Ahmedabad Road Trips

December 2010 Calendar Wallpaper

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 10:52:00 +0000

December 2010 Calendar Wallpaper
Originally uploaded by Aaroon Matthew

Sun Temple Modhera in Triptych

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 09:07:00 +0000

Sun Temple Modhera in Triptych
Originally uploaded by Aaroon Matthew

Pavaghad - Film Strip

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:43:00 +0000

Pavaghad - Film Strip
Originally uploaded by Aaroon Matthew

Ek Minar-Ki-Masjid_Old Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 05:49:00 +0000

Ek Minar-Ki-Masjid_Old Edition
Originally uploaded by Aaroon Matthew

A Waterfall as seen from the top of Ek Minar-Ki-Masjid

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 08:15:00 +0000

A Waterfall as seen from the top of Ek Minar-Ki-Masjid
Originally uploaded by Aaroon Matthew

A postcard view of a stream

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 09:30:00 +0000

A postcard view of a stream
Originally uploaded by Aaroon Matthew

The Lakeside View

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:10:00 +0000

The Lakeside View
Originally uploaded by Aaroon Matthew

Boats & Canals ~ A la Venice in Ahmedabad

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 05:56:00 +0000

Boats & Canals ~ A la Venice in Ahmedabad
Originally uploaded by Aaroon Matthew

Dutch Tomes

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:20:00 +0000

Dutch Tomes
Originally uploaded by Aaroon Matthew

Dutch Tomes

Laid to rest away from home

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Dutch traders from Holland came to Gujarat. They used to trade in cotton cloth, yarn and indigo. Surat was the main centre of their trade, but a small number lived in Ahmedabad. Some of them died here. These tombs were built in their memory. The stru...ctures reflect a mix of architectural styles. The inscriptions on some of the tombs are in Dutch and Latin. Ahmedabad had at least one another Dutch building, but it no longer exists. This was the Dutch Haveli on Gandhi Road.

Sad that none of this information is available in travel guides about Ahmedabad or in Wikipedia.

Dutch Cemetery Building

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 20:32:00 +0000

Dutch Cemetery Building
Originally uploaded by Aaroon Matthew

Dutch Tomes

Laid to rest away from home

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Dutch traders from Holland came to Gujarat. They used to trade in cotton cloth, yarn and indigo. Surat was the main centre of their trade, but a small number lived in Ahmedabad. Some of them died here. These tombs were built in their memory. The structures reflect a mix of architectural styles. The inscriptions on some of the tombs are in Dutch and Latin. Ahmedabad had at least one another Dutch building, but it no longer exists. This was the Dutch Haveli on Gandhi Road.

Sad that none of this information is available in travel guides about Ahmedabad or in Wikipedia.

The Dove & the Moon (A photo painting)

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 08:23:00 +0000

The Dove & the Moon
Originally uploaded by Aaroon Matthew

Zanzri Waterfall Entrance

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 10:13:00 +0000

Zanzri Waterfall Entrance
Originally uploaded by Social_Outcast

Camera: Nikon D40
Exposure: 0.006 sec (1/160)
Aperture: f/8.0
Focal Length: 18 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: No Flash

Red-Wattled Lapwing (quite close this time)..

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:57:00 +0000

Red-Wattled Lapwing (quite close this time)..
Originally uploaded by Aaroon Matthew [In hospital & out of action]

Safety Accessories For A Safe Motorcycle Trip or Commute

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 08:54:00 +0000

Most of us love riding a motorcycle, but always overlook the safety aspects of riding. In India, we find most of our compatriots giving safety features a miss and indulge in unsafe riding, whereas riders in foreign countries ensure that they have proper protection before mounting on their rides. A proper and certified riding gear is a necessary and intrinsic part of motorcycling along with good riding skills and a well-maintained motorcycle. Riding on two-wheels, while being exposed to weather and sans protection from contact with either the road or other objects in case of a fall or an accident, the riding gear becomes the last line of defense.

1) Helmet :-

A helmet acts as a protector of your brain (remember the Gladiators wearing one or most warriors!). Its hard outer shell made of propriety plastics, strong polymers or even fiber-glass can protect the head from any object that can penetrate the helmet on impact and hit the skull inside. A light, hard and strong shell that resists deformation makes for a good helmet.
In choosing a helmet, first and foremost look for either BIS (in case of Indian make helmets) or DOT approval (in case of imported ones). These ‘certification’ marks ensure that the helmet meets with certain rigorous and standardized safety standards and shall perform as expected and promised.

..::.. SPECIAL LOOKOUTS ..::..

• Always prefer a full face helmet to an open face one as the former obviously provides better protection.
• Look for as wide and eye-port as you can get, especially in the peripheral region.
• Prefer a clear visor and look for scratch-resistant hard plastic ones.
• A double-D ring fastener is far better than a ‘click’ type fastener for the chin strap.
• To check for fit, wear the helmet, hold it from outside and try to move your head inside side to side. A well-fitting helmet should allow very little head movement inside it. One that allows the head to move is loose and will not protect the skull well on impact.

A good quality Helmet cost - INR 2500/- with changeable inner pads, air ducts to circulate air inside and washable inner linings & neck pads.

2) Riding Jacket :-

Riding jackets, with protective hard re-enforcements at specific places (like elbow joints, shoulders, back and chest areas) protect these areas from abrasion and injury during a fall or skid. The riding jacket will not be able to save a bone from breaking if the fall is that bad, but certainly the skin gets protected very well.

Jackets also protect the rider from the natural elements like hot, cold or rainy conditions. When choosing a jacket, again look for the safety standards that it meets with. Look for good ventilation in warm weather. Or, that prevents water and wind penetration in cold conditions. Zippered fronts with a flap over the zipper, are far more effective wind protectors that buttoned ones.

A good quality Riding Jacket costs - INR 5500/- with protection pads on shoulders, elbows, back and have removable inner linings for variable climates.

3) Riding Pants :-

These are again used to protect from abrasion and save the joints especially from injury through impact with small hard objects like the riding jackets. As with jackets, buy pants according to the temperatures and humidity you expect for most of your rides.

A relatively cheaper alternate to full riding pants are knee-guards or knee protectors. The knee, elbow and ankle joints suffer the most in case of a fall from a moving motorcycle and the knee-guards provide strategic protection to the vulnerable knee/elbow joint area. Made of hard polymers, either with a flexible hinge or pivoted to provide for knee rotation, these should be a tight fit around the leg to be useful.

A good quality Riding Pants costs - INR 4500/- with knee protection pads. A Knee Protector or pad will cost - INR 2500/- and can be worn above any jeans or cargo pants.

4) Gloves :-

Protecting the hands, both from injury and weather, is a prime concern for any bike rider. Full fingered gloves are the best, should have a good fit and provide the best ‘feel’ of the controls through it. Leather again is the best but good synthetics with re-enforcing inserts over knuckles and finger joints protect equally well. Double stitched seams provide for greater durability and better sealing in case of water-proofing. The inside of the glove should be of a non-slip materiel to provide good grip over the handle-bar mounted controls. And it should not slip even when wet. A gauntlet or wrist cover type glove is in fact the best design as it gives the best fit for the glove.

A pair of full fingered gloves costs - INR 2500/- and has metal, rubber or polymer knuckles and finger protection.

5) Footwear :-

Feet need to be protected not just from abrasion but also from potential injury when caught under a heavy fallen motorcycle with some parts that would be uneasily hot. Boots need to be at least ankle high with a heavy sole and a re-enforced toe and heel area. Thick padded material for the upper and a strong and thick sole are mandatory for a good riding shoe. The sole should also provide good grip over the footrests even when wet.

A good quality Riding Shoes costs - INR 6000/- with up to shin protection and metal or polymer protection for the toe and a heavy grippy sole.

6) Rain Suits :-

Apart from good wet riding tires, a rider needs protection from the rain or drizzle. A wet rider is a distracted and uncomfortable rider. So wear rain protection. A riding jacket and pant is usually rain proof, but a rain over suit is better. Buy ones that are bright in color and have a reflective coating for better visibility on the road and are a comfortable fit over and above your regular riding gear.

A good Rain Suit costs - INR 550/- and is similar to the raincoat or rain overalls that's available in stores during the rainy season.

7) Balaclava :-

This is not a mandatory part of safety gear, but helps in a number of ways, especially the cotton variety. It helps in snugly fitting the helmet and absorbs sweat before it gets to the inside liner of the helmet and also helps keep the nose and ears warm during a cold weather ride.

A good quality Balaclava costs - INR 350/- and saves the face from stinging winds & keeps your costly helmet from getting soggy from sweating.

"Be Safe & Ride Safe"

* NOTE: All the prices are the minimum sale price in India for the best available accessory in its class and a requirement for motorcycle riders sans the bike's capacity.

Breakfast @ Tiffany's... Ooops! Its Thol Lake

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 08:30:00 +0000

Breakfast @ Tiffany's... Ooops! Its Thol Lake
Originally uploaded by Aaroon Matthew [In hospital & out of action]

Tata Nano - Surprise in a Small Package

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:22:00 +0000

On 23rd March, 2009 Tata Motors created history by releasing the $1000 or 1 Lakh car in India making most of the people to really go ahead and buy a car or upgrade from a bike or scooter. This car is going to fill in the economic divide and resurrect a new era of automotive engineering in this country like the Maruti 800.

The Nano will be available in three versions from April, 2009. The basic version is known as the Nano. Next up is the Nano CX which comes with HVAC and central locking while the top of the line Nano LX adds power windows to the front doors which is available only in BS III specifications while the others are BS II and BS III compliant. All versions comes with an 18-month 24,000 km warranty.

Here's how the Tata Nano triumphs over its rivals:

1) The Tata Nano has more front shoulder room than the Chevrolet Spark

2) Tata Nano has more Headroom and is wider than the Maruti Suzuki Alto

3) Tata Nano has more ground clearance than the Hyundai i10

4) Tata Nano is quicker than the Maruti Suzuki 800 DUO till 80 km/h

5) Tata Nano is taller with more headroom, has more shoulder space and ground clearance than Hyundai's tall boy, the Santro

For those of you who are interested in Nano, can read about the 'First Nano Test Drive' here. And, more details of the rivalry can be read here.

Trip 9: Ambaji-Dharoi-Idar

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 11:50:00 +0000

Trip To Ambaji:

Total Kms: 400 approximately
Total Expenditure: 250 per head
Total Riders: 6

The Travel Log:

0545: It was a wintry morning of 22nd Dec, 2007 when me and my 5 other friends embarked on a trip to Ambaji – Dharoi Dam – Idar. Since, we all live in different parts of the city we decided to meet at Taj Umeed Hotel near the SVP Airport.

0615: Me, Tom, Yash had decided to meet at Akbarnagar circle and we were on time and we had our first cuppa tea and cigarettes for the lungs right there. Vinu was late as usual, but due to the driving we made up and reached on time.

0630: We all met at the starting point of the trip and found that Ryan and Raga had already arrived at the place and Ryan had started to click in the pictures using his newly acquired Canon Powershot S3 IS camera. So, we had a few pictures clicked on the spot and grabbed a few smoke before proceeding to our actual destination.

For our journey, we had 4 Bajaj Pulsars (3 modified) and one Hero Honda CBZ, adequate packets of cigarettes for our nicotine addicted lungs, 2 cameras (Canon Powershot S3 IS and Nikon CoolPix E4600), helmets and jackets to keep the cold air at bay.

En-route, the guys got angry as Ryan instead of concentrating on driving was more interested in capturing the morning sun and other landscape pictures including the smoking chimneys of the Torrent Power Station. These photo sessions did eat into our precious time for the 186KM journey (one-way trip).

0800: Our first break – some tea shop on the highway where we grabbed 18-20 cuppa tea and some khari (a type of biscuits) and as usual cigarettes. Here, we had a good laughter as we made fun of Yash for his addiction of chatting on the cell phone and Ryan lost his temper when Yash pointed to the tidbits of khari on his brand new camera which was hanging from my neck! Man, what a flaring temper…

In the meantime, we encountered quite a series of unfortunate mishaps. Tom lost his helmet which was hanging by the side of the bike and we had to go back and check if it was still lying somewhere on the sides of the highway. Then, I was riding his Pulsar and at a turn, I applied the front disc brake and behold I was skidding down the road. The bike came to a halting stop and was hanging down a ledge into a small ditch filled with thorny bushes. I was lucky to be saved by the grace of god or due to the blessings of my parents.

1300: Finally, after long and tiring ride through some scenic routes and hilly roads, we reached Ambaji. The climate had changed from cold chill to a heating oven with the sun beating down on us. We had a small break for tea, biscuits and snacks and proceeded to the temple complex. The people around (rather shopkeepers) told us there won’t be much devotees at this time. However, we beg to differ. The whole complex was crowded and it about an hour to get the darshan of the Ambaji deity.

• TIP: For first times – please never pay heed to the shopkeepers and always settle the bill for the offerings before going in for darshan as the prices are out right expensive and appalling.

1430: We had our lunch at a hotel near the temple complex and had ciggs for dessert (hmm, so soothing). Then, our route finder Ryan advised that we go down the Gubbar route (its another temple with 999 steps leading to the zenith “gubbar” in gujarati – the local dialect) as he had heard that there is a river with crocodiles swarming. We thought that this would be splendid, but as our luck was we couldn’t find neither the river nor the crocodiles. However, there were some photogenic locations and we made a good use of them.

1630: We reached the Ambaji temple complex and had tea and ciggs before returning back to Ahmedabad. We decided to go to Dharoi dam on our return as was in between the route we had chosen for our return home.

1825: We reached Dharoi dam as the sun was nearly setting down beyond the water body and the night was creeping in on us. The scenes were so astounding, but as photography wasn’t permitted in this perimeter, we missed a lot of superb pictures.

2100: We were riding at a steady speed of 75 km/hr and in Gandhinagar when Raga’s CBZ got punctured. And, as our bad luck continued, we couldn’t find any single workshop to repair the puncture. Finally, after long discussions and arguments, we finally loaded the bike and Raga on a loading tempo and continued our journey to Ahmedabad. We parked the bike at one of our friend’s place in Chandkheda and went ahead towards our final frontier (Home, Sweet Home).

0000: We reached RTO circle on Ashram Road and waited for other’s to accompany us for dinner. We had pav bhaji and bread (the last pieces available with the vendor) at Akbarnagar circle and finally pushed off for our respective homes at 0100 hrs.

This was a tiresome journey with lots of mishaps and incidents. But we all thoroughly enjoyed our trip and it will remain encrusted in our memories for a long long time.

Best wishes for all those who are planning to make this trip. Awating your comments and feedbacks [:-)].

TVS vs BAJAJ - Clash of the Giants

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 05:20:00 +0000

A stunner from the TVS stable! The pictures of the new TVS Flame CCV-Ti suggest a premium 125cc bike from the Chennai based bike manufacturer. And, with Bajaj suing TVS for the infringement of the Twin Spark Plug technology, it seems there is a lot of free promotion available for the consumers.

Technical Specifications of the TVS Flame:

TVS Apache has a wheelbase of 1300 mm
Bajaj Pulsar has a wheelbase of 1320 mm
TVS Flame CCV-Ti has a wheelbase of 1320 mm

Engine

Engine (CC): 124.8 CC, 4 Stroke with CCV-Ti
Max Power: 10.5 bhp @ 8250 rpm
Max Torque: 10 Nm @ 6250 rpm
Gear Box: 4 Speed
Bore X Stroke: 54.5 X 53.5
Carburettor Type: VM Type- Ucal

Wheels/Tyres

Wheels Type: Mag alloys
Front Tyre: 90 X 90 X 17
Rear Tyre: 90 X 90 X 18

Brakes

Brake - Front: 230 mm disc
Brake - Rear: 130 mm drum

Suspension

Front: Telescopic
Rear: 5 Step Adjustable, Gas Filled

Dimensions

Wheelbase: 1320 mm
Overall Height: 1070 mm
Overall Length: 2030 mm
Overall Width: 760 mm
Ground Clearance: 165 mm
Kerb Weight: 121 Kg
Fuel Tank: 8.0 litre
Fuel Reserve: 2.0 litre

Electricals

Headlamp: 12V 35/35 W Halogen
Tail Lamp: 12V 21W/5W
Turn Indicators: 12V 16 W
Battery: 12V- 5 Ah
Ignition System: IDI System

Road Trip 6 : Sarkhej Roza

noreply@blogger.com (Arvind) — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 20:06:00 +0000

Date : Sep 9, 2006

Well since all our plans for a long trip was nearly failing much faster compared to a deck of cards… We suddenly planned to visit the Sarkej Roza located around 1.5 km from the Sarkej Circle of the Sarkej-Gandhinagar Highway… A trip that is approximately 10-11 kms from our rendezvous point…

We started at around 0815 hrs and upon embarking on such a sudden trip, we forgot to tank up and check the tire pressure (both very important for any kind of journey)… So we reached the Judges Bungalows gas station and checked on the essentials… Then we thought its better to have tea and cigarette’s since that’s one thing I can’t leave without… So we fed our machines with petrol, our stomach with tea & snacks and quintessentially our lungs with cigarette smoke (Aaah… what a relief)… Now with everything taken care of we left for our destination…

Reached there at around 0920 hrs… Went inside and saw all the historic sites… The sight was quite stupendous and breathtaking… But for the first time we wish that instead of words, we would let our pictures do the talking and we would just like to incorporate a few lines on the history of this building and its architecture…

At 1125 hrs we turned around and made a journey back with fond memories of the bygone era…

Road Trip 5 : Nalsarovar

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Murphy) — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 19:19:00 +0000

Date : April 9, 2006

This Sunday friends (4 Bloggers Cyclops, Caleb and Lonelywaves), made a road-trip to Nalsarovar, a Bird Sanctuary spread over 120kms of wet land which regularly gets feathered species from far off lands on migration! We usually had a company of three people with avid interest in visiting places and enjoying the exotic village atmosphere, and give our city-polluted lungs a booster dose of fresh oxygen. This time around we had a guest accompanying us, a fellow blogger (named ME) who also happens to be a journalist too.
Pic: Entering the boat (not A Titanic!)

The Sarovar With birds soaring.

We started off at around 0415, a time when the rest of the city is still in deep slumber enjoying a Sunday in bed! We went to pick up our guest and then sped off on a very smooth and empty highway doing the speeds of 60-80 kph. It was a late start as its summer and the sun rises earlier and before we could get closer to Nalsarovar the fantasy of watching the day break was shattered.

Pic: of Lonelywaves with The Lotus Garland, meant for ME in pic behind Lonelywaves

Pic: Lotus Flower in full blossom...
We had made just one scheduled break for early morning cuppa tea and our favourite pass-time of smoking. After that we speed off towards the destination, but when it was only some 22kms left to reach the spot we were shocked to see our fellow driver making a large turn around a tight corner and getting off road into a wayside bush, that literally saved him and his bike from further harm. Our guest of the daywas the pillion driver and got away with some bruises and scratches, both were safe and sound but a bit dazzled at the sudden incident. After resting for some time we then slowly started off but then everyone’s thought was looming over that minor accident and it played a real spoil-sport as Caleb was off mood and didn’t really felt like enjoying.
Pic: of the Temple put in the middle by A King called "NAL" about 600-700years old!

Pic: of Lonelywaves trying the local tobacco pipe, tastes a bit salty no high ;)
Well anyways we reached Nalsarovar by 0745, got the entry passes and got ourselves admitted inside. Reaching the parking lot we were rounded up by the boat operators with their sky-rocketing prices, we haggled over the prices brought it into suit our pockets and went for the ride.

Pic: trying to use woman power! Sorry for being a bit MCP... Can't really help that...hehehe, At last Lonelywaves gives a helping hand...

Pic: the algae coverd Sarovar! Stunning beauty.

The boat-ride was a real fest to the eyes that were accustomed to seeing concrete jungles, and here there was water all around and lots of birds and negligible other humans to disturb the serenity. We could see the Siberian Cranes, the Coots, the Pigtails, the Flamingoes and other various birds. Afterwards we went to an island in the middle of the lake and then returned back. Meanwhile the oarsman managed to present our guest a garland made of Lotus, which was quite interesting! Our guest had prepared delicious sandwiches for the trip, must say a good cook of junk food! ;)

The return journey was quite uneventful, but the hot afternoon sun did take a toll on our body fluids and the heat was quite unbearable though it’s still April beginning! The total journey was approx 160kms from A’bad, and reached here by 1300 hrs. A fantastic journey to remember and write about.

Road Trip 4 : Adalaj Step Well

noreply@blogger.com (Arvind) — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 18:25:00 +0000

Date : Feb 26, 2006

Adalaj Step well is 18 Kms from Ahmedabad. The step well was built in 1498 AD by Ruda, wife of Vaghela chief Vairasimha.

This is what it looks from the top. Its on the ground level. On the left are my friends on top of the main entrance.

From the main entrance, the steps go down. Its a five storeyed structure and as we went down, it got cooler and cooler.

From the top, there are spiral stairs to go down.

There were lots of beautiful carvings on either sides of the steps that go down to the well.

View from bottom

View from top

There is a decently maintained garden both the sides. There were lots of changes from my previous visit. There were lots of visitors. There were some guides too. All good but I saw some Manikchand cover floating on the well water. I think they should stop the free entry and charge 10-15 Rs for a visit. That will stop idiots to use the well as a dustbin and also they will get some money to maintain it.

Road Trip 3 : Lothal

noreply@blogger.com (Arvind) — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 18:22:00 +0000

Date : Feb 6, 2006
Total Distance : 85 + 30 + 61 = 176 KMs
Expense : 100 (petrol) + 75 (cigarettes) + 150 (food) + 40 (drinks) + 30 (snacks) = 395 Rs.

Nalsarovar lake is 80 KMs from Ahmedabad. The Lake is spread over an area of 115 sq. KM. It is believed to harbour more that 250 species of birds. In winter, the birds migrate from north and descend in thousands. Visitors cam glide slowly through the silent waters in small boats. Some prominent birds found here are jacanas, moorhens, coots, grebes, kingfishers, egrets, darters, storks, cormorants and ducks.

Our Plan was to get there before sun-rise (sun rises in these parts at around 6.30-6.45). There was a highway till Sanand. We started at 4.50 and our initial thoughts we will reach there on time with a speed of 45-50 (which is our average speed!! Safe drivers we are!!) but we lost our way asking some people the direction. Either we didn’t understand it or that guy really didn’t know the route but what happened was we lost 15-20 minutes because of that. The route from Sanand to Nalsarovar was excellent. Quite narrow but the road was too smooth. The best part was the two-three vehicles we found on that road were all going to Nalsarovar and none came opposite us. So we thought its safe to touch 70 speed but like it always happens, we were driving at 85 in five minutes. The only problem was the light. The roads didn’t have any light on either side and it was 5.30 in the morning. So the guy driving behind had to totally rely on the one in front for the route. It was a bit risky since at a speed of 85, you cant have lot of control if you want to turn suddenly and either side of the narrow roads were trees for most of the part and in between there were bridges with farms below. But we were good enough bikers and reached Nalsarovar at 6.25.

But But But…. There was annual bird census going on and we weren’t allowed inside. The news was in today’s papers but then no part of Ahmedabad gets newspapers at 4.45!! It was very very disappointing. We waited there for half an hour giving our bikes some rest and also hoping the security guys will have a change of heart and allow us inside. Three more cars came and all were told that they cant enter today. We felt happy!! Weren’t the only ones!!

Lothal, a Harappan site was 30 KMs from Nalsarovar. We thought instead of going back we will visit it instead. We first had to reach Bagodara (20 kms away) and the to Lothal. We took a shortcut to Bagodara and the road was a bit too narrow and was being constructed. But the scenes on both sides. Green Green farms and lots of birds more than made up for the bad roads. So had to go at a speed of 40. We stopped often to see what farms were there and tried to catch a bird on our camera. In Bagodara, we filled petrol again as the trip was going to be 100 KMs more than what we had planned. Also we found a roadside restaurant and had tea and cholafali (a local delicacy).

The Road from Bagodara to Lothal was a beauty. Spotlessly clean inspite of having more traffic. Average speed there was 60. We reached Lothal at around 10.30AM. Lothal is in Saragwala village in Dholka Taluka of Ahmedabad district. Meaning of ‘Lothal’ is ‘Place of the Dead’

At first we saw some stones, some water and that’s all. We were very disappointed. We had heard so much about it and it didn’t live upto our expectations. The problem was i) none of us had very good knowledge of the history and ii) we couldn’t understand most things and iii)most of the excavated things were re-filled.

Then we decided to check its museum. We checked the an image illustrating how it was in those times. We started comparing that with what we saw outside and understood a bit more.

The museum had a book on Lothal but it was a bit too much in detail. Instead the archeologist there generously gave us a four page brochure with basic info on Lothal. The following info are taken from it.

The site was excavated by Dr.S.R.Rao from 1955-1962 which unearthed many structural remains of Harappan town (2500-1900 BC)

The entire settlement was divided into

Acropolis

Lower town

Acropolis
The chief lived in the acropolis where houses were built on 3M high platforms and provided iwht all the civic amenities including paved baths, underground drains and a well for portable water.

Lower town
The lower town was subdivided into two sectors. I) the main commercial centre in which craftsmen lived and the other is residential sector.

The bead factories, situated where the 8th street of the commercial area and the 5th street of the residential area meet, comprised the main industry of the Harappans. They probably settled (or their culture came) to the Gulf of Cambay region because of its agate and precious stone resources

The factory comprised 11 rooms, which included worker's quarters, warheouses and guard rooms, surrounding a courtyard. The main bead making machine was a twisted chambered kiln, made from mud plastered bricks, which was used for heating the stones used to make beads. Bellows helped raise the temperatures within.

Lothal was especially famous for its micro-beads. These were made by grinding materials, rolling them on to a string, baking it solid. Finally the baked roll was sawed into required shapes and sizes.

Unique necklaces were made with microbeads of gold. Some were as little as 0.25mm in diameter. They are testimony to the science of beadmaking perfected by the Indus Valley civilization, and has not been surpassed by artisans in the Gulf of Cambay today.

The middle classes who could not afford gold contented themselves with gilded copper wires. Low income groups must have worn ornaments from shells and clay. Coppersmithing and pottery reached high standards of development in the lower town.

The Dock
The dominant sight at Lothal is the massive dockyard which has helped make this place so important to international archaeology. Spanning an area 37 meters from east to west and nearly 22 meters from north to south, the dock is said by some to be the greatest work of maritime architecture before the birth of Christ. To be sure, not all archaeologists are convinced that the structure was used as a dockyard and some prefer to refer to it as a large tank that may have been a reservoir.

It was excavated besides the river Sabarmati, which has since changed course. The structure's design shows a thorough study of tides, hydraulics and the effect of sea water on bricks. Ships could have entered into the northern end of the dock through an inlet channel connected to an estuary of the Sabramati during high tide. The lock gates could then have been closed so the water level would rise sufficiently for them to float.

An inlet channel 1.7 meters above the bottom level of the 4.26 meter deep tank allowed excess water to escape. Other inlets prevented siltation of the tanks and erosion of the banks. After a ship would have unloaded its cargo, the gates would have opened and allowed it to return to the Arabian sea waters in the Gulf of Combay.

Archaeological finds from the excavations testify to trade with ancient Egypt and Mespotamia. The hydraulic knowledge of the ancient Harappans can be judged by the fact that boats could dock at Lothal in the 1850's. In 1942 timber was brought from Baruch to nearby Sagarwala. It is said that then the dockyard could hold 30 ships of 60 tons each or 60 ships of 30 tons each. This would be comparable to the modern docks at Vishakapatnam.

Warehouse
A long wharf connected the dockyard to the main warehouse, which was located on a plinth some 3.5 meters above the ground. The first concern of the Harappan engineers might have been to ensure against floods and tides (which may have been their undoing at Mohenjo-daro and Harappa).

The whole town was situated on a patch of high ground. Rising from the flat alluvial plains of Bhal a wall was erected to encircle the town, and a platform was built where goods were checked and stored. The warehouse was divided into 64 rooms of around 3.5 square meters each, connected by 1.2 meter wide passages. Twelve of these cubical blocks are visible today.

Seals were used to label imports and exports passing through the dock. Some of these labels or tags have been found during excavations. Kiln fired bricks, which the Harappans had learned were unaffected by tidal waters, were used in making the passages to protect the cargo

Drainage System
An elaborate sanitary and drainage system, a hallmark of ancient Indus cities, is in evidence everywhere at Lothal

The most unique aspect of planning during the Indus Valley civilization was the system of underground drainage. The main sewer, 1.5 meters deep and 91 cm across, connected to many north-south and east-west sewers. It was made from bricks smoothened and joined together seamlessly. The expert masonry kept the sewer watertight. Drops at regular intervals acted like an automatic cleaning device.

A wooden screen at the end of the drains held back solid wastes. Liquids entered a cess poll made of radial bricks. Tunnels carried the waste liquids to the main channel connecting the dockyard with the river estuary. Commoner houses had baths and drains that emptied into underground soakage jars.

Return
We decided to come back at 2. First we went to a cheap looking (price wise) kathiyawadi restaurant. This was the worst part of the trip. The food was below average, I got a duplicate-thumbs up and it cost us 150!!!!

I have no words for the highway on which we came back!! Extremely straight and smooth, there wasn’t much traffic and we easily went at 70-75. It was one straight road and reached Ahmedabad at 3.30.

Road Trip 2 : Narmada Canal (Gandhinagar)

noreply@blogger.com (Arvind) — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 06:40:00 +0000

Date : 15th Jan 2006

It was 15th of January. After we got tired of kites, we decided to take a round trip to Narmada Canal.

Fenil joined the two of us. He was our last member. Though sometimes we wish there were more people, three seems perfect. Maybe four will just be a crowd.

The canel is some 16 KMs from Ahmedabad. It wouldve taken us 25 minutes in the normal highway but we decided to go on the other one (Through Motera Stadium) and it took us 40 minutes but no complaints!! the road was empty, temperature around 18 and there were trees either side of the road.

Now, something about the Canal. Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) is a multipurpose river valley project currently under construction across the river Narmada to irrigate 17.92 lakh hectare annually in the State of Gujarat. The main dam and hydropower works are under progress. The construction work of various canals of SSP, Gujarat State is in full swing. The Narmada Main Canal (NMC) of the SSP is the largest irrigation lined canal in the world. The total length of NMC is 458 km. having a capacity of 1133 cumecs (40,000 cusecs) at head and 71 cumecs (2500 cusecs) at tail.

The Canal is beautiful but unfortunately its a favourite among those who want to experiment with suicide.. All those who failed in their exams or in their relationship chose this canal for their final bath. So its sealed both sides.

The watchman at first didnt allow us near it but after seeing me clicking at everything, he understood we were just a bunch of city guys who havent seen clean water. But he did tell us he normally doesnt allow people to park near the bridge. To make him happy, we took his photo.

The Sardar Sarovar Project will provide irrigation facilities to 17.93 lac ha. of land, covering 3112 villages of 73 talukas in 15 districts of Gujarat. It will also irrigate 75,000 ha. of land in the strategic desert districts of Barmer and Jallore in Rajasthan and 37,500 ha. in the tribal hilly tract of Maharashtra through lift. About 75% of the command area in Gujarat is drought prone while entire command (75,000 ha.) in Rajasthan is drought prone. Assured water supply will soon make this area drought proof

There will be two power houses viz. River bed power house and canal head power house with an installed capacity of 1200 MW and 250 MW respectively. The power would be shared by three states - Madhya Pradesh - 57%, Maharashtra - 27% and Gujarat 16%. This will provide a useful paking power to western grid of the country which has very limited hydel power production at present.
A series of micro hydel power stations are also planned on the branch canals where convenient falls are available.

On our way back we stopped in a farmhouse called NARAYANI.. we had no idea what was inside. unfortunately it was a bit too dark and couldnt take any photos.. it was a great experience.. we felt as if we were in Rajasthan, the color, the sounds and everything.. there was a puppet show going on (my first experience).

Road Trip 1 : Villages Around National Highway 8

noreply@blogger.com (Arvind) — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 20:58:00 +0000

The least exciting Road trip we ever had but probably the most important as its after this we decided to keep our dreams of world tours aside(for the moment) and explore everything around Ahmedabad

Date : 4th Jan 2006
Expense : 100Rs on Petrol + 20Rs. on Cigarettes + 38Rs. (two coke bottles) = 158 Rs.

Yesterday, I was a bit free and thought it will be a good idea to go on a long drive as the weather was excellent (a bit cold but perfect for a Road Trip)!!

A friend of mine decided to join me in the trip! We decided that instead of going to one of the usual popular places on the National Highway 8, we should go and have a look at some of the villages across the highway.

It was just 15 minutes since we crossed the highway but we were already able to see the difference. There was that 'village' atmosphere : clean air, narrow empty roads, lots of greenary and yeah - Lots and lots of camel carts!! Camels arent that uncommon in this part of the country!

The roads were surprisingly very very good - even better than our Ahmedabad ones - which the AMC (Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation) keeps digging every three months!!

for the next 45 minutes we didnt see a single shop!! and no vehicles either other than the camel carts!! And it was the first time I drove my bike faster than 80!

The roads and the scenaries were so fantastic that we didnt feel like returning! but I had my office and so we decided to take the other way towards home (through Gandhinagar).

On the way back we saw this giant.

On an average, an Indian elephant weighs four tons. The height of a male at shoulder is nine feet and that of female, about eight feet. The males have tusks measuring about six feet. The females have shorter version, called "tushe," which measures less than a feet. Though an elephant's body weight is sixty times that of man, its brain is only five times that of man. Its power of scent is among sharpest in the animal kingdom. Its hearing is not so sharp as the size of its ears might indicate, and its range of vision is limited.

The elephant can neither gallop, nor canter, not trot, it can only walk with a speed of about ten kilometer per hour. It can charge at twice this speed, but only for up to fifty meters. Due to its enormous size, the elephant sways in all directions at once. It feels out soft ground with the trunk and does not forward for fear of getting bogged. Except for a short siesta at noon and a brief spell of sleep around midnight, the wild elephants feed almost constantly. They make great fuss over their eating, cracking tree branches and trumpeting. They have a great fondness for bamboo scrubs and for grassy plains dotted with ficus trees. They have immense liking for sugarcane and hence enter cultivated sugarcane farms. They destroy more than what they feed on. An elephant in the wild eats about 200 to 300 kilograms of food everyday! In the process, it is said that it would destroy vegetation weighing about 1000 kilograms.