Thursday, December 18, 2014

Vacation with children.


I will recommend a natural and spacious place for vacation when with family.

I used to love to take my children to sea beaches and hillsides in my younger days. Art galleries (yes, art galleries! Do not expect them to discuss art, but they do understand it in their own way!) are lovely spots where children often enjoy more than adults! And of course gardens are their favorite.

My most favorite places are sea beaches.

Sand is a medium that children and adults love to play with and create different world out of it! Sand castles and mountains and what not! Writing names and drawing faces and smiley is fun that comes natural to all – children, parents and grandparent! Creativity gets free flow here. 

Collecting seashells and arranging them later in room is an experience even my fourteen month old grandchild remembers and cherish! He often takes out collected seashells, which are now stored in a used plastic box and shows us. If he could speak, he will say – let’s go there! Let’s build sand castles and watch sun setting. I want to listen to birds chirping and breeze whistling! 

 As a grandparent I know that building sand castles with my grand child was more than play and fun. It was as if I wanted to tell him all in short time. All that I did as a child and all that I want him to know – how, when, where, why.....!
Let me produce a picture with few lines inserted in it. It tells what I want to say explicitly. 



A dip in water with grandchild and his parents around is I think as holy as any holy dip in religious places. It is remembered long after vacation. One just needs to be careful if children are too young. An adult must always be there with them.

Sea beaches usually have notice suggesting where water are dangerous. Avoid such places. In any case, inquire with local people and hotel staff, if it is safe to enter water there. Even swimming pools are great. Please remember to carry your swimming costumes and that of children as well.  Children love water. If they are too young and do not know swimming, please give them some time to get used to water. Please do not expect them to get going from the very first moment you put them in water. If they do, it is fine. If they do not, they will; after some time. Once they get going, you will find it difficult to make them come out. They will want to go on and on and on....

Please be careful about food that you eat at sea beaches. I will recommend coconut water and packed chips. Please avoid Chats like Bhel and Panipuri. I know it is tempting, but it is not worth enough to spoil your vacation. You may try Bhutta (corn cob) freshly roasted in front of you.

Some pictures under tell all.

Just let go when on vacation. Your children want to see you that way. 

It is a gift they are waiting for!










Just relax and play wherever you are and rest will be taken care by nature!

--
Please click :     http://www.clubmahindra.com/teddytravelogues/.    for most amazing travel stories!


This article is written for IB contest - Happy Hours: Teddy Travelogues


Sunday, December 14, 2014

Road Safety in India




Safety does not come in a can
But
I can
You can
We can
Make it safe

I am required to drive about fifty Km. to work and back daily. It is mostly on highway. Resultant stress not just drains my energy, it makes me feel hopeless.
Most accident that I see on the road, I feel, could be avoided with little more respect for life.
One question always arise in my mind – what can I do about this?
One thing is obvious that some care and efforts on part of authorities as well people using road can make life on roads much easier and safer. Many measures do not require much money.

 I decided to create a platform where I and my friends can share problems faced by road users and its solutions. A Face Book page “Safer Highways” is created. Problems faced by highway users are shared on this page. It serves as feed back to authorities.  (My request to all reading this article to visit page “Safer Highways “ on FB and like it. Please use it to share your experience and suggestions)

Some steps that can help make Indian roads safer, easier to use and increase efficiency are:
1)      Driving skill, attitude towards safety and awareness level of drivers are very important. Good roads are of no help if driver is bad.
Drivers should be well trained and tested.  Can we think of one more independent agency testing driver, before issue of the licence? After all it is a question of safety of many.

2)      Very old vehicles on road often create problems due to breakdown. All vehicles after ten years should pass through minimum safety requirements every year.

3)      Overloaded vehicles and vehicles with long items coming out are dangerous for others on the road. Strict action must be taken by RTO.

Two pictures given here are taken while travelling on NH. no. 3. Truck in front was carrying long rolled products coming out  from rear end. It could be seen only when car came closer (picture no. 2). Traffic was moving at the speed of about 70km. per hour.
This is a situation on road that must be avoided at any cost. It is full of potentiality of fetal accident.





4)      Most trucks and three wheeler do not have proper clean rear reflectors and glowing strips.  They are very hazardous. It hardly cost any money. Used CD can also serve as a good reflector.

Can you see a truck in front in the picture given under? Strict action should be taken against such offenders.



5)      Speed limits should be strictly enforced. Normal speed meets every need, doesn’t it? 

6)      Now let us talk about roads.

*Roads should be properly lit.
*Lanes should be marked. Lane discipline needs to be taught and reinforced in driving school and during driving test. 
*Speed breakers should be as per standard size and well marked with glowing paints.
*Beginning and end of road dividers should be having sign with glowing paint or LED lights.

*There should be one particular officer accountable for a specified stretch of road. People should be able to email pictures and suggestions to him for problems faced on that portion of road. Accountability should be fixed.

7)      Points discussed above will serve no purpose if we are not responsible towards safety and convenience of others using road also. Courteous attitude on road reduce level of stress in self and others leading to safer travel.
Let us make our roads safe and pleasant to use. I will end saying that safety is not just insurance, it is a prayer.

Safety like quality
Never an accident,
Result of conscious efforts and
Elevated awareness,
Originating from
Respect for life,
It is a tribute to
The creator of life
---

Above article is written for  Nissan Safety Driving Forum contest. Please visit link given under.

Saturday, November 15, 2014

Fourth dimension


Fourth dimension

Joy of
Passing on
All that is known to me
How, why, when, where......
So that I too am a part
Of the life
You live
(With grandson Siddharth on Juhu beach building a sand castle)
Long after
I am
No more

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Oh, it touched within


Oh, it touched within 



It says
It is yours
It is mine
It is ours, for
Whole world is a family

It touched within
Now my mission
To create a world I felt

It is a magic 
More Indian than you think



--

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Raas Lila


Silence creates the space
Separating mind from heart
And heart from soul

In deep silence
Soul often reveals
Secret of universe to heart
In a language unknown to mind
Heart can only pass it to
Another heart, also
In silence

Two hearts communicate
Play, dance
Celebrate.....

As long as in silence.


Acrylic colours on white drawing paper (21"x15") by Harshad. 


Saturday, July 26, 2014

..... and it happens


...And it happens




When hopes are given up
When possibilities are deemed nil
When attempts are mechanical

Life springs surprises
And a shower on dry earth
Spread aroma filling heart


Life is worth living!

--

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Touching


Everything that touches my soul
making me feel lively to life
With smile or tears,
Helps
Make this life worthwhile
More aspiration
More strength to my wings
More courage
And

Sky more open

--

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Farewell


 keep in touch scraps keep in touch graphics keep in touch images keep in touch pics keep in touch photos keep in touch greetings keep in touch ecards keep in touch wishes keep in touch animations



It will end,
Leaving within me aroma
Of many hearts who shared







Wishing you fare well
And do share, whenever you can
For my heart is richer now
With impressions you have left

Thank you for everything,
Keep in touch
Words not just said but felt

--
OSI Prompt: Farewell


Friends you can contact me on my emai :  http://facebook.com/Harshu7891

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Circles


It defines
It includes
It attracts likes
It expands
It contracts
All around its center

Your circles define you
Yet you are not your circles
Remain centered

--
OSI Prompt : Circles