My Morning Walk

My Morning Walk………. A Pleasure, to be Enjoyed.

Can’t be described.


" In the Evening of my Life ", as I walk towards the Horizon of Worldly Existence to merge into the Oblivion, with the setting Sun, I started enjoying my Morning Walks.

( The first 6 words are taken from my Jigri Dost R V Rao's writings,which I gratefully acknowledge. )

On returning from the Walk, the aroma and taste of the South Indian Pea Berry Coffee brewed from freshly grounded powder, tickles my taste buds. The soulful Carnatic Classical Music on SHRUTHI, of the Worldspace Satellite Radio,(affectionately arranged by Neetha,my daughter-in-law) soothes the Hearing Centre in the Brain.

It’s the Perfect Morning Chore to begin a Good Day.

The Morning walk is the Ultimate in Happiness, if you are a Nature Lover. The early morning crisp cool breeze, humming of the various Birds on all the trees around your Walking Path. The bright Blue Sky, drawing its first light rays from the Just Emerging Sun on the Eastern Firmament. It’s a Living Paradise on Earth.

Your Walking Friends passing by and waving a friendly Good Morning, reassures you that you have good friends. Once in a while a friend stops by to chat on a topic of the Day, cuts a joke or two, on the Fallacies of Politicians, and goes forward in his own way.

That morning Laugh with a friend is really a Tonic to make your day Perfect !

The physical exercise, the Morning Walk gives you, is invigorating, to say the least. It tones up your whole system. Your blood circulation, your breathing apparatus (Lungs), and your Soul, all get a bloody good Kick for the day.

It’s always good to walk alone rather than with someone. In a way.

You can regulate your walking speed. You can do your cool thinking,all by yourself. No one to interrupts you or argues to shoot your view down. You can reach your own decisions, uninfluenced by anyone.

In another way, it’s enjoyable to keep talking as you are walking. But you lose out on your Privacy and the chance to think alone. The Morning Walk is your best personal, private Time.


Parsa V Ramachander Rao, Hyderabad, November 19, 2009.

My Mother Went Away

My Mother Went Away

My mother was 85 and was quite healthy. Of course she was very frail and weak. She never had any of the major ailments like Hypertension or sugar or kidney problem.
And she breathed her last one Thursday evening at Khammam, without any major problem.

She had her lunch, in the kitchen by squatting on the floor in the traditional way, around 1’ O clock in the afternoon. She was talking till 5 P M in the evening, was on her feet till then. She slept on a wooden cot for about half an hour and in the sleep itself struggled for breathing for about half an hour. And suddenly one moment she stopped breathing. An hour later a doctor confirmed her death.

It was an expected event. We all knew that one day she would pass away. But when the End came, it was unbearable. It was a heart rending, squeezing sorrow from the inner depths of the soul. The body, which was vibrant with Life even a few seconds before the End, was lifeless, mute and motionless, the moment Life ebbed away.

And when the body was placed in the Ice Box for preserving for the next 24 hours, it was just unbearable. Yet that was the way, it was. Life had gone away. Only the Body remained and had to be disposed off as early as possible to avoid decomposing. Yet the body had to be kept for one son to come from Hyderabad and 3 sons to come from Delhi. Her only daughter was at her bed side when she breathed her last.

She was a great persona, amongst us. She was born in 1924, on July the 27th. At Bezwada, in Krishna District of the then Madras Presidency of British India. It was a Sunday it seems and her father, an Advocate, was at home as the Courts were closed because of Sunday. He was Kondapalli Sri Ramachandra Rao, a reputed Lawyer in the Bezwada Bar of the Sub-Ordinate Courts.

She was the second amongst 4 surviving daughters of her parents. Her father was a very progressive minded intellectual, far ahead in thinking , than his peers. He educated his daughters in the Dornakal Mission School at Bezwada, as long as he lived.

Unfortunately for my mother, her father died of a failed Appendix operation in Madras General Hospital, in July 1933.Inspite of being admitted in the Second Floor, European Ward, as a very special case, (Indians or Natives as they were called were never admitted in the upper Floors) due to a strong recommendation from a Railway Doctor, one Dr. Eapen, the then DMO (Divisional Medical Officer) of Bezwada. A careless surgeon did the operation 8 days after the appendix was infected and left the Operation Theatre without closing the Operation site. He asked the apprentice surgeons assisting him, to close the opening of the stomach. They did a shoddy job. As soon as he was wheeled into his room, the stitches gave way and he bled to death in an hour’s, time.




My mother was then 9 years old and was studying in 4th Standard. Her maternal grand father who became the Guardian and care taker of the family stopped her school going and insisted that girls need no further education than 3rd or 4th Standard studies.

In the traditional way she was married away into a rich Zamindari family of Landlords when she was 13 years of age. Her husband, later my father, was 19 and was in the First year of his Graduation, B. A.

It was her good luck that my father qualified in the Hyderabad Civil Service Examination, which was considered the Indian States’ equivalent of the I C S or Indian Civil Service Exam held in London for recruiting administrators in the British India. My father was then 23 and he had passed the LL.B exam of Allahabad University,by then. My mother was 17 and mother of a son. That was me.

My father’s career started as a Sub-Collector, or Duvvam Taluqdar, as it was called in the then Hyderabad State of the Nizam. This gave my mother ample opportunity to move around in the Elite Civil Services Circles. She quickly learnt to speak Urdu,the then Court Language. She was not only an accepted wife of a Sub-Collector but also a popular Lady amongst the wives of Civil Servants (as they were called, the H C S wallahs).

In 1952 when the First General Elections were held, she contested for the Hyderabad State Legislative Assembly as an Independent. But she lost the election by a thin margin of 1127 votes, to the winning Congress Candidate, a Marwari called Lakshmi Nivas Aggarwal.

In October 1953, a terrific Bullet accident took place in our house in Nalgonda, where my father was the District Collector. A distant cousin of mine fired a loaded Revolver of my father on me and my younger brother Venkateswar, then just 9 months old. I was holding my younger brother in my arms trying to put him to sleep. His head was towards my Right Lung. His legs were towards my Left lung. When the bullet left the Revolver it pierced through my brother’s left thigh and entered my left lung just a couple of centimetres below the Heart. As the bullet passed through my brother’s thigh muscle and entered my lung it did not come out from my back. It got lodged
Just below the skin, next to the spinal chord,but stopped short of falling out. This helped me immensely as I was bleeding only from one opening in front.

After initial life saving medicines and bandaging the thigh wounds of my younger brother, and my lung wound, we were rushed to Hyderabad, Osmania General Hospital, for X- Ray of the lung and my brother’s leg and further treatment.
It was October 26, 1953. District Hospitals in those days did not have X-Ray Machines. Nor did they have expert Surgeons are Chest Specialists.

It was considered a Medical Miracle that I survived. I was discharged after 19 days in Hospital.My brother’s Thigh bone was untouched by the bullet. It just passed through the muscle. He recovered fast and started walking and running like any other healthy child, in course of time.



That was the turning point for my mother’s life. She became extremely Religious because she firmly believed that her prayers to Lord Venkateswara of Tirupati were answered and her two sons lived happily and without ant deformity. In thanks giving she donated all her Jewellery, Gold, Diamonds and all silverware in the house to the Hundi of Lord Venkateswara.

The then Executive Officer of T T D Tirupathi, Sri Chelikani Anna Rao who later became a family friend to us, suggested that all her offerings of Gold Diamonds and Silver be converted to Silver and two Silver Gangalams Large ones at that be made on Order at Kumbakonam, for use in Tirumala Temple, on every Friday for the Abhishekam of the Mula Virat Idol. My mother agreed and the Siver Gangalams made at Kumbakonam were dedicated to the Lord on one Friday in 1954 May.
They were in the Sri Vari Temple at Tirumala till recently about 2007 or so. Now we hear they have been moved to one of the other TTD Temples at Tirupati. The Silver Gangalams bore the inscription ‘Donated by Parsa Venkateswar Rao, H C S, Hyderabad Deccan, Nizam ’s Dominion”.

My mother Parsa Sarada, lived at Tirumala, from April 1994 to 2009 July, in a part Cottage , A T C 77 A, all these years. Courtesy Sri P V R K Prasad I A S, the then Special Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office.


She passed away at the age of 85, on 5th of November, 2009, at Khammam, where she had come in July 2009. From 1953 October to 2009 November she withdrew from the world totally and fixed her mind on Lord Venkateswara, every moment of her waking life.

God Granted her a very Peaceful, Painless Death. Which reinforces my Faith, that God Exists. He Listens. He Grants your wishes, provided you ask with a Pure Heart and it is a harmless wish, which does not jeopardise any other living being’s existence.

May my Mother’s Soul Rest in Peace.



Parsa Venkata Ramachander Rao.
Hyderabad. Nov.13, 2009.

Arrival of an Angel

A R R I V A L O F A N A N G E L


God Almighty Blessed us with a grand daughter very recently.

Into a house of all grown up adults, a Tiny Little Angel arrived in her own way, at her own time, without any hurry and without any fanfare.

It was a Wednesday. Time was the first quarter of the day, 08:48, in the morning, to be precise, and the date was the 23rd day of September, 2009. Before the First Decade of the 21st Century was over.

It was a bright and sunny day. The mother was in her advanced stage of Labour, which started some 36 hours before.. Attending Obstetrician was ready and fully prepared to welcome the Sweet Little Life into this world.

The Father was pacing the corridor up and down, outside the Labour Room, quietly and with great expectancy. And Lo, the miracle of miracles, the wonder of wonders, Happened !! A shrill cry of a new born Life resounded in the Labour Room, and in a few moments the News was announced by the Nurse, “Its a Girl !” !!!

How strange it is that Nature decides the precise moment of Birth, beating all human calculations and expectations. Its perfectly programmed and executed with a split second accuracy. Not a second this way or that way. The baby cries and the lungs start functioning. And then onwards its all automatic. The Body, however tiny it may be looks after itself with a precision that Humans can never achieve.

It was celebrations all over. The Grand Parents on either side are in joy unbounded , distributing sweets to whomsoever they come across and congratulating each other and receiving countless congratulatory phone calls from all over the Relatives / Friends Circles.






And when we go up to see the sweet little angel,she looks at each of us with wide open tiny little eyes and conveys an unspoken message of love and affection for her kith and kin in this new world she entered just a few minutes ago !

God be Praised for this Great Wonder He Created and presented her to us. Oh, God your kindness is Unique. You Alone can do this to us.

We are truly and heartily thankful to you.

Parsa V Ramachander Rao.

P R A Y E R

Prayer. Why do we pray / Should we pray at all.

Some times I wonder as to why I pray.And also question myself whether I should pray at all.

I think I pray to thank God for all my blessings.I have the good fortune of a sound and healthy body,a contented family who are for ever satisfied with whatever I have done for them and the great fortune of an assured three square meals a day in a permanent own house.

These are not available for millions of people all around the globe.Am I not then fortunate to be among the chosen few to enjoy these benefits.Hence I feel I must be grateful to my Creator for the boons He has given me.

So I pray,basically to thank my God for these great benefits and to ask God to be Kind enough to continue these benefits for the rest of my life.

Secondly I pray for mental peace.The 40 to 60 minutes I spend in the Prayer Room take my mind away from everything else, for a personal Communion with my Creator.

True all the 60 minutes my Mind does not stay stable and it keeps on wandering all over the world.

But I try to make a sincere effort every time I pray to hold my mind.Once Yamini asked me “Dad,when I am not able to concentrate even for a few minutes what is the point in sitting in the Prayer Room just for the sake of sitting ?”.

Concentration comes out of Practice only. Yes, it is very difficult to achieve.So,you must keep trying to better your total concentration time daily,slowly.If you are able to concentrate for even just 5 minutes it’s a great achievement.

This is where the Dasa Gayathri Japam helps.Recite 10 times the Gayathri Mantram slowly,soulfully and that itself will give you immense peace of mind and will make you a steady and stable Human Being.

This should not take more than 5 minutes but if done daily without fail,protects you,guides you and keeps you on a balanced and straight path.

Once you are balanced and are on the Right Path you can lead a meaningful Life.

You do not pray to ask for favours. Still,you have to ask Only God for your wants.

Who else will you ask if you want something ? Who in this World can fulfill your desires,except God. So do ask God what you want. He will give you what you deserve.

He will also give you the strength to withstand the disappointments, when you don’t get what you have asked. That’s the beauty of God’s Power.

Similarly you should not stop praying when you fail in your efforts or are disappointed because of your setbacks or failures.

Just as Good things happen even when you did not expect them,bad things or failures also happen inspite of your prayers.

Pray only for counting your blessings,and for remaining stable and balanced in adversity and bad times.

Your Creator will always take care of you once you place your complete Trust in Him.

“When God closes a door, somewhere He opens a Window”.
( a dialogue from the film “Sound Of Music” ).


Trust In God. Trust Your Self.


Parsa Venkata Ramachander Rao.
Hyderabad. October 28,2009.

The Will to write a W I L L.

The will to write

A

W I L L.


Do you have the will or desire to write A WILL ? May be you have. May be you don’t. It is always desirable to write your Will and Last Testament (as a Will is often called). You may not necessarily lay down the methodology to distribute your Earthly belongings to your descendants or relatives. Yet there are so many things that need your concurrence on whats to be done on several matters once you are Gone for Ever.You can give concurrence only when you are alive and in sound mind.

Many people feel they are not that Rich to lay down the Inheritance options. Fine, you may have very few worldly belongings or none at all to bequeath. But always remember your dead body has to be disposed off and you may like its disposal in a certain manner. That you can spell out. Otherwise ever so many unsolicited suggestions will come forth from your kith and kin to confuse your sons while they have to sorrowfully complete the Last Rites.

One great uncle will say, in orthodox Brahamin families, that you must cremate only in the traditional wood pyre and not in an Electric Crematorium. Otherwise the Dead Soul shall not get Saswatha Swarga Loka.

An acknowledged authority in after Life Services, the Grand Old Aunty, your father’s sister will say, that you must give Dasa Daanaas,(charities), like Bhoo Daana,( donating a piece of Land) Go-Daana ( donating a Cow) and Swarna Daana(donating a Gold Coin) to relieve the Departed Soul from Earthly Bondages. And so it goes.

Now an enlightened person may realise that such myths are only to harass the survivors and rob them of as much cash as possible, in the name of Faith and Beliefs.



In which case the wise person can lay down what all he wishes to be done, after his Death. A simple cremation in a manner in which the children can best complete the solemn ceremony and doing away with these charities which the family cannot afford.

In the absence of a clear cut mandate from the departed soul, the progeny, in 9 cases out of 10, land up in Debts for the Funeral Expenses, of their beloved one. All in the name of baseless, illogical and irrational superstitions.

That’s where one can put one’s foot down and say this is the way my funeral should be. If my Soul were to Rest in Peace. While you are still alive you can do it by writing a Will. Not otherwise. It will be too late, then !!





Even the few properties you have can be distributed in the way you want. If you die intestate (that is without writing a Will), your Lawyer will tell you the Law of the Land will take its own course as per the inheritance Laws of you Religion.

So, not to worry. Your properties will go to your Progeny as per Law. If you do not have any marked choices or priorities.

There was once, a dying man, in an ICU, trying to figure out, with his wife, who was waiting at his bedside, how best to fairly and evenly distribute his bungalows in different Hill Stations. He said he would bequeath his Kodaikanal bungalow to his youngest daughter. His wife promptly vetoed the idea saying that the youngest daughter has already her own bungalow in Kodaikanal.

The man went on suggesting one alternate after another and the wife kept pace with him vetoing his wishes. Finally, totally exasperated, he yelled, in sheer disgust, “I am the one dying and trying to make a Will, not Y O U, silly woman”!







One most important task, one should never fail you perform is to provide for the safe and comfortable income for the Spouse so that he or she is always independent financially. The spouse should never land up in a situation where he or she has to stretch her / his hand out for small petty needs. Not only petty needs, but some reasonable cash flow should always be available for giving small gifts to grand children or young and / or, newly married couples who come to seek blessings.
That should be your spouse’s prerogative to give a small gift without asking anyone, however close that anyone may be.

This is possible if you make a WILL and lay down legally binding arrangements for the continuous cash flow month after month till the death of the spouse.

Making a Will is not a complicated or difficult job. Ask any Lawyer friend, and he would gladly help you. A Will need not be registered. It is sufficient if two witnesses sign on it when you have signed. Such an executed Will must be kept with a trusted close friend or relative , preferably much younger than you. The idea is, he must survive you. Not the other way !

One original can also be kept in your Bank Locker or some other equally safe place along with other financial and property documents.

Your Will can be done as you wished it, if you make a Will. It’s good to have one made. Attempt it once. You will enjoy going about the whole task. Really. No jokes.

Parsa V R Rao

REVIVE at DINDI

R E V I V E at D I N D I, East Godavari District.

14^th to 16^th August 2009.

One of our most enterprising Revivist , who else than the inimitable and lovable R V Rao, discovered this location. The A P Tourism Corporation was advertising their new Resorts and R V Rao spotted it.

He developed the idea, into a workable, two day Get Away, for this year’s REVIVE.

C S Murthy, our able Organiser quickly worked out the Logistics, made the bookings and garnered around 7 willing REVIVISTS to join the Outing.

The dates were to be, starting on 14^th August, Janmashtami, Holiday,15^th August Independence Day Holiday and 16^th August a Sunday. It was a perfect timing, Holidays wise, as well as season wise. C S gave us all, a full 8 weeks advance Notice, to plan our Calendar of Events. So it was. DONE, said all of us.

Train tickets were coordinated and booked by C S Murthy for the Hyderabad Gang. Overnight train from Hyderabad to Narsapur. Dindi was around 15 Kms from Narsapur. Pick up car was organised and stay at the Dindi Resort was booked. First Night at the Shore Resort and the second night on a House Boat on the Godavari’s Estuary, The Vasishta.

As we arrived at the Resort we were overawed by the sheer beauty of the location. Right on the River bank stood the neatly planned building with well manicured lawns, a lovely Swimming Pool having a Max.depth of just 5 feet, and the waterfront well marked with railings and a walkway all along the river bund.

Coconut trees all around, an abundance of cool breeze blowing into your face, wherever you stand. It was simply Cool, Man, just cool. All you had to do was to enjoy the setting of a near Paradise on Earth.

The first day began with settling down after a sumptuous Breakfast in the Resort’s Restaurant overlooking the River.

Then we were off on a Drive, of about 15 Kms to Antarvedi, a pilgrim centre. The location has a Holy Temple of Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy and a Serene Ashram called The Vasishta Ashramam. And the Place is located almost on the Sea, the Bay Of Bengal, just 3 Kms. from the temple. Just another 2 Kms., on the shore, to one’s right, was the Confluence of Godavari, (called The Vasishta here,) with the Sea.

We came back to The Resort at Dindi for Lunch by about 2 PM. A hearty Lunch followed by a comfortable Nap for 2 hours brought peace to the body and Soul, alike. We felt so refreshed, when we stood on the Water front after the Evening hot cup of Tea.

Next day morning we moved into a House Boat for a 24 hour rendezvous on the River. It was a motorised Boat and we cruised for about 3 hours before Lunch in one direction, towards the River’s source. After Lunch we went towards the Sea for another 3 hours.

As far as the eye could see the skyline was one unbroken string of coconut trees all along the River banks on either side. It looked as if God planted the trees, all by Himself, with love and meticulous care, so that nothing will come in between. One has only to experience that River Cruise. It is beyond Words to describe.

The night we had Dinner on the deck of the Boat and slept in the Boat’s cosy bedrooms, enjoying the cradle effect of the Boat swinging to the mini waves the river was creating while hitting the bank.

The third day was the day of departure and as is the case in any good outing, brought down the moods to a sober and contemplative state. We all wished that the Holiday continues, but alas, we all have other things to do in life. Other than enjoying ourselves.

The last day passed uneventfully and the train journey back to our Homes started. Till we meet again for another REVIVE.

Parsa V Ramachander Rao.

August 19,2009.

Thirtieth Honeymoon in Europe

The Thirtieth Honeymoon!!! In Europe!
By
Parsa Venkata Ramachander Rao
PART - 1
It is a custom and a tradition in the Occident that Newly Married Couples go on a
Honeymoon soon after Marriage to a Scenic Place with a Pleasant Climate. They are
supposed to spend time exclusively for them to get to know each other more intimately, in a
far away place from other Family Members, without the Fear of "Disturbance". The
Honeymoon ensures full compliance of the "Do not disturb" appeal!
But in the Orient it was never a Custom, till almost the Second Half of the 20th Century.
Only in late Sixties (1960s) or so, India started following the Honeymoon Ritual after the
Wedding. I for one went on a Honeymoon when I got married in 1979. To the Nilgiris in
South India. To Coonoor to be precise. In our close Family Circles, in both the Wife side and
my side, we had broken new ground in going on a Honeymoon.
Then the children came. Transfers, living in Nuclear Families, no grand parents, staying with
us to care for the children. So we never went any where to celebrate our Wedding
Anniversaries. Only after about 10 or 12 years of Marriage we once or twice went out for
about 2 or 3 days Max., to some place to celebrate our wedding Day to relive the Honeymoon
Experience. As time went by we were missing the outings on some occasions, and going out
on some. The last Wedding Anniversary Trip was to Rajasthan, to Jaipur for 3 days in 2007.
Sometime in 2008,around the Last Quarter, perhaps, a Thought was planted in our Eldest Son
Avinash's Head by our Daughter-in-law, Neetha, that in 2009 when we complete 30 years of
Marriage we should be packed Off on a Foreign Trip, to celebrate the Three Decades of
Togetherness. All children Deepak,Yamini and the youngest Divya, chipped in with Ideas,
Funds and meticulous Planning. Almost for nearly 5 months the Planning was going on in
Top Secret Meetings to ensure a Surprise Element for us. Finally on 16th of February 2009,
we were told of the Sweet Wedding Gift the Children had planned and bought for the Two of
us. A 10days/11nights Tour of Europe. 6 countries, 9 Locations across Italy, Switzerland,
Germany, Belgium, France and England.
As it would be too cold in February in Europe, the Tour was planned to start in end April.
The Gift was announced and my two sons got busy for the next 8 to 9 weeks with hectic time
bound preparations to get us Visas, Foreign Exchange and getting Confirmations on Dates,
Flights. Hotel Bookings, Oh God how many things they did!
Though it was through a reputed Tour Operator the S O T C / Kioni of Europe, it was a mind
blowing experience to get all papers in time, in shape. What from Income Tax Clearance
Certificates to Bank Statements to Copies of Property Deeds in Hyderabad, it was a never
ending train of furnishing Paper sand Photographs, as required by each Visa Issuing
Authority and finally the Interview by the U K Consulate to take our finger prints and photos
in their own way !
Finally we took off from Mumbai, by the Emirates, and landed in Venice via Dubai, one fine
afternoon on the 22nd of April 2009. It was a group of 40 odd members at Venice Airport
when the Tour Manager one Mr.Rumi Bhiwandiwale, a fine lively and utterly friendly Parsi
gentleman from Mumbai, took charge of us and drove us to our Hotel in a lovely Volvo Bus
driven by a young and Handsome Italian Driver called Cheiro.
When we were all asked to introduce ourselves to the other co tourists in the Bus on the
Second day, I made a mention during my introduction that we were on a Tour Gifted by our
Children on our 30th Wedding Anniversary and my God, the Group not only Clapped in full
throttle but started calling us the "Honeymoon Couple" throughout the next 10 days!
When we had to buy an Umbrella in Rome as it was raining, we had no thought whatsoever
of the impending joke on us. Just like that we bought one Umbrella. And all of them led by
the jovial Tour Manager Rumi pulled our leg, saying "we know you purposely bought one
umbrella to be closest to each other even while walking"!
The next part will be on the various places we visited in Europe.
End of Part One.
PART 2
On the 23rd of April 2009, Thursday, we started our first Sightseeing of the Tour. After a
sumptuous Continental Breakfast, we set off in the Coach to see Venice. Venezia as the
Italians call it.
A light shower greeted us as we boarded a Boat to go to the St.Mark's Island, where you get
to see the real Venice as we all see in Movies and Photographs. Canals in place of Roads and
boats in place of cars or buses. You go from one place to other by boat and get into the
building you are visiting.
A relaxed lively bustling city in its own right, St.Mark's Island, said to be one of the 100 and
odd small islands in an archipelago formation, is a Tourists' Delight. There are two huge
buildings, some 500 years old connected by a Bridge known as The Bridge of Sighs.
It’s an interesting Story for this Bridge. One Building to your Right as you stand in front of it
was the King's Palace and on your Left was the Prison where Condemned Prisoners were
kept before Execution. The condemned Prisoner would be led to the King's Palace by this
Bridge to hear the King's Verdict of Death Penalty. After the King pronounced the Sentence
the prisoner would be led back to his Prison for beheading. When he is crossing the Bridge he
would be made to stand in front of a Large Window overlooking the City and the Waterways
to have one last look at this world before he is put to death. And the Prisoner would sigh; a
sigh of desperate sadness in seeing the beautiful sight outside.
The window would then be closed and the prisoner taken away to be put to death.
And today thousands of tourists, who visit this place, excitedly click their cameras to capture
the Closed Window in their cameras!!
Then there is a huge Square in the Heart of the City called the St.Mark's Square. It is
surrounded by a gigantic Cathedral and two rows of majestic mansion type structures which
house the Courts of Justice. Directly opposite the St.Mark's Cathedral was to be another
Cathedral but it is said Napoleon changed the plan and built another mansion like structure to
house the courts of Justice to have symmetry in design. Three sides Courts of Justice in
similar Structures and on the Fourth side the St.Mark's Cathedral.
Every nook and corner of every place in Europe has a History of its own. Dating back to
Medieval Ages. Everything is Centuries old. 500 to a 1000 years old History. Any place you
put your foot on!
The famous Gondola Boat Ride is a must here. The Boatman is supposed to sing Romantic
Songs as he steers the Boat through the narrow canals, but our boatman did not oblige us. He
said he had a sore throat! Our bad luck!
People fondly remember the 1970s Movie of Zeenath Aman and Amitabh Bachhan shot in
one of these Gondolas. Very Romantic, very Sweet indeed.
After Lunch we drove to Florence, another lovely city of huge monuments and mighty
Statues sculpted by the likes of Michelangelo! The Statue of David sculpted by Michelangelo
is truly one of his Masterpieces.
Florence is said to be the birthplace of the Famous Renaissance in Europe. And believe me
you can feel it in the air even today as you drive through the City or walk its Streets.
The next day we went to the Mighty Rome, called Roma, by the Italians.
Its might can be felt even now by the sheer magnitude and scale of its memorable
monuments, the Colosseum, the mystic Trevi Fountain where you throw a coin looking the
other side from the back of your left shoulder, and lo, they say you will come back to Rome.
And also whatever else you wished for while throwing the coin, will come true!! Romans,
like us Indians, believe in lots of superstitions!
The Vatican, the St.Peter's Square and the St.Peter's Basilica where the Famous Apostle of
Jesus lays buried leaves you wonderstruck and dumbfounded.
Unimaginable achievements of those wonderful craftsmen, sculptors and the planners who
built it almost 2000 years ago have to be seen to be believed. And Christ's Magnificence and
Mercy is in the air all over Vatican. You feel it literally.
Inside the St.Peter's Basilica is the awe inspiring Statue of Mary holding the body of Jesus in
her lap, after he was lowered from the Cross, bleeding and dead. It mirrors the mother's
agony in holding her dead son's body. You are bound to be moved to tears. The emotion of
agony so beautifully sculpted into Mary's Face by Michelangelo, who was at the time of
creating this masterpiece, just 23 years of age, is something remarkable and par excellence.
We could not see the Kristine Chapel which is just behind St.Peter's Basilica due to paucity
of time. This Chapel's internal Dome was painted by Michelangelo with a painting known as
The Creation. It depicts God, like an Old Man with a flowing beard, surrounded by Angels all
over, and Extending His Hand to Man who is unable to clasp God's Extended Hand. It was
my dream to see this painting. But alas, the dream remained unrealized.
In the 1970s a Movie was made on this Episode of Michelangelo painting this piece called
Creation, in which he paints Man completely nude. And the Church strongly disapproves it
calling it obscene. Michelangelo sticks to his Resolve that he has painted Man as created by
God. Totally Nude. He refuses to clothe Man. Surprisingly the then Pope accepts
Michelangelo's argument and allows the painting to remain unaltered!
Charlton Hesston played Michelangelo and Rex Harrison played the Pope. Both were superb
actors and they played their Roles to the Hilt.
We went back to Florence for the night to resume our tour the next day, to Pisa and Milan
before crossing over into Switzerland.
End of Part Two.
PART - 3
Two things I missed out in the last Part (Two). They are:
The name of the Movie on Michelangelo and his Painting "The Creation", was "The Agony
and the Ecstasy". It should be available in DVD Format now. If you have an ear for punching
dialogues, then you must watch it.
The other is about the Murano Glass Factory in Venice, in the St.Mark's Island. A skilled
craftsman demonstrates the intricate art of creating the famous Venetian blown glass.
Remarkable skills they display in creating lovely art pieces in blown glass. Any shape, any
size, the craftsman moulds it with precision and consummate skill as you sit in front of him
and watch. Just as a painter uses his brush to create lovely paintings!
Right then we go on to the third day of sight seeing.
We drive to Pisa, admiring the green country side of Italy. Pisa is a small sleepy town,
famous for the Leaning Tower Wonder. The Leaning Tower was built as a Bell Tower next to
a huge Cathedral and a Baptistery, where young children are baptized. The Tower started
Leaning even as it was being built, it seems. The Tower was completed and commissioned
but the Leaning remained for ever. Several Scientific Studies were carried out on this leaning
phenomenon it seems. Yet the mystery remains unsolved. The Tower only leans. It has never
fallen to this day. And I don't think it has any desire to fall! It is Solid like a Rock. It’s built
completely with Italian Marble. A photographer's delight and a Tourist's memorable take
away Photo, with you standing, next to the Leaning Monument.
Galileo lived here after being driven out of the then Clergy dominated civilized Society for
his revolutionary ideas on the Universe and the Planets. Pisa remembers this famous
Scientist. There is a Memorial for him in the Town.
We then crossed over into Switzerland. Lovely breath taking experiences as you start entering
the country of Alps, Snow and Chocolates! The cool climate, the ever green carpet of
greenery which ever way you see and fat wholesome Cows grazing lazily on the mountain
slopes! The Tour Manager clarified that Brown Cows give Chocolate Milk and the White
Cows give white milk!!
The Swiss feed and look after their Cows with great affection and love. They have Animal
Ambulances and great veterinary Hospitals to look after the sick animals. After all, the cows
give the money fetching milk as long as they are mulching and when the time comes to sell
them to the Beef Factories they weigh a good weight. They are sold by weight for the Beef
content their bodies have. How cruel of these Swiss people! But it is their way of life.
And when we checked into our Hotel, the Hotel Astoria, at Engel berg, we were glad to be in
the Kashmir of Europe. You remember what Emperor Jahangir said of the Kashmir Valley
when he first reached Srinagar, "This is Paradise, this is Paradise on Earth. Yeh Zannath hai,
Zameen pe Zannat hai. Exactly that’s how you feel when you see Switzerland.
Next day we were to go to the Top of Europe, the summit of Jungfraujoch, (pronounced yong
frau), meaning the Lady of Snow, by the lovely Swiss Mountain Train.
We set off very early, by 7 A M on the 4th day of our tour, as we had to drive for a hour and
a half, before we could catch the mountain train to go upto the highest Railway Station in the
World, at 11,133 feet altitude. There, you also have the the Highest Post Office of the World
where you can get your letter to be posted stamped with the Post Office stamp called the
cancellation.
We reached the Railway Line after travelling through a 17 Kilometer long Tunnel. The Swiss
never build Ghat Roads. They just bore Tunnels if a Hill comes in the way! The Swiss are
said to be a Race of Great Engineers.
We boarded the Mountain Train and it started chugging its way up slowly but steadily and
reached a Station to wait for the track. The Up trains wait for the Down trains to pass. Saving
Power, they say, so that one train at a time uses the Single Track and the Power. The Halt was
supposed to be for 10 minutes, but it dragged on to a full 40 minutes. And then an
announcement in German on the Public Address System informed us that the train will not go
any further up as a huge Wind Storm was blowing and trains were cancelled for the day!!
What an anti climax for such a great excitement we were all waiting for!!!
There was no other choice than, a sad Peetchey Mud. We came down to the starting station
crest fallen and highly demoralized and disappointed. Our Tour Manager tried to fix up
another Location called the Titlis Rope Way which takes you to the top of Mt.Titlis at 10,000
feet. But even that Rope Way was shut down due to the heavy wind storm blowing
vehemently across the Alps on that day. Sheer bad luck deprived us the chance to be on the
Top of the Swiss Alps for a few hours. Just like the Weather spoiling the chances of
Mountaineers to reach the Summit of Mt.Everest after crossing the Last Camp at 28,000
feet!! We all felt just like an unlucky Everest Expedition Mountaineers!
But then, it was to be like that for the day and so it was. Just came back
We spent the balance day at a Town called Interlaken, which is between two lakes. But none
was in a mood to enjoy the joys of Inter Laken, what after the dismal cancellation of the
Jungfraujoch trip!!
End of Part Three.
PART - 4
After a brief stop over at Interlaken, for photos and some shopping, we returned to Lucerne
and we found, we still had almost 3 hours to go before we could return to our Hotel.
So we decided to see the Town and take some more photos! There is one Lion Monument
here. In a Park you find a huge Sculpture of a wounded Lion suffering in pain with a spear
right through its stomach. The lion is believed to represent the Swiss Nation and the pain it
reflects is the anguish the Swiss people underwent when enemies killed 70 Swiss soldiers in
one of those many medieval wars. A sort of a War Memorial for the Soldiers who sacrificed
their lives for their Country!
The Lion in pain is a remarkable piece of sculpture, and it really moves the onlooker.
We found a road train ride which takes you round the city in a slow, almost walking, speed
for 10 Swiss Francs per person. It’s a sort of a Tram with a car engine drawing about 6 bogies
having car tyres. It was quite enjoyable to sit and see the place around. It has also an Audio
system with ear phones running a commentary on the various sights we see. It’s in 4
languages. You select the Language and you can hear the History of every Monument you
see!
The next day morning we left the Switzerland and entered Germany in an area called the
Black Forest. A place called Drubba, where they make the famous Cuckoo Clocks.
But before we reached the Black Forest, we saw the Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen.
The Rhine Falls are the Niagara Falls of Europe! By size they may be one tenth of the
Mighty Niagara Falls, but in scenic splendor and the Romantic mood they create in you,
Rhine Falls are a sight to see. After a few memorable Photo sessions with the Rhine Falls in
the background, and a hot Coffee with milk, (if you just say coffee, they will give you only
Black Coffee or decoction as we South Indians call it), in the company of Hot French Fries,
we leave for the home of Cuckoo Clocks, a place in the woods, called Drubba.
We are taken to a Shop where the Family Home is both the Workshop and the Sales Shop
along with a Cafeteria in the Ground / Cellar Floor, which serves the famous Black Forest
Pastries with Capuchhino Coffee (Coffee with milk) and of course hot French Fries.
The building has one side painted and fitted with a large wall size Cuckoo Clock for
demonstration as well as for entertainment.
Before the Cuckoo comes out and coos the number of times as per the Time on the Clock,
there are dolls that dance to Music, 2 minutes before and 2 minutes after the Cuckoo coos the
Time !
We buy the Cuckoo Clocks as Souvenirs of our visit and hear the Story of how these Clocks
are Hand made during the Long Winters. From October to March, it is snowing outside and
Temperatures are Minus 30 and lower. So these brainy Swiss people sit inside and make
Wooden Carvings for their Clocks and the Clocks as well. And then from April to September
they sell what they made in the winter. And the Cycle repeats.
Then we drove on to Heidelberg, a lovely city amidst Mountains, for our Night Halt for the
day.
Before Dinner and calling it a day, we went round the City, walked on the cobble stoned
streets, the large relaxed Square, where its Only Walkers. No Vehicles. You love to walk
around in the Square surrounded by Historic Monuments, Town Hall, Museum and the
Cathedral. Its all Historical over here.
Heidelberg is a moderate City of may be 70,000 population out of which 30,000 are Students
from all over the World who come here to study at the Centuries Old Heidelberg University
which is very famous for its Rich Scholastic Content. You can see Castles all around the city
on Mountains, each speaking its own History.
Next day we enjoyed a Cruise on the River Rhine for about 45 minutes in a large sized Boat
floating leisurely on the Rhine which meanders through thick forests and huge historic
Castles on its Banks all along the Cruise.
After the Cruise we drove to Cologne famous for Eau de Cologne, and saw the 515 feet tall
Cologne Cathedral which they say was built in a span of 600 years! This Cathedral is
supposed to be the Most Visited monument in Germany. It’s a mammoth structure and worth
seeing for its sculptures inside and outside, which hold you spellbound.
And we left Germany to reach Belgium, Brussels for the Night.
End of Part Four.
PART - 5
We reached Brussels and before we retired for the day, at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, we went
on an Orientation tour of Brussels.
We first saw the famous Manneken Pis Statue, the small boy doing his shoo in the midst of a
Fountain. It’s in the corner of a building in the intersection of a 4 way walkway sort of
junction. It’s supposed to be legendary and one legend goes, that there was a Great Witch that
was troubling the people of this city. This boy though could not fight the Witch, was brave
enough to show his anger on the witch by pissing in its face!!, On a customary Celebration
day it seems they turn on Beer in the Statue and lo the boy pumps out Beer and people come
to fill up their Beer Mugs from the Boy's outlet, as a mark of appreciation of his Courage!!!
Strange, very strange Appreciation!!!
Then we visited the Grand Place, (The city square), Town Hall, St.Michael's Cathedral and
Palace of Justice, all by walk. But an enjoyable walk, it was. The only unfortunate happening
was my camera's Memory stick was full and no further pictures could be taken, when I tried
to click the Pissing Boy!!
We tried so many photo shops but the size of memory stick needed for my camera was not
available anywhere. Luckily that night at the Hotel, a co-tourist of our Group Sardar Harjit
Singh gave me a brand new Memory Stick, as he was carrying extra Memory Sticks of the
size I needed. He really baled me out of a hopeless situation. But it was a lesson well learnt.
On such tours one must carry sufficient number of Memory Sticks. What with these digital
cameras you go on and on, clicking away to glory photo after photo, you never know when
you fill up the Memory!
Next day we came to the place where they have this mammoth steel monument called The
Atomism, a structure representing the concept of an iron molecule enlarged 165 billion
times!!!!!
The round steel "balls" are not hollow but hold Rooms, where they conduct Scientific
Conferences and Seminars! The top most steel “Ball" houses a Restaurant!
After the customary photo sessions, we walk into the Wonderful Mini Europe, where they
have Miniature Models of all the Famous Monuments of Europe. You have the Big Ben,
Houses of Parliament, and The Coliseum of Rome, the Gondolas of Venice, the Castles of
Austria and Germany, The Eifel Tower and many other famous cities of Europe.
You can walk around these monuments as if we are the Giants and these huge Buildings are
just Dwarfs bustling around our feet! Truly a Great Concept and an Engineering Marvel. No
model looks like a model. It looks just like the Original but shrunk a Thousand Times to be at
our feet!!
We had an Indian Vegetarian Lunch consisting of, Punjabi Daal, Roti, Sabjee, Rice and Curd
(of course the Non-Veggies had the Punjabi Chicken), and started the 4 hour drive to Paris,
France. The drive was the most memorable drive as each family made a Thanksgiving
Speech praising the Bus Driver and the Tour Manager for their sincere efforts to make our
tour a happy and memorable one.
The Bus drives were always Fun. Singers would go to the Front of the Bus, take the Tour
Manager's Mike and entertain the Group. Not only songs, but we had Shaayeri, Urdu
Couplets being rendered with soulful feelings. Particularly one gentleman from Gokak, near
Belgaum always rendered heart stirring and heart sobbing couplets. We used to ask him who
was that Angel that broke his heart so ruthlessly!!
As per the European Traffic and Highway Police Regulations, the Bus Driver had to take a
stop for 30 minutes after every 2 hours of driving. That used to help us ease ourselves and
stretch our legs and move around the Fuelling Stations, where the Bus would stop.
As we drove into Paris, by around 5 P M local time we were caught in the Evening Traffic
and after a full 2 hours of crawling at a snail's pace reached our Hotel in an outskirt of Paris
known as Sac lay. The Hotel was called the Hotel Novotel Sac lay.
We were free for the evening and I explored the small town of Sac lay to find a place to eat
some dinner as my wife hit the Bed, totally fagged out, sacrificing even her dinner.
As I walked out of the Hotel after a good shower, I mean the rain, not my bathroom shower;
the Town appeared to be totally people free. Only an occasional car went by and the roads
were just empty. After a full 35 minutes of walking around in a French Town, without
knowing any topography of the place, nor the language, except for a few French words like
"Merci' for Thank You and "Au Revoir Mademoiselle" for How are you Miss, it was real
adventure. It was already half past Nine in the night but it was still bright as the evenings are
very long here.
Luckily, I spotted a Pizza Hut sort of a Joint which said they make the "Margarita", the
Veggie Pizza, and the Girl at the Counter could speak flawless English, to my good luck! Her
father, who was also at the counter of their small family run restaurant, spoke only French.
He wanted his daughter to translate every word I spoke to her! Protecting his daughter!
I carried back some French Fries for my wife and I ate a Margarita. As I was leaving, I
surprised the Girl in the Counter with my little knowledge of French by saying "merci"!
Both Father and daughter were immensely pleased and the Father came up to the door to see
me off and directed me to my Hotel by a very short route. I followed his instructions and was
in the Hotel in just 7 minutes!
Next day after the usual continental Breakfast, we drove into Paris and our First Stop was the
inevitable Perfume Shop! Ladies were waiting for this day to buy Perfumes in Paris! We
were taken to a Fragonard Perfume Museum, where they demonstrate how Perfumes are
made and also have an interesting Museum of how Perfumes were being made down the
ages. The Girl showing us around enlightened our knowledge by telling us that a Thousand
Kilograms of Jasmine Flowers are needed to make one litre of Jasmine Perfume!!
Later in the day we also went to a Duty Free Shop called the Benelux to buy more Perfumes.
The grand Eiffel Tower, going up to Level Two in the Winch type Elevators, which carried
60 persons at a time without any pushing around or cramping up, photo sessions on the
Tower and viewing a Movie on Level One, that gave us enormous statistics of the
construction of the Tower, like the Tower has 2.5 million nuts and bolts in the Structure, it
was all a Lifetime Experience.
The evening was free and some people went to see the famous Paris Cabaret Show, and those
whose wives objected to the Cabaret Show went to bed meekly in the Hotel!!
Next day we drove out of Paris after a grand Bus Tour of the Champs Elysees, the Arc de
Triomphe, the famous Notre Dame Cathedral Napoleon’s Tomb, the Town Hall. the National
Assembly, the President's Palace and many other buildings.
We reached Calais on the French Coast to board the Train to go through the Euro Tunnel,
beneath the English Channel for a full stretch of 35 Kilometers! After Visa formalities by
English Officials, our Bus was driven into a Container type closed Wagon on the train. The
doors of the air conditioned and well lighted Container closed. The high speed train started
moving forward and in just 27 minutes we were out on the English Soil at Folk stone! I was
terribly scared of the Tunnel journey, but before I could realize what was happening the Bus
was driving on the British Soil and amidst the English countryside.
We stopped for Lunch at a way side Fuelling Station's Auto Grill, and got to eat Indian Dal,
Subji and Rice!!
As we drove into London around 3 P M local time we had a full 4 hours to complete the
programmed City tour by Bus, so that the next morning we could go to see Madame
Tussaud's Wax Museum.
We decided to finish the City Tour so that we don’t miss the Wax Museum which was a
Must, but was not there in the Original itinerary.
We saw all that the City of London had to show us, the Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square,
St.Paul's Cathedral, The Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, the Tower Bridge,
Buckingham Palace, West Minister Abbey, all from our Bus and the London Traffic !!
For the night we ate the much awaited Chennai Dosa's (Chennai Dosa is a Restaurant Chain
in London), Masala Dosa, after a full 11 day absence of South Indian food! The Masala Dosa
tasted like Heaven!!
The next morning was the last day of the Tour. Like they say all good things have to come to
an end, and so was this fabulous tour coming to an End. Every one in the Group was
exchanging addresses, Email IDs and bidding Fare well to each other during Breakfast.
Strange as it may seem, the Group was totally new and no one knew the other on the First
Day in Venice Airport. To-day, after just 10 days of being together all were friends of each
other. It was a Great Experience. We joked, pulled each other's legs, enjoyed and had real
Fun Time all through.
We visited the Swami Narayan Temple built by the Rich Guajarati Population of London. It
was built as a Replica of the Aksharadham Temple in Gujarat and with Marble and nothing
but marble.
Italian Marble was shipped to India, for artisans to carve the Great Indian Gods and
Goddesses and the Traditional Figures. Then all pieces were numbered, shipped to London
and assembled at site. Lo! A mammoth monumental Temple stands in London for us the
Hindus and the World to see.
Then we saw the wax models in the world famous Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. The
Museum is really a Modern day Marvel, a technologically aided Art!
I posed for photographs with my College days' Hollywood Favorite Heroines, like Marilyn
Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Heroes like, John Wayne, James Dean, and Tennis Star Boris
Becker. The Suspense Film Maestro Alfred Hitchcock, Scientist Albert Einstein, Statesman
Winston Churchill, Naval Warfare Hero Lord Nelson and the Great Comedy King Charlie
Chaplin.
My wife posed with Mahatma Gandhi and King Henry the VIII th!! Of all the people!! Then
we both posed with Sachin Tendulkar. And Aishwarya Rai. But the Wax Model was not at all
like our Aishwarya. They messed it up. She just looks like an Indian Bride. Very poor
resemblance to the Original. We searched for Amitabh Bachhan, but the Girl Volunteer told
us "He has been shifted to Hong Kong!"
We had a hearty South Indian Lunch for 5 Pounds each at the Chennai Dosa Hotel. And were
driven away to Gatwick Airport to fly back home. In one way we did want to get out of U K
as soon as possible as the news of Swine Flu was catching up all over.
But in our Heart of Hearts we did want the Tour to start all over again from Venice. Once
More. That was the Wish.
Parsa Venkata Ramachander
Rao
Hyderabad, India. May
23,2009.
End of Part Five and the whole Tour.