Shiva Temple (famous Hindi film song - Jai Shiv Shankar of late 50s starring Mumtaz and Rajesh Khanna- was screened here). Botapathri (a good view point) and Maharaja Palace (could not see it as it was closed for maintenance). The guide told us that the palace had beautiful wooden carvings on its walls and ceilings. From outside it looked like an ordinary house built by Maharaja Hari Singh for summer stay. From any place in the Gulmarg town, you find yourself in a valley surrounded by snow capped mountains and lush greenery. The place is not so well kept. It is comparable to the snow capped mountains of Switzerland, but you dont see greenery there as you see in Gulmarg, along with snow. The road to Gulmarg from Srinagar is tolerable. It has potholes, particularly from the foothills to the Gulmarg Town. It took us 2.5 hours to reach Gulmarg from Srinagar. On the way it was blocked by agitating people of nearby villages for non-supply of adequate power. It was opened after halh an hour. We were told there were a number of bears in the forests. You rarely see tigers and other animals. We saw a few birds. The crows are big and could be dangerous. On way to Botapathri, a view point, over 10 Km from Gulmarg through dense forest  we saw a Nano car fallen in the ditch. On inquiry, we found that the 2 Kashmiri women and the driver had gone to nearby hutments (where shepherds live with their flock of sheep) to buy some fowl, leaving the car in neutral gear. It crawled down to the ditch and overturned. The 2 Kashmiri women were amused to see their Nano in the ditch due to the folly of the driver. The Police officers hut, as the mess is called, is quiet comfortable. It provides hot running water, electrically heated bed and good food. The entire structure is made of Kairu, Budlu wood and  its floor is laminated . It has Reechh and Bhaalu of the bear family. It is said they suck the blood of their prey and do not touch the flesh. You also can see deer on top of the hills, wild horse, goats etc too.
Meaning of word Gulmarg is flower valley. Here the residents don't sow the seeds of flowers. They automatically come out of the soil. In fauna, eagles are also seen sometimes.
Retired to sleep at 11pm.


On 13th

Reached Pahalgam at about 4:30pm. Near Pahalgam, we saw young men/women rafting on Liddre river. Felt like joining them. Venita reminded me of my age. I restrained myself. Had she not been with me, I would have rafted with young people. There was of course good chance of being swept away by the turbulent current of Liddre river in case of losing balance as I do not know swimming.  We were lodged in Tarsar House, fairly good room with an annexe where 2 more person could live. On way to Pahalgam,  visited Shere Bagh Nagbal Raghunath and Martand Temples. At both the places, there are Gurdwaras also side by sise. These are maintained by Hindus and Sikhs . On way, saw Kesar Belt. Martand Temple (Sun) is called Mutton Devi Temple by the local people. All fall in Anant Nag District. Liddre river passes through Pahalgam and meets Jhelum in Anantnag. Chenab flows in Jammu, Jhelum in Kashmir and Sindhu in Laddakh Valley.There is a cave known as Shiv Khori in Jammu, which is said to connect Jammu with Pahalgam. There is a Shiv Ling in the cave. Water in drops falls on it from the roof. The distance between Srinagar and Gulmarg is 55Km. Pahalgam is 152 Km from Gulmarg. Sangam is the place on way where cricket bats are made and supplied all over the world. These bats are made of Safeda wood. Mufti Md Saeed lives in Anant Nag . 
I had some pain in my waist. The attendant had placed electrically heated blanket on the mattress of the bed. He had put the heat at high level. I woke up about mid-night and found the bed very hot. Had to switch it off .. The heat ,however, had taken away the pain of my waist  when I woke up in the morning next day. 
Retired to sleep at 10:30 pm.



On 14th
We shifted to Sheshnag Cottage. It was quite comfortable.Visited Chandanbari, 20 Km from Pahalgam, gateway to Amarnath Yatra, which is to begin from 25th June. You can see the mountain range of Amarnath Shrine from here. The foothills are snow capped. Walked on them upto height of  200 feet. Was tempted to sledge. But avoided. A number of people were sledging on the snow. On way back, came to Betab Valley, about 6 Km from Pahalgam. It is maintained by J & K tourism. The river Liddre flows through it. Saw hordes of people visiting it. Visited Aru Valley, 12 Km from Pahalgam. The locale is beautiful. Road is not so good.
Retired to sleep at 11:00pm.

On 15th  

After spending 2 nights and 3 days, we left Pahalgam at about 3:15pm. Visited Mumbleshwar temple (Shiva) of 11th-12th Century,  in the outskirts of Pahalgam. It is a protected monument. In  Kesar Belt, at Pumpore, we bought some dry fruits and Kesar. Venita saw Badam and Akhrot trees. Reached Srinagar at about 6:15pm.
Retired to sleep at 10:30pm.











On 16th 
Visited CRPF MI room. Venita took some medicine for stomach pain. Sarika Devi Temple in Hari Parvat is a serene place. Spent some time there and did pooja. The Devi manifested herself in the form of a huge rock. It is visited by Kashmiri Pandits. During pooja , they stick petals of flowers on the rock which is painted orange. The Aarti is also done in the usual manner. The temple management offered cinnamon tea. Thereafter, we visited Jeshta Devi temple. This is also managed and visited mostly by Kashmiri Pandits. Here, the Devi is in the form of an idol as we see the images of Hindu gods and goddesses in other temples. It is also located on a hillock full of trees. Nishat Gardens are blooming.  There were a number of visitors. Some children were bathing in the waterfall of the gardens.
Retired to sleep at 10:30 pm.

On 17th
Called on Shri K.Rajendra Kumar, the DGP J&K at Srinagar. Spent an hour with him. Visited Durgana and Hanuman temples.Took off from the airport at about 5.10 pm. Arrived Delhi at 6.15 pm.Retired to sleep at 11 pm.

20th June

On20th 
Went for a 50 minute brisk walk.Visited Center for Sight. Dr Dinesh Talwar gave an injection in Vnita's right eye and called for follow- up check after 8 days.We have fought for retention of vision in the right eye since Jan 2009. It has not deteriorated but has not  recovered in full.
Retired to sleep at 10 pm

On 19th 
Had 50 minute brisk walk in the morning. Visited SBI, Parliament street. In chamber from 1 to 5 pm. On way back visited Hanuman temple in Chanakyapuri. It was refreshing to talk to Alaynah, the youngest grand child. She talks in single words.and is focused like her parents.
Retired to sleep
On 18th
Went for a brisk 45 minute walk.Visited CGHS. In chamber from 11.30 am to12.30 pm. Met Pravesh.Again in chamber from 3 to 4 pm. Met Babloo outside his office.We brought some cherry  from Srinagar for children.Gave two packages to him, one for Silku also. Retired to sleep at 11 pm

10th June

Went for 50 minute brisk walk. RN rang up and talked about developments that led to the holding of the Special Session of the General body of the Society. I told him that immediate cause, according to my assessment, was the notice to give a heavy sum of money  by each member to pay off the decreetal amount to the contractor. Packed up for journey to Srinagar tomorrow. DGP who was requested to provide requisite security confirmed it.
 A news item in page 17 of  IE ,dated 10 June, mentions about a research which says that "skull analysis has charted the changes from dinosaurs to birds. It is well accepted that birds evolved from dinosaurs."
Retired to sleep at 11 pm.

9th June

Went for a 50 minute brisk walk. Visited Dr. Lalwani ,senior Eye consultant at Safdurjung hospital and thereafter CGHS.In chamber from 12 to12.25 pm and thereafter from 1.30 pm to 5 pm. Munna informed that he would come on 22nd June along with his family and stay for a couple of days. Over a couple of years, Subhash has sent quite a few albums. None beats Tawang album. If you see Tawang album, you need not visit it. It expressively covers all its vital areas.
Retired to sleep at 10.30 pm.

8th June

Had  brisk 50 minute walk. Talked to Babloo about the write-up on cold drinks , mailed to him yesterday and told to reduce the cold drink intake.Visited Center for sight for procedures on Venita's eyes.She will be given injection on the side of her right eye. We will get it done now on our return from Srinagar.
Retired to sleep at 10.15 pm.

7th June

Went for 40 minute brisk walk. Visited Dental center, SBI and CGHS. In chamber from 1.30 to 5 pm  Doctor attending Thapa informed that he won't be able to drive for 2 to 3 months.It will be long drawn treatment. Burman rang up and repeated a line of Rabindra sangeet which he could not recollect when i met him yesterday. Somehow he was identified with the song in the CPTC, Mount Abu. He said that he would sing it during the golden jubilee get together of the batch in NPA in 2014. He invited me to come and stay in his farm near Bangalore.
Retired to sleep at 11.30 pm

6th June

Had brisk walk for 50 minutes.The weather is not hot. Even then could not adhere to full morning program.  Had appointment in the Center for Sight for Venita's OCT and angiography of the eyes. We did not carry the requisite papers through oversight. Now it is fixed on 8th.Visited Karnatak bhavan and met SC Burman, a batch mate . Spent over an hour with him. I won't be able to attend dinner, arranged tomorrow by batch mates to meet him. Treatment of multiple joint arthritis of Thapa has commenced in the hospital. Actions of the Adhoc committee, formed on 3rd June in a Special Session of the General Body meeting of the Society, are hot topics of discussions among the residents. As the defunct executive committee has not formally handed over, the Adhock Committee has locked the office and started the process of take-over. Talked to Babloo in Kolkata.He is to make a presentation before the Bengal Chambers of Commerce and also participate in a seminar.
Retired to sleep at11.15 pm.

5th June

Went for 50 minute brisk walk covering a little more than 4 and a half  kms.Visited CGHS. In chamber from 1 to 4 pm. Silku and family returned from Singapore today. Thapa's sickness could be multiple joint arthritis. After all blood reports are received tomorrow, doctors could tell correctly. I talked to doctors today. Sheomohan's daughter, Madhuri, passed intermediate examination with honors. She secured about 75% marks., 396/500. I showed the result to Sheomohan on the net.Wished Gilloo a belated happy birthday.She was born on 4th June. Her daughter, Priya,  also passed class 12 with 80% marks. She got admission in BA(Hons) in Economics at St. Xavier'College, Mumbai.
Retired to sleep at 11.15 pm. 

4th June

Went for  45 minute brisk walk.Visited Dental center. Took Thapa to Arya Samaj hospital. We are not satisfied with their treatment. Requested  ITBP  for Thapa's .check up by their doctors. Safdarjung hospital was much crowded. Even getting  OPD card was time consuming. He is admitted in the hospital. Tests will be done tomorrow.
 Babloo left for Calcutta in the forenoon. Silku will return from Singapore tomorrow.
The SpaceX  became the first commercial flight to make it to the space station and back.
Retired to sleep  at 11.15 pm

2nd & 3rd June

On 2nd
Went for a brisk walk for 45 minutes.Could not adhere to morning program due to heat. It being a Saturday, spent the day at home reading magazines and newspapers. Went to nearby  PVR for a cup of cappuccino at Cafe for Coffee Day. Very hot day. Venita had to go to Gurgaon at about 11.45 am to settle children's  problems. She.returned at about 9.30 pm .Thapa is still sick. Will show him in Safdurjung hospital tomorrow.We have arranged another driver for a week.
Retired to sleep at 10.30 pm.
On 3rd
Went for a brisk walk for 45 minutes. Could not adhere to morning program due to heat. Attended Special General Body meeting of the Society.The management was taken over by an adhoc committee with Caire as President by a preplanned move .Neha & Akshat left for Jaipur.
Retired to sleep at 11 pm.

Guwahati visit

On 27th
On receipt of information about the death of Justice Dr.B.P.Saraf, could not restrain ourselves from going to Guwahati. There was a strong urge to go to his family, meet and console them.We walked a long way to Gate no. 48 to board the plane at Delhi airport. For Venita it was a mini morning walk.
Could not adhere to morning program. Munna came. Will leave for Ganganagar in the night. We left for the airport at about 11 am. At Guwahati, stayed in Assam Police guest house. Met Mrs Saraf, Ashok, Birendra, Aparna and family. Mrs. Saraf  looked emaciated. Ashok and Aparna were shaken. Birendra and family who were with Saraf during holiday in Tanzania and bore the brunt of  first shock, had collected themselves, looked composed and supervising all arrangements in connection with Shradh ceremony on 28th and thereafter. Jayonto Chaudhary, the DGP ,Assam, invited us for dinner. Apologized. After visit to Saraf's place, did not feel like joining it. Two ex-DGsP, PC Sharma and HK Deka were also invited.
Retired to sleep at 10.30 pm.
On 28th
Could not adhere to morning program at Guwahati. DIG(A) Ramni Dhar Barua called on .Visited Saraf's family in the forenoon and later in the evening. Had food in the evening , prepared on the day of the Shradh and dedicated to Saraf. It is believed to be his 'Prasad'to the family, friends and others. It was first taken by Ashok and later by others. Ashok was on fruits for 12 days. Today he took serials.A number of people took food.
A news in the Assam Tribune says that a dead Gangetic dolphin, weighing about quintal, was found with injuries in Mirza near Guwahati.
Retired to sleep at 10.30 pm.
On 29th
Visiteld Kamakhya and Bhubaneshwari temples on the hills from 8.30 to 9.30 am. Along with us in the VIP line were a group of people from Mumbai including Singer Anuuradha Podwal. As we came out, we found that it was raining heavily.We waited along with others .In our midst were also a number of he/she goats waiting to be sacrificed at the alter. Traffic jams on way back, delayed us by about 4 hours.
Visited widows of late PC Das and BS Babar Talked to widows of late S Ahmed and A Rahman.over phone Could not visit them due to lack of time. Will visit them when we come here next.During my tenure in Assam police, i worked with all of them. Visited Jayanto Chaudhury, the DGP Assam also.
Retired to sleep at 10.30 pm.
On 30th
Visited Saraf's family.Witnessed the last puja. GM Srivastava and his family came.At the airport Rajiv Mehta met us. He is ADGP(Law&;Order) Meghalaya. Reached home at about 9 pm..
Retired to sleep at 11 pm.
On 31rst
Went for a brisk 45 minute walk. Could not stick to morning program strictly due to heat .Spent the day at home.A write-up in Assam Tribune dated 30th May, captioned, 'By the Bramhputra' by Sanjay Hagarika caught my attention.:"A study of history,a twelve volume analysis of rise and fall of civilizations by Arnold Toynbee examined history from a global perspective. His view on Indian civilisation finds reflected in the following quotation although it may not be a description that defines his overall perspective.
"The vast literature, the magnificent opulance, the majestic sciences, the soul touching music, awe inspiring gods. It is becoming clearer that a chapter which has a western beginning will have to have an Indian ending if it is not to end in the self destruction of human race.At this supremely dangerous moment in history the only way of salvation for mankind is the Indian way."
In a case the Supreme Court ruled that even if the bribe amount was Rs. 50/-, minimum punishment provided u/s 7(1) of PCA was 6 months. It could not be reduced.
Retired to sleep at 11 pm.
On 1rst June 
Went for a brisk 45 minute walk. Could not adhere strictly to morning program due to heat. Spent the day reading magazines and newspapers. Thapa is sick for the last few days. As i did not have anything important to do, stayed back at home. I have arranged another driver from 4th for a week. Thapa may take some more time to recover. It could be a case of filaria.
Silku left for Singapore along with the family.
Retired to sleep at 11 pm