31st Jan

In the Supreme court in the afternoon. Visited Indian Institute of Public Administration.
Quotable Quotes :"Believe you can and you're halfway there." Theodore Roosevelt

30th June

In the Supreme court in the afternoon. India observed Gandhi's 68th death anniversary.
Quotable Quotes :"Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground." Theodore Roosevelt

29th Jan

Attended Siddhu's wife's memorial service at Gurdwara Pahariwala at GK1 along with Venita. Met Siddhu and his family. Some batchmates of all services came. Quite a few of Siddhu's relations joined in. A nunber of colleagues of his last service were also seen. In the morning i asked Siddhu over phone how he felt without Bali (his wife). He said that as his sisters, others of family were in the house, he did not feel much . His voice was week and sad.
Quotable QuoteS:"The first quality that is needed is audacity." Winston Churchill

27 and 28th Jan

27and 28th
Got up very early to board Vistara flight to Mumbai. We had planned to meet Vandana, her ailing husband on 27th, Ruchi, Anand and her family  on 28th.  Met Vandana, her ailing husband. Stayed overnight with Arun and Sunanda in their quite comfortable and well-kept flat. Ruchi cancelled her program. Dinesh,Vandana's husband, is quite sick. Anand's two daughers are lovely. Had lunch with him and Shivali.
Venita who was to go to Sirdi along with Ruchi returned Delhi along with me at about 9.30 pm. Flight was one hour late.
Quotable Quotes :"I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught." Winston Churchill

26th Jan

India's 68th Republic Day was celebrated all over India. We watched the Rajpath Parade on TV for about 2 hours in the morning.
Quotable Quotes :"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." Winston Churchill

25th Jan

Drove to Vikaspuri. Completed travelogue on Bangkok-Singapore visit and sent it to friends and relations.
Quotable Quotes :"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." Winston Churchill

24th Jan

In the Supreme court inthe afternoon.
Quotable Quotes :"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." Winston Churchill

22nd and 23rd Jan

22nd
Spent the day reading and completing Travelogue of our visit to Singapore and Bangkok.
Quotable Quotes :"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." Winston Churchill
23rd
Attended prayer meeting for Late SK Dutta, ex-Director CBI at ISCON temple in East of Kailash and lunch thereafter, organized by her widow. She especially came to request us for it. We worked together in CBI.
Quotable Quotes :"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.' Winston Churchill

21st Jan

Attended Meghalay day celebration at Meghalaya house followed by lunch. Could meet a number of cadre-mates, retired and serving,young and old. Venita accompanied.
Quotable Quotes :"If you're going through hell, keep going."Winston Churchill

20th Jan

In the Supreme  court in the afternoon.
Venita underwent  some eye tests at Center for Sight. Power of glasses has slightly increased.
Quotable Quotes :"My most brilliant achievement was my ability to be able to persuade my wife to marry me." Winston Churchill

19th Jan

In the Supreme court in the afternoon.
Amolicaa, our granddaughter, is 12 today. Venita did puja and distributed sweets to all to celebrate her birthday. She prepared delicious 'khir' also on the day and gave to all . We talked to her as we do every year. She is in a hostel in UK. Pilku visited her. Her hostel is located about 65/70 kms away from London. Phone connectivity is not good. But we could understand each other. I told her to write me letters as her dad,Silku and Babloo used to write to my father.We blessed her for health and happiness in life. 
She was born on 19.01.2005 at 18.52 hrs GMT at Wellington, South-West London, Wednesday or at 002 hrs of 20.01.2005, IST, Thursday,12 years back.  According to Indian calendar, Tithi was Dashmi, Paush Shuklapksh, Samvat 2061. 
Qootable Quotes :"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." Winston Churchill

18th Jan

In the Supreme court in the afternoon.
Quotable Quotes :"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." Winston Churchill

17th Jan

Venita organized 'Amritbani', a cult started by Shri Ramsharnam. In this, a group of 4/5 ladies sing devotional songs in praise of Ram. About 20 ladies of Vasant Vihar joined in it. In the end, all were treated with high tea. Venita says that ever since she came to our flat last year she wanted to organize it. She was happy she could do it today. .
Quotable Quotes :"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential." Winston Churchill

16th Jan

In the Supreme court in the afternoon.
Quotable Quotes :"Never, never, never give up." Winston Churchill

15th Jan

Spent the day writing travelogue of our visit to Thailand and Singapore. Could complete for 3rd and 2nd Jan only. While photographs of 3rd could be transferred from my cell to laptop for uploading in the blog, photographs of 2nd could not be transferred. I will try again. Hope to complete the process in the next week. It is painstaking work.
Pravesh came to invite for the marriage of his son. He asked us for sure presence during ring ceremony on 5th Feb.,Sangeet and Mehendi on 27th Feb., Marriage on 28th Feb. and Reception on 2nd March. He has only one son. No daughter..
Quotable Quotes :"Arise! Awake! and stop not until the goal is reached." Swami Vivekananda

Bangkok and Singapore visit : 27th Dec.2016 to 3rd Jan 2017

Please read the Travelogue from below,i.e.,27th Dec. to 3rd Jan.

3rd Jan
Visited Srinivas heritage Vishnu temple (about 200 year old) in Mini India of Singapore and joined in the arti and puja in the forenoon. It being a Tuesday,Venita did puja in the Hanuman temple also inside Srinivas temple. She also shopped around in China town before leavng for Swarnbhumi Intl.Arpt., Bangkok.
                       Srinivas heritage Vishnu temple

                          
        Samudra manthan depiction at Swarnbhumi Intl.Arpt., Bangkok

Venita had discovered Samudramanthan scene in course of her window shopping on 31st when we came to Bangkok airport on way to  Singapore. She described it to me on way. She was quite thrilled to see it and wished to take me to show. We could not go on that day as flight had started boarding in the meantime. We walked lenth and breadth in the fourth floor of the airport today for about 45 minutes;Venita walked enquiring about it from everyone on the way and ultimately she located it. I did not object as she was quite enthusistic to show it to me. She stood before the statue of lord Vishnu and prayed for quite sometime.

Left Singapore by Thai Airways at about 3.55 pm (Singapore time). Arrived Bangkok at about 5.15 pm. Singapore time is 2 and half hour ahead of India and one hour ahead of Bangkok. Left Bangkok by Thai Airways at about 8 pm.(Bangkok time). Bangkok time is one and half hour ahead of India. Reached Delhi 11 pm (IST) after refreshing holidays in Thailand and Singapore for a week from 27th Dec. to 3rd Jan 2017.
Quotable Quotes :"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." Confucius

2nd Jan

Undertook city tour of Gardens by the Bay at Singapore, popularly called Flower Dome + Cloud Forest, cooled conservatories.We had already seen them on 1st, details and some photographs are given below in travelogue of 1st . Flower Dome has flower plants from all over the world. Cloud Forest is a beautiful creation of natural forest with artificial clouds. Before taking us to gardens by the bay the tour operator took us to a chocolate gallery We bought some chocolates.
A visit to Marelion park thereafter was scintllating.The story of Marelion (head of lion and body of fish) is narrated as follows :"In the 13th-century Malay Annals, Sang Nila Utama, a prince from Palembang was shipwrecked and washed ashore to an island. There he saw a creature which he believed was a lion. So he named the island "Singa Pura" (in Tamil language Singa puram) which means "Lion City" in Malay, from which the name Singapore was derived."(Wikipedia)

           Marelion (head of lion and body of fish)

Thereafter guide took us to a jewellery shop. But all items were quite expensive. None of the group consisting of about 15,all ndians,mostly from Andhra Pradesh, bought any. We were dropped at the hotel around 2 pm.
We also visited Buddha temple in China town. Venita shopped around.
                        Buddha temple in China town

We requested S.A. Kumar, Director, Goldfish Holiday Makers (S) Pvt Ltd, who were engaged by our Travel Agent for airport transfers at Singapore only, to take us to Sentosa island for Wings of Time Show as weather was good today. In fact we had first requested Luxury TRS and TRVL on 31st to show us the areas on 1st Jan which will not be coverd by them on 2nd as per package. They said they would. On being contacted by us on 1st, they did not respond. Hence we contacted Goldfish holiday Makers.on 1st. We could not see Sentosa show on the day as it started raining. As cost of tickets was non-refundable we lost about 70 Singapore dollars on 1st. Shri Kumar showed us around in his limousin on 1st, 2nd and 3rd. And later he dropped us at the airport. We paid about 225 Singapore dollers for sight-seeing on 1st,2nd and 3rd Jan. Payment for airport drop had already been made by our Delhi Travel agent. It was included in the package. The packaging by the Travel agent had not been done properly. In future we should request the Travel agent for packaging the airtickets, hotel reservations and airport transfers only. For sight-seeing we should do it on arrival at a particular place.
After we were dropped at the hotel by Luxury TRS and TRVL, we requested SA  Kumar, Director, Goldfish Holiday Makers (S) Pvt Ltd , travel operator, to take us to Sentosa. As weather was good, he dropped us at boarding point of cable cars. We travelled to Sentosa by cable car and witnessed 'Wings of Time' show against the background of sea. It was presentation of water, laser , fire and powerful  music. It shows evolution of life.
After the show, Kumar drove us through Mount Faber, hill station of Singapore, with spacous houses of rich people. At the end we drove through Mini India and had delicious dinner at a vegetarian Siva Sagar Restraunt .
1st Jan
Visited Singapore Botanic gardens by taxi on our own arrangement. It is Unesco world heritage site. We walked for about 45 minutes to reach VIP Orchid garden from Tanglin gate. Orchids of all colours were blooming in full glory.
On request S.A. Kumar, Director, Goldfish Holiday Makers (S) Pvt Ltd came at 10.30 am to Sherton Towers where we stayed for three nights and took us to Singapore flyer and Flower Dome + Cloud rest.
Flower Dome + Cloud rest, namely, Gardens by the Bay,are designed  meticulously. They have flower plants of all countries. It is season for them to bloom.
        

In Flower Dome

Some plants of Fower Dome

Cloud Forest

 Cable cars to Sentosa and Mount Faber

                               View from Singapore Flyer

                      View of Bay from Singapore flyer

We moved by cable cars and Singapore flyer. We had good views of entire Singapore,of its magnificent skyline of tall buildings, bay, green areas and twinlkling lights.. Marine Sand base hotel  near Marilion was most striking structure. One cable car takes you to Mount Fabre. You see a panoramic view of entire Singaore. Its peak has a large Marilion. You go through it to the highest point of Singapore. The other cable car takes you to Sentosa island. It has amusement park and a museum. Famous Wings of time  show is staged here.
31st  
Left Suvarnbhumi Intl airport, Bangkok for Changi Intl Airpoart Singapore at about 11.30 am. We took breakfast at Royal Silk lounge of Thai Airlines at the airport. We gave packs of breakfast, taken from Grand Skhumvit hotel Bangkok ,to airport staff . They were quite happy with the unexpected gifts.
Arrived Singapore at about 2.50 pm. After a drive of about half an hour,we arrived Sheraton Towers, Singapore Hotel, 39 Scotts road Pin 228230, TN (65)6737 6888,Telefax (65) 6737 1072. It was new year eve. As there was no other program, people in hotel advised us to walk to nearby Orchard road. We were there for about one and a half hour. It was beautifully decorated for the eve brimming with people mostly looking Chinese.76% people in Singapore are Chinese. We came to Sheraton and had dinner, not so good, at about 9 pm to the singing of a crooner. It was all kinds of non- veg food. Hardly anything veg.We retired to sleep around 11 pm before bells rang for the New Year. So one more year is gone. We do not know how many more years, life has in store for us.
30th
Undertook half day tour of Grand Palace as provided in the package.
Stupa below has relics of Buddha. It was erected by King Rama IV  in 1855.
                            Stupa with Buddha relics

It is Chapel of Emrald Buddha. It was built by King Rama I in 1782. It is the ordination hall in the style of Ayodhya period. The royality claim their lineage to Ayodhya's Shri Ram.
                      Outside wall of  Chapel of Emrald Buddha in the style of Ayodhya period.

The building is Buddhist library. It was constructed during the reign of King Rama in 1789.

Buddhist library.

The Demon Gurdians,guarding the Emrald Buddha

We also passed the chambers where the body of King Rama I0 is lying-in-state. Its cremation is to take place somtime in Oct. this year.PM Modi visited it last year.
29th
We had a full day program to visit the Bridge on River Kwai, Kanchanaburi, War cemetry and  museum. Prisoners of war were utilized to construct it during World war II. We travelled by train  for about an hour.
                                           In the train

                       On the River Kwai bridge

With the well informed guide

In front of a cave, used by Japanese for accomodation of labourers for construction of bridge on Kwai

The Thai guide told us the story of love between a Japanese soldier and Thai girl. Later, while dying the injured soldier told the  grieving Thai girl that she need not cry. He 'would wait for her in the milky way and meet when she comes there' the guide said.
On way back visited war-cemetry, located in about10 acre area . We saw a number of Polish people visiting it. Quite a few of POWs were of Polish origine besides others of allied forces and some forced labourers. Nearby The Jeath war museum in Kanchanburi was a touching experience. It exhibited how POWS lived a wretched life and  a good number died too.
                                                Cemetry

We returned hotel quite late in the evening after a long day. We had lunch near Kwai bridge. It was included in the tour package.

28th
Undertook a temple tour to Golden Buddha at Sukhothai Traimit and Wat Pho in China town..
Golden Buddha at Sukhothai Traimit is said to be the largest Golden Buddha image in the world.
                                    Golden Buddha

In Wat Pho

The reclining Buddha

.Wat Pho temple complex has a number of structures in memory of past kings aand other members of Royal family besides idols of Buddha.
Reclining Buddha in Wat Pho is greatly revered and worshipped by Thai and foreign Buddhists.
We also visited Gem producton company and Narai Phand, Royal Thai Government cottage industry outlet after return from temple tour.Venita bought a few items.
To avoid traffic jams, we travelled by skytrain from the Narai Phand to Grand Skhumvit hotel. The Grand Skhumvit provided us a three wheeler to travel from Skytrain station to hotel.
27th Dec,2016 
It was 11 degree celcius at IGI at 3 am. At 1.30 am IST on 26th,we wished happy birthday to dear Ruchi from the airport. It was 7 pm in London on 26th: birthday eve. At IGI we were taken to Plaza lounge by the Thai Airlines and offered drinks and breakfast as the travel agent in India had got our tickets upgraded to business class.
We took off by Thai airways at about 3 am. Flight time was about 3.30 hours. As we lost 1 and half hour due to time difference between Delhi and Bangkok, we arrived at about 5 am (IST) and 6 and half hour local time.Checked-in Grand Skhumvit hotel,TN (66) 2207 9999, fax (66) 2207 9555
We had swapped our suitcase with another through mistake. Ajay, our travel agent in India, helped in locating it when i shared some information from baggage tags with him. Ajay is appreciated by us for his 24 hour availibility and his attitude of help any time. I have dealt with many travel agents, but he is unique.  We had to cough out over 100 US dollers in taxi,f ine and tip at  Bangkok airport to get back our baggage.

14th Jan

Makarsankranti is being celebrated today. The sun enters the tropic of Capricorn, i.e.,we will now gradually move towards summer days.The days will start getting longer and nights shorter. There could ,however, be spells of cold due to snowfalls in upper reaches of Himalayas now and then. Again, it was quite a cold day.
Venita visited Chanakyapuri Ram temple to give Makar sankranti 'dan'.
Quotable Quotes :"Truth can be stated in a thousand different ways, yet each one can be true." Swami Vivekananda

Jan 13

 Attended a lunch get-together of some members of 'Dons club'of D.J. hostel, University of Allahabad in the house of Prabhat Mehrotra, IAS (Rtd). Dev Prakash Khanna IPS (Rtd),  Mahesh Saxena, Professor (Rtd), Engineering college Srinagar,could join. Ramesh Tiwari, a retired Professor oF IIPA could not come due to sickness.The club became defunct afer we left the hostel. It had, as far as i can remember, 12 members. We would meet once a week and one of us would read out a paper followed by discussion. The paper had to have an original idea. I remember to have presented a paper 'A point of view' in its meeting. It had 1000 words. It did not say anything new. It argued in simple language for doing our part in society . Later i submitted it in a competition of essays. It got first prize. It was printed in the hostel magazine . We shared memories of our stay in the hostel from 1956 to 1962, over 6 years.
Of the 12 members,three had died and one each from Lucknow, Jaunpur,Faijabad, Delhi could not come.

           Prabhat Mahesh Sudhir DP Khanna DNS Shrivastava
Quotable Quotes :"The more we come out and do good to others, the more our hearts will be purified, and God will be in them." Swami Vivekananda

12th Jan.

In the Supreme court in the afternoon. The temperature went down to 2 to 3 degree celsius in Delhi.
Quotable Quotes :"You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself." Swami Vivekananda

11th Jan

It is quite cold today. The temperature went down to 5 degree Celsius. But daily routine program had to be followed as on other days.
Quotable Quotes :"Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without." Confucius

10th Jan

In the Supreme court in the afternoon.
Quotable Quotes :"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." Confucius

8 and 9th Jan

8th
Drove to VV. Went through a couple of paragraphs of the second book,  'Blogging the 40s Kindle Edition'  by Silku. 
Quotable Quotes :"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." Confucius

9th
In the Supreme court in forenoon.
Attended a panel discussion on 'Donald Trump' at IIC in the afternoon. Three former ambassadors and Prof. Mahapatra of JNU were the panellists. A lively discussion followed. A month back I had attended a lecture by Ambassador Mira Shankar at CSOI on the same subject.
Quotable Quotes :"Silence is a true friend who never betrays." Confucius

                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                                     

6 and 7th Jan

6th
Venita's cousin brother, Shshi Sinha, had cardiac problem. He is admitted in Max hospital. Surgery
is to be done on Monday the ninth Jan. We could not meet him as he was in ICU. After meeting Lalit and Shashi's wife, Mira , Venita went back Vikaspuri. I stayed back to attend the Executive Committee meeting of Arsipso at RK Puram. We chalked out program for seminars, lectures in the New year.
Quotable Quotes :"The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence." Confucius
7th
Spent the day reading.
As we have piped gas now, we are required to surrender gas cylinder as per rules. It has been pending for a long time . Could complete it today. There is a change in attitudes of employees of gas company. They would adhere to rules , fairness and help. It was refreshing to see the change .
Quotable Quotes :"Wherever you go, go with all your heart." Confucius

4 & 5th Jan

4th
Reached Delhi 11 pm after refreshing holidays in Thailand and Singapore for a week from 27th Dec. to 3rd Jan 2017
Spent the day in misc. pending work at Vikaspuri.
A detailed blog on our visit to Bangkok and Singapore from 27th Dec 2016 to 3rd Jan 2017 is under preparation and will be mailed shortly.
Quotable Quotes :"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." Confucius
5th
Spent the day reading.
Quotable Quotes :"Silence is a true friend who never betrays." Confucius