Gurdaspur to the Moon via Jet Airways…!!!

Gurdaspur to the Moon via Jet Airways…!!!

Two Characters : Deepak and Mantu

Storyteller : Deepak

It was the night of 18th May, 2019. It was a normal Saturday night for all. But I would never forget that night. I was wandering on the streets of this small peaceful town Gurdaspur with my school friend Mantu. I had a full sync with this guy as we both wanted freedom from this social web of society. Both of us were caught in a cob-web though we had dreams, big dreams which were caught underneath the social pressure. Also, we firmly believed that while staying in this small town, our dreams would never be fulfilled. So there was only one way according to us to get away from that and we found it in flying away from this world to a new world where there was no society at all or if there was, then it didn't follow the rules of the earth. This may sound weird to some people, and at the same time, some people may relate to it. 

                    It was our weekend routine to wander around in the town during evening times. We used to visit Fish Park (the only park in the city but with no Fish inside), then the ever busy Hanuman Chowk area which recently emerged as the Eating Street of this small town, and gave our excited taste buds a respite by eating different fast foods there. Then we used to discuss what's happening in the world (science was our favorite topic), how we could improve the system (dissatisfied youth), and then moved back home with a hope to get rid of that monotonous life someday.

Main Gate of Fish Park

Hanuman Chowk sreet

Enjoying fast food at busy Hanuman Chowk

                     On that very night of 18th May, we both were wandering as usual on the streets of this town on our Motorbike at around 8.00 pm. Then suddenly, Mantu took a right turn from Hanuman Chowk and everything turned black. We thought perhaps the lighting of the whole town has been put off due to a technical glitch. Though, we were used to power cuts as this happened frequently, but this was something unusual. Never happened like that before. Never felt like that before. We both started shivering. It appeared as if Britishers has put us in a black water prison with no sign of any light around. We both stood still, blank. Indeed, everything has come to a halt. It was pin drop silence.

Right turn from Hanuman Chowk area

                      Then suddenly we saw a small beam of light coming a few metres away from us. Fearing a little bit, we started moving towards that. Reaching near that point, I noticed that the light was coming from behind a door. Mantu told me that Deepak you should open the door. We thought we had perhaps entered an empty dark house somehow and it was the only way out. I gathered courage and bang open the door.        

                               Booo….

But to our surprise, we had just entered an air-plane… !!! 

We were greeted by an air hostess and she told us to take our seats and fasten the belts as the flight was ready to take off. This time we both pinched ourselves and it hurt a little. Certainly, it was not a dream. All real. We tried to run away through the door but it was tightly closed. We told the air hostess that we had not booked any flight. But she kept us telling the same thing again, as if she was a robot programmed to repeat the same words. The plane had only 3 more passengers sitting on different seats and they were unknown faces. Unwillingly, we both sat down on the plane seats. And the flight started to take-off.

A lot of questions were going on in our mind... 

From where the hell does this flight came in the middle of the town having no airport ???

What happened to all city residents ???

Where was my favourite Hanuman Chowk street ???

And the most important question of them all :

Were we alive as it was not a dream for sure ???

We were going to get answers to all our questions very soon.

I never got a chance to travel in an air-plane till now in life. When the flight took-off, me and Mantu were feared. But soon we started enjoying this first plane flight of ours as it was the only thing we could do then. It was an awesome experience for a first timer. Then suddenly fear gripped us again when we noticed the name of flight we were sitting in. It was the air-plane of JET AiRWAYS. 

                              

                       Woah Woah…..

We all know that Jet Airways has been closed down a few months back. So what in the hell was this…??? We called the air hostess and asked her what was happening here ??? But to our surprise, she again told us the programmed robotic dialogue :

                Fasten your seat belts as flight was ready to take-off...

We told that young smart looking robotic girl that the plane has already taken off. Has she kidnapped us. Or Is she an alien ??? But in vain. Mantu suggested that let's ask some more questions to her. I told him to try himself. So he asked, what's her name ??? Still no reply. Then he asked, can we get some food ??? Still no reply. He also got irritated and did one more try. He asked what is the final destination of the plane ??? This time she replied : Moon. 

We both saw each other, then at her and repeated the same thing for a minute. I thought in my mind that she was joking or she has run away from an asylum. Being a science enthusiast, I knew that to even reach low earth orbit and finally to get out to space, we need a rocket that use propellant to provide them with thrust. So how was it possible to reach Moon on a simple air-plane that use normal air to get the lift. I told Mantu that something was definitely wrong here. I suggested to ask the 3 more passengers in the flight. We turned towards them and tried to ask. But they also yelled similar to the air hostess :

           Fasten your seat belts as flight was ready to take-off...

                       God damn it…..

Were they also programmed robots ???. But they looked just like humans. It appeared to me as if we were in a robotic testing lab where experiments were being conducted to make human looking real robots. And perhaps we were kidnapped for the same.

I uttered in my mind :

Oh God, where have I got myself into...from wandering in the streets to an air-plane in-housing robot like humans giving feeling of a testing lab experiment. Infact, according to the air-hostess we were going on a trip from Gurdaspur to the Moon via Jet Airways passenger flight literally.

Journey to the Moon from Gurdaspur in Jet Airways

Mantu and I were though feared but we were strong. We saw each other and then decided to do something to get out of this mess. The air hostess was standing in front of us constantly gazing at us. We waited for some time and when air hostess turned towards the pilot cabin, we followed her. And another surprise was there waiting for us with no sign of pilot flying the air-plane. We were dumbstruck. The plane was on auto-pilot mode. We both shouted : 

                         What the fcuk….

Then out of fear, started praying :

                 Oh God, Oh Shiva, Oh Lord Hanuman... 

                 We will break 101 coconuts on your stairs and do temple service daily, please save us this time from this mess...

God was definitely not listening(we never went to the temple except on occasion of Janmashtami). Meanwhile, the air hostess turned towards us. We started shivering again. She again yelled : 

      Fasten your seat belts as flight was ready to take-off...

We both fainted at that time.

After some time, I was awake and one thing took me aback. Mantu was flying in mid-air in front of me. I shook him. He also got awaken. I told him perhaps he's become an angel now as he was flying mid-air. Mantu told me that Deepak you have also become the same as he also sees me flying mid-air. Oh God, due to fear gripping my mind, I couldn't realise that we both were flying mid-air. The air hostess was still standing in front of us gazing at us. We asked her what she did to us. Has she killed us ??? No reply again. I yelled at her : Where are we, just leave us. We want to go back to Gurdaspur town.

Now she replied : 

                "Welcome to Moon…"

I told her to stop lying as it was not Moon. She was mad and mad and mad. After hearing that  she started moving towards us with a knife in her hands. I thought it was our last time and we were going to be dead. I shouted in fear and closed my eyes. Suddenly I heard my mother's voice yelling : 

          "Wake up...Wake up Deepak. It's 8am now. You will get late for your work". 

And I got awaken. Took a sigh of relief after realising that it was a scary nightmare which I had. And it was not real. Mantu was also not there. My mother asked me what happened. I told her nothing serious, just a scary dream.

I got up as usual and went to my work. In the evening, I got a call from Mantu. He told me that let's catch up at 8pm at Hanuman Chowk as he had something important to discuss. I said yes let's meet up there. But what was so important that he wanted to discuss. Now this unusual thing happened as he told me that he dreamed last night where we both got stuck in an air-plane moving to Moon with the alien air hostess trying to kill us. I told him if he was joking. He replied with a big NO. My mind was blown. I told him I had the same dream last night. He didn't believe me either. I just cut the call and gave a thought to it. My brain started aching. Then I thought just leave it there and took some rest.

I went at 8pm with Mantu to Hanuman Chowk street. We discussed the common dream we had while eating fast food but couldn't come to any conclusion. Perhaps, it would remain a mystery. After some time, we were again on the road, took a right turn and at 9pm came back home again. All was oki. All was good. 

Though we both wanted freedom from the social web of society but certainly not the way, we saw in the dream.

It's been more than six months now when that incident took place. Mantu and I never talked about that dream again. We moved on. And in fact, we started enjoying our lives even more in this small lovely town of Gurdaspur city concentrating more on what we had at present. In the end, all I can say is that :

We all experience strange things in life that happen coincidentally. We just have to ignore these things to keep moving in life…

And always be positive, be happy.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading :-)

             

Rejuvenation : the musical way

Rejuvenation : the musical way

Youngsters can be seen now a days with their earphones plugged in and shaking their heads. They are grooving to the music. It is the style of the new generation. And the elderly people may find such style to be weird. But if we see it with eyes of research scientists, the things are totally otherwise. Yes, guys. According to researchers, listening to music can rejuvenate our body and this health benefit is not only restricted to youth but elderly also. Listening to music can help in preventing our body from a number of disorders. We can call it music therapy and this won't cost you a penny. It is for Free.

                                           

                                  Music is a medicinal pill which everyone would like to take frequently. Music is found to eliminate the emotional and mental stress in the body. The benefits of listening to music are countless : whether increase in concentration, relaxation, increased brain activity, sound sleep, lower blood pressure rates or energizing effect on the body. Modern day lifestyles combined with latest technologies have eased our lives but also introduced us to new illness named, depression. This modern illness can easily be treated with the music therapy instead of taking pills for the same. When we listen to our favourite music whether rap, hip hop, jazz, classical, it uplifts our mood and make us happier relieving us of any depression. Consequently, we can work with greater efficiency.

                                   

                                   
                                     Scientists are doing a lot of research on the effects of music on our body. Infact, they say that people who like to become singing idols in their showers may actually be doing good considering health benefits especially for the elderly. Singing : thande thande pani se nahana chahiye , GANA aaye ya na aaye Gaana chahiye. Yeah !!! It may save you from chronic conditions like arthritis, breathlessness and many more. Some people don't like sad songs, simply because it can make them feel more sad. But if we go according to experts, in reality, the feeling turns out to be more romantic than being tragic. This is because our body parts react to the musical waves in different ways.  In ancient times also, the Indian Vedas system emphasised utilizing the musical treatments to cure a disease. It treated health equivalent to harmony and disorder equivalent to disharmony. Different sounds of music can affect different parts of body. The Raga or melody can bring inner peace in our body, mind and soul, hence providing good health. These are the benefits of music therapy. But can it cause any harm to our body. Yup !!! It can. Listening to music in a very very loud voice can bring negative effects on our body. So we should listen to our favourite music only at levels that our mind accepts.

               Guys, the pro-music therapy is certainly taking you to a next level. So what are you waiting for. Plug-in your earphones, forget everything and groove it to your favourite music.

   

SUPER - SMS - a respite for delhiites

SUPER-SMS : A respite for Delhiites !!!

                            Knock , Knock - SMS. Guys, this sound may remind you of a new message alert on your mobiles and hearing the word Super-SMS, your mind may start giving impression of a new mobile messaging technique. But this name Super-SMS has nothing to do with real messaging, indeed. Though not related to real messaging, this special SMS has something in store for the people of Delhi. Surprised !!! Guys, this special message can save the Delhiites from a common but severe problem they face every year - SMOG. Guys, let me not thrill you more and reveal what it is actually. This Super-SMS is a machine named Super-Straw Management System to solve the paddy burning problem in Punjab and other areas. Now, you got it guys. Today I am sharing the problem of paddy burning being carried out in areas of Punjab, Haryana,western UP and Uttarakhand.

                             Delhi is known as : dilwalon ki delhi. But in recent years, this name seems to be changed to : pollution prone delhi. The problem of smog got so worsened in Delhi that Supreme Court has to order a ban on fire crackers at the festival of Diwali last year. Kids were really unhappy with the decision as they wait for this festival throughout the year. And why would they not be unhappy as the main reasons behind this were not tackled. Mr. Sorry (the great Kejriwal) blamed Punjab and Haryana for the pollution caused in Delhi. They in turn blamed each other for the same.

                             Guys, Delhi face internal problems like factories, old diesel vehicles, power plants, dust from construction sites etc. So how only can Punjab be held responsible for the aching lungs of Delhiites. Let me clear this confusion. Farmers in Punjab plant paddy starting from 15th June and the crop matures after about 5 long months mainly in October. And it has to be harvested before next month as 15th November marks beginning of the plantation of the next crop -wheat. For the harvesting of the paddy crop, farmers are using combine harvesters. The combines harvest, thresh and clean the separated grain in just one hour. If done manually, it will take a full day with nearly 10 persons working in the fields costing around 4500 rs. But in case of combines, the cost will be maximum 1500rs. for an acre of paddy crop.

                             As you just noticed, harvesting with combines saves time and money, but in the process it leaves behind loose straw and standing stubble. And it is not at all easy to get rid of this crop residue. If the farmers clear the residue manually, it is time consuming and if they use machines again to clear the stubble, then it will increase their costs. This is specially not feasible for farmers working on small acres of land. So this led farmers to use the free of cost and time saving method for taking care of the crop residue - burning it up. Farmers find burning effective as it provides them enough time for preparing the field for next wheat crop.

field burning

                             In fact guys, wheat might be the main culprit behind this burning process. As i told you earlier, wheat has to be planted starting from 15th November. But paddy is matured late near around 15th October. Some high yielding varieties like PUSA-44 mature even later around 25th October giving farmers hardly 20days to clear off the paddy straw and prepare field for wheat plantation. They are only left with burning it up.  PAU(Punjab Agricultural University) has launched short duration varieties like PR-121(140days) and PR-126(125days). This gives the farmers more time for wheat. But it still does not eliminate the need for burning as it is cost saving.  So is there not any scientific solution to this problem. Of course it has. A machine named TURBO HAPPY SEEDER(THS) can play a very important role in this respect. Infact, a lot of farmers are already using it now. THS is a tractor mounted machine which clears off the standing stubble and also sow the wheat seeds in the soil and cover it with straw to prevent erosion. So it does two works at a time on the same day and eliminate the need of burning the fields and and also plants the wheat crop. But THS also face a problem as it could not clear off the loose straw fully as compared to standing stubble. So  here's where the Super-SMS comes into play. This machine can be attached to any harvesting combiner. It cuts and uniformly spread loose straw on field. So, using THS and Super-SMS can stop the practising of burning the fields and hence, prevent the problem of smog in Delhi.        

Turbo happy seeder

                             But still guys, the problem is not yet solved as these machines are too costly for farmers to buy.  As you know, not all farmers are financially sound and they are constantly ending their lives due to the debts they have taken for their lands to work. So how would farmers be able to adopt these costly machines on their farms. Well these machines(THS+SuperSMS+Combine) are costing near around 20 lakhs. And the machine suppliers are giving them on rent which actually makes it feasible for farmers to utilize them. The govt. is also making efforts to provide subsidy to farmers so that this problem can be solved.

Super-SMS

                                The NGT(national green tribunal), fined the farmers for carrying out the burning process, but it could not prevent all the farmers from doing the same. Though according to Punjab Pollution Control Board, the reported residue burning cases in fields have decreased from 67,969 in 2016 to 39,686 in 2017, the farmers are yet to fully accept this Super-SMS technique. But i hope when this super message reaches out to all the farmers with proper planning, it will definitely reduce the level of smog and provide the people of Delhi a respite from this problem. The govt. worked out ODD-EVEN system in delhi to stop pollution and that is applaudable. But to breathe freely and put off their masks during morning walks, Delhiites should also come forward and work in cooperation with the govt. Remember, Charity begins at home. The world should know it clear -  delhi is still : dilwalon ki delhi and not pollution prone Delhi.

Cappuccino or Americano

Cappuccino or Americano :

You have heard these names so many times. They are part of the growing coffee family and which flavour one likes is a personal choice. I like cappuccino personally. Guys, coffee has become so popular as a drink that people take it during their breakfast+lunch+dinner. And whether you are at home or at work or in college canteens, a cup of coffee will give you a sense of delight. For coffee lovers, a day without coffee seems to be incomplete. Couples dating each other begin their date with a coffee. A cup of cappuccino can make or break your love. In Indian marriages, a stall of coffee can be definitely seen. And I say that why not to take it when it can energise your body. Yes, drinking coffee can reduce stress in the body and keep us awake. It is all due to the caffeine present in it that creates this effect. Coffee is usually served hot but cold coffee is also a popular option. Adding a little milk or cream to it, will give it a delicious flavour !!! At different places, we can enjoy different flavours of coffee. Well all these flavours are part of espresso which is made by forcing boiling water under pressure through coffee beans. You must have tasted some of these flavours but let me tell you in short what they actually contain. There are two types of coffee : Arabica(less Caffeine) and Robusta(bitter+more caffeine). Below I am sharing some of the demanding flavours of coffee :

Americano : espresso with hot water.
                                               

Latte : espresso with steamed milk with little foam on top.
                                               

Cafe Mocha : latte with chocolate flavour and whipped cream.  
                                         

                                  

Cappuccino : espresso with thick layer of foamy steamed milk.
                                               

Frappe : cold coffee which when shaken creates froth.
                                               

Macchiato : latte with more milk, more foam served as layered Coffee.
                                               

                                   Now you know about different types of coffees. But have you ever wondered from where this special drink without which your morning seems to be incomplete originated from. The coffee you drink has not dominated our daily meals as it is. It has come a long way to reach this far. Let me give you a little insight into its history. Coffee drink is prepared from coffea plant which has its origins in the East Africa.  From Africa, the coffea plant is believed to have been exported to the rest of the world. First coffee drink can be dated back to 15th century in Yemen(Arabia earlier). In 1670, a famous Sufi saint, Baba Budan from Karnataka liked the coffee very much during his Mecca Yatra. So he smuggled it into India and planted the beans in Chandragiri hills of Mysore later named as Baba Budan Hills. Coffee, earlier considered a Muslim drink and prohibited by Ethiopian christian orthodoxs till 1889 is now the national drink of Ethiopia.

                                Though prohibited earlier, coffee is now seen as good due to its many health benefits. Infact, the world now celebrates International Coffee Day that originated in Japan in 1983 on 29th September. Also, according to a study conducted recently, if you drink 2-4 cups* of coffee per day, you may live longer. Sounds really amazing of course. But wait, don't go beyond that because excess of anything is considered bad. Another interesting fact about coffee is that, to produce coffee beans that can make one cup of coffee, requires nearly 140 litres of water which is a matter of concern regarding water usage. But I hope that problem will be tackled in the near future. Well surprisingly, some hotels in the world are also serving 24-K cappuccino which adds essence of pure gold in this aromatic drink. You want to give it a try. But be ready to lighten your pockets !!!

                                My dear friends, I hope u have enjoyed this cup of cappuccino with me. If you know any interesting related facts, feel free to share it here. And also comment whether you are a Cappuccino or Americano... !!!

Oldest love poem

Happy Valentine’s day to everyone out there. Love is in the air and it's fragrance is up-to the fullest. So on the eve of this special day, I bring to you the oldest ever love poem in the world. And It is known as : Love song for Shu-Sin . It starts as this : 

          Bridegroom, dear to my heart,
          Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet,
          Lion, dear to my heart,
          Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet. 

It was recited by a bride of the Summerian King Shu-Sin who ruled around 4000 years back. The poem was inscribed on a small stone tablet that was uncovered in Iraq in 1880’s and is now placed in Istanbul’s ancient museum. Some archaeologists also called it 'Istanbul # 2461'  which sounds a bit unromantic. But the poem itself is quite romantic and it was more than just a love poem and was used each year to perform a sacred rite known as 'sacred marriage’.
           I dedicate this little tint of sweet history to all people who are celebrating the freedom of love on this beautiful day. Keep enjoying :-)

                                       

                            stone                        marriage                            

The Revolution Street

The Revolution : Enghelab

Iran is known for its religious restrictions throughout the world. But guess what, waves of freedom have struck it hard this time. A 31 year old lady named Vida Movahed has become the inspiration for thousands of woman recently protesting in Tehran against the age-old tradition of wearing hijab.In Iran, if a woman does not wear hijab, then it is considered a punishable offense. But Vida Movahed did something considered very daring in Iran. She went to the busy Enghelab street in Tehran, put off her hijab and waved it like a flag for an hour. Afterwards, her videos became viral on Facebook and other woman started following her against this practice. Enghelab is important as it means revolution. Guys do you think women should face such ridicule ? Don’t consider them gift items to be wrapped up, they are also humans. Please let them enjoy equal rights as well. Though Vida Movahed faced jail with her 1.5 year old baby, she ignited the spark of freedom in Iranian women. Women in Iran have come on roads to fight for their rights. And all this have started a heated debate on whether wearing clothes should be a compulsion or a matter of choice. Guys, what do you think about this whole scene. Do you think the same as me or otherwise. Comments are welcomed.

                                               

Vida Movahed, raising hijab
 in Enghelab street

Modernised MENKA : Miss Honey(trap)

MENKA of 21st century : Miss Honey(trap)

Guys, meet the latest victim of honeytrap, IAF group captain Mr.Arun Marwaha. In older times, heavenly apsara Menka attracted the saint Vishvamitra towards her beauty and broke his meditation. But the modern times Menka in form of honeytrap does not even need to come in front of you. Yes it is true. 51-year old Arun Marwaha who earlier talked about pride and nation is now in custody for leaking secret information of Indian Air Force to ISI. He became friends with ISI agents faking to be girls. ISI lured him with chatting on WhatsApp and he fell into the trap easily. Guys do you think this Modernised Menka- Miss Honey(trap) has a solution ? Comments are welcomed.
                

                                                  

honeytrapped