SHAME ON US

Today I read a letter from Shenaz Treasurywala to some of the influential people, addressing the biggest problem in India that is women safety, believing they could make some difference. I could feel her pain in the letter. Next I read another letter from a girl, in reply to Shenaz's letter, equally painful that she even accused Shenaz trying to promote her upcoming film.

That made me wonder why the men in cities like Mumbai or Delhi could want to do such a thing. It can't be that all are not well uneducated. I have even seen well educated men having no respect for women or even any individual. From where did they get courage, leave courage aside for now, we all know its because they know they will get easily through it. The question is what they actually want to achieve, by trying to do so. I don't want to say what, it includes all from groping to raping.

Are they just trying to fulfil their lust? No it can't be that. Because many rich guys as well do so who can afford a prostitute daily. Do they want to embarrass a girl, who probably rejected his proposal? In many case yes. But most of them just search for targets to have fun with. Some of them are dared by someone to do such things. All have one thing in common, all are self-centered and have no respect for women. And few can't digest women being equal, so they try to undermine girls by toying with them and feel happy about it.

Why is it so difficult for these men to accept women as equal or accept them as respectable? Is it because our previous generations only treated women as objects or dependants? If one guys sees in his family women getting treated like objects and he treats girls the same way and spreads in his friend circles and make it sound cool, the other guys who listen to it will follow him to become cool, even though in his family, women are not treated that way. How can this mentality change in all generations, but at least in our and forthcoming generations? Taking small steps like educating our sons and protecting our sisters, wife and daughters won't help. Let's not be self-centered. How to do it I don't know.

If complete UBER is banned for one driver, so that UBER can correct their security system; whole Pakistan is held responsible for Pakistani terrorist attack; means all of male community, including me and these influential people of Shenaz's letter, should be punished for the crimes committed by these men, so that we can correct our social system. Just saying I don't do it, I can't be responsible for others, won't help.

I am no saint. I am just another selfish guy, part of a community who is terrorizing another community, of which my mother and sisters are part of or daughters will be part of. When I hear such stories in news or from a friend, I feel like killing those men. Let's all join hands against it and let no such bastards left alive.

Maha Kamina

        I have a friend Sanjay Rana, who had been a good friend of mine since I am in Gurgaon. It had been more than an year that we are friends. We hung out together several times. I attended his brother's wedding as well. There is guy Kaushik Sharma, who lives in his neighborhood. I met him twice. Once on drinks and once in the wedding.

        Kaushik met with an accident 2 months ago. His left leg is cut off after that. I came to know this from many sources. But I could not even call and talk to him. What should I talk and how should I talk? His parents spent all the money in the hospital bills and are running short of money for further treatment.

        I decided to contribute from my side as well. I could not call Kaushik so I called Sanjay to ask bank account number of Kaushik's father so that I can transfer money online. Sanjay gave me PNB account number of Kaushik's father. I transferred 100 rupees first and asked Sanjay to confirm whether it reached or not. He confirmed the next day that it reached. After confirmation, I opened my browser to transfer 50000 rupees.

        Something stopped me; some sixth sense or practical feeling. I had been emotional since I came to know about Kaushik's accident. I decided to check on Kaushik first, before transferring. So I called Kaushik and had a word with him, indirectly confirming about his accident and cut off leg. Then I looked at the browser. Should I meet Kaushik first? 50000 is a big amount.

        I went to meet Kaushik the next afternoon. I called Sanjay with me. It was a short casual visit, discussing nothing, not even the accident. I came back home and opened the browser again to transfer the money.

        Something stopped me again. Mostly fathers have major bank accounts in SBI, how come PNB. It was Saturday night. I decided there is not much harm if the money reaches late. I will personally go to the bank on Monday and deposit by cash. On Sunday, Sanjay called to know whether he should check about the money transfer with Kaushik's father again or not. I told him I did not get time to transfer and will transfer the next day. I withdrew 50000 rupees cash in the 3 days Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

        On Monday, I went to the PNB. I gave the slip to the counter and the lady returned it back. 

The name does not match.

What? (Shockingly)

The name does not match.

Is it not Ramnarayan Sharma?

No.

Does the surname match?

No.

Is it not Sharma?

No. (Angrily)

Is it Rana?

Yes. Suryaprakash Rana.

        Suryaprakash Rana is older brother of Sanjay Rana. Sanjay gave me his brother's account number, instead of Kaushik's father's. He tried to cheat me for 50000 rupees. How can money influence someone's conscience so much to use his one friend's accident to cheat his another friend. I have been friend to him for just an year but Kaushik is his friend for more than 10 years and still he acted so selfishly. I got lucky in this, because if I would have transferred the money I would not have even confirmed it reached Kaushik or not. Its very rude to call someone Kamina (rascal or cheat) but this guy Sanjay deserves it. Delhi NCR is full of such cheats trying to make some easy money.

        I went to Kaushik's father and personally handed him the 50000 rupees cash. I also told Kaushik and his father about Sanjay trying to cheat me, so that they stay cautious from their neighbors.

Maha Kanjoos

        We formed team of 5 young guys in Lean Startup Machine Workshop. Ayushman, Amber, Sunny, Vaibhav and I (Deepak). Ayushman and Amber are friends working on an idea. Sunny is in sales and is very good at it. Vaibhav is in college and I am a techie. We 5 formed a group to convert the idea into something worth presenting. This article is not about the idea or how we presented it. So coming directly to the story.
        We were asked to go out of the building and interact with people about the idea. But this idea is B2B, so we just went to a cafe and sat there for an hour. Ayushman ordered a plate of garlic bread and rest of us ordered an ice tea each. By the time our order came, we were all badly hungry. Ayushman's dish had 5 garlic bread pieces. Amber and Sunny took 1 piece each from the plate. Vaibhav and I did not. We thought that we are having our ice teas and if we put our hands in his plate, he will get only 1 piece. So Vaibhav and I silently had our ice teas. Ayushman got 3 pieces. When the bill arrived I saw hesitation in everyone's face to pay. So I paid without hesitation 1050, 200 each of 4 ice teas and 250 of garlic bread.
        Next day when workshop finished, we lost and we were about to separate, Ayushman himself raised the topic of settling the bill amount. He might have thought that if he did not, I will ask for sure. But if he had not reminded, I would not have asked myself. I suggested let's divide equally but Ayushman opposed. He said everyone pays what they had. Fair enough. Vaibhav gave 200 for the ice tea and went to chat with other groups. Amber did not come that day. So Ayushman paid for his ice tea 200. Then when it came to Ayushman amount it was 100, instead of 250; and the reason he gave was because he had only 2 garlic bread pieces. First of all I knew he had 3 but I did not point out because it would sound cheap if I said that I was counting. Secondly, it would sound even more cheap if we discussed who had the one piece. This garlic bread pieces made Sunny pay 250, 200 for ice tea and 50 for a garlic bread piece. I knew 2 garlic bread pieces amount are missing. Also Ayushman did not pay for the one garlic bread piece Amber had. But I kept quiet because we used cars of Ayushman and Amber in the 2 days, which was something everyone ignored. So the 2 garlic bread pieces was their petrol pay off.
        Ayushman is an energetic and sophisticated person. It was so difficult to guess before this incident that he would be such a big Kanjoos (miser). I decided, after the workshop if Ayushman asks me to work with him, I will refuse. Luckily he did not ask. Luckily because refusing anyone for anything had been the most difficult thing for me throughout my life.

Sutta Chronicles

        I was with an Investor in businesses - that's what he told us. We were smoking in the balcony. When we were about to finish my friend came in. He lit another cigarette and shared it with me. When that was about to finish, another person, who was into marketing came in. He and the investor lit another cigarette. When the marketing guy offered me to share, I took it.
        My Friend got surprised and said, Don't smoke too much? CIGARETTE KILLS
        I replied showing my gratitude to the marketing guy, LET'S DIE TOGETHER
        Investor offered my friend his cigarette and said, LE MAR
        The lines Le Mar and Let's die together became the part of every smoking sessions throughout the weekend in Lean Startup Machine Workshop.

To write a novel

        I am a software engineer by profession since 5 years. I had a story and plot ready for a novel when I was in pre-final year of college NIT Rourkela. I thought I would write it when I leave college. I will have sufficient time then.
        4 years after leaving college or 5 years after writing plot, I got time to write the story in a furnished way. I was in Bangalore then. I made 2 of my close friends read it. They liked it but asked me to furnished it even more. Then I went in a company switch mode. I left Bangalore and came to Gurgaon.

        It has been more than an year in Gurgaon. I did not get time or proper motivation to write in Gurgaon. I think daily I will write tonight, but this doesn't happen. Nothing is stopping me from writing. But I am not able to figure out why am I not writing even if I get some time. May be its the fear that if I have time today, may be I won't get it tomorrow. If I am writing this blog post, why can't I spend this time to the story.

To Be Continued...

The 12 Balls Problem

        Guys I am back with an old real life problem, which is not yet solved. As the name of the blog says, its obviously about the 12 Balls Problem. But this blog is not just about the famous mathematical problem. This blog is about the problem this mathematical problem created in my life. The actual 12 balls problem obviously has solution. Click the link for  Solution.
        I had a friend Murli in Onmobile Bangalore mentioned in another of my posts Swimming and KLPD Switch. He was the most intelligent friend I had. Everyone even believed in his intelligence. But he had superiority complex with others. He wanted everyone to accept that he is better than them. Many did, so did I, to keep the environment of the group healthy. Murli and I were sort of bully in the office group. I was sensitive to some extent. I made sure nobody was hurt in the process. But Murli wasn't.
        Murli, I, my college friend Raj and 3 more friends, who joined the company together rented a row house together. Raj and I even shared a room, as we were friends from college. Also Raj was the most respected guy in the batch. So when Murli used to bully Raj, I used to jump in defense. Either I diverted the bullying on someone else or Murli himself or sportingly took it on me. Most of the time Murli and I shared common side in arguments.
        Murli was interviewed in Adobe in his college days. He was given this 12 balls problem to solve. But he could not solve it that time even in half an hour, probably due to interview stress. When he narrated me this interview story, I asked him to let me try the 12 balls problem before he gives me the solution. He peacefully let me because he knew I couldn't solve it and started watching TV. I tried my level best on the problem because I myself am a curious puzzle solver. But.
        After few minutes, I went to Murli. I went to Murli, luckily, with the solution. He looked at his watch. It was hardly 12 minutes that I took to solve the 12 balls problem. He was shit shocked. For the first time in 6 months I had known him, I saw him so shocked.
        That day was the last day Murli was good to me. He couldn't accept somebody being as intelligent as he is. After the incident, whatever the topic is, he chose the opposite side. If I said anything good about SRK, our favorite topic, he opposed. When I bullied anyone he came in their defense against me. For the initial few days, I let him say bitter things to me, which was not actually bullying, but offending. But after a week, my limit was reached. I made Murli have a taste his own medicine. He and I stopped hanging out without any third person. Being in the same house and same company hardly 10 meters away, we did not had friendly interactions, though I was always open to it. I initiated several times but he took least interest in having fun then to compete. But we did had a healthy competition.
        Everyone in the house knew something is fishy between Murli and I. No one liked the atmosphere in the house. Rest of the 4 members became a part of everyday fight. Everyday 6 of us quarreled for some minor things. The house use to get partitioned into 2 groups and obviously Murli and I on different side. He stayed in the side I was not. He jumped in any of my discussion with others and made it a debate. The house did not remained the problem between 2 people but problem of 6 people. The 6 people problem or the 12 balls problem.
        Six months later Murli got offer from Amazon Hyderabad. On his last day in our house, we slept in the same room. We kept silent for hours. But something clicked, I broke the silence and we started chatting in the dark. He told me that he always knew I always defended Raj from getting bullied. I told him that we have been quarreling for last 6 months; and I know the reason what spoiled our friendship is the 12 balls problem. He admitted it as well that his ego was hurt by the feeling that he is not truly the greatest brain in his circle. He tried his ass out to crack Amazon to prove this. I was happy that something positive came out from it, in the end.
        Conclusion to the friendship is that Murli, Raj and I all are currently in NCR for more than an year, hardly few kms apart, and we all know it; but Raj and I haven't met Murli yet.

And they think Indians play politics

Sorry Americans in the very beginning, but I am having a very hard time working with you guys.

        I joined this company (MNC) 3 months ago. The project I was assigned to, is the first project of the company, which was driven stand-alone from India. So it is a matter of prestige to finish the project on time. My team consisting of 6 developers, 4 quality analysts, one architect and one manager, who is scrum master as well, are working very hard to finish the project on time. The architect and 2 senior developers, including me, are new in this company. We have very limited knowledge of the legacy services, codes and database tables. Even after so many hurdles, we kept the sprints on timeline.
        Then came another architect into picture, who from US, introduced a new technology (react js) in the UI part of project. It has been more than a month, the technology was introduced, yet no one is able to work on it properly. The deadline had to be pushed a month ahead. 2 sprints went without much deliverable. That US architect put himself as a commander of the team and made us to put him in all the code reviews. He blocked all our codes from going into testing. He published comments when it was non-working time in India and we worked on it the other day. One of my major piece of code X was not approved by him for around 2 weeks. I was even stuck with that for most of my time, mainly due to time syncing between the timezones. I have a habit of working late hours. Before that I never had interacted with him. But at the end of the a week, I worked late night and began pushing him for approval. That piece of code got approved but by the end of it, we changed design in the mean time. That changes are getting incorporated step by step.
        The US architect started questioning us in every single bit of code. More than 90% of them were worthless. Look and feel of the code and not the design or performance. All of the team in India were frustrated with him, but no one dared to tell him. Due to architectural limitations, the design we were working on till now was put into reconsideration. Check Limitations of NoSQL for details. He is now making us do the complete refactoring of the codes from scratch. The new design did not fit in the scenario. I and the other senior developer are strictly against the design. Then he himself suggested the design which is actually going on in the project. The refactoring code seems a waste of our time, but he someway will keep us to finish the refactoring to a better looking code.
        There is a guy in US, who is doing a small task since 2 weeks and still this architect is shielding him from getting questioned. But our architect here and the team lead are not doing the same, not even taking any stand. We have to step in to answer ourselves.
        Last Thursday, the architect in US scheduled a meeting with me, the other senior developer, the team lead, the architect in India and the manager from India and himself, the DBAs and the VP from US. Checking the schedule of the architect in India, the VP in India joined the meeting without notice. That day was the last day I kept my cool. The senior developer and the architect in India left early that day and I wasn't aware of the agenda of the meeting. The meeting was going something weird that day. I was not able to grasp what the US guys were asking. Finally by the end of the meeting I realized they are asking about the same piece of code I wrote which the architect in US did not approve for 2 weeks. That too not the design part of it, but the signature part. When I started explaining the VP in US asked me to document the complete signature of each part of the code what it does, what tables in DBs it touch. That seemed ok from VP point of view. But today we documented the signatures, there was a meeting to discuss the documentation. The signatures were checked and nothing concrete came out of the 2 hours meeting.
        Now I am too frustrated with that guy that I will straight refuse in front of my manager if he asks me to do anything again.

Happier than many

Bhaiyya, till what time do you run the auto-rickshaw?

Till 4 AM in the morning.

How much do you make out of it per day?

1500-2000 per day by this, but I also have my fruit store that I run in the morning. In total I make around 3000 per day.

You must have guessed it by now. Its a friendly conversation with an auto-rickshaw driver. My friends were astonished to know he make more than us in a month but I pitied him for working so hard to compete with us in the race. Everyone works hard for a pinch of money and few people work even harder. How can he, being an auto-rickshaw driver and a fruit seller, earn more than a software engineer? Why does this question even arise? Doesn't he deserve to earn more money if he is scratching his ass much more than we do?

Bhaiyya, how long have you been in military?

It has been more than 15 years.

You must be proud of being able to serve the country.

How much do you make? Serving  the country is the only motivation in this work. I earn 37000 here but what's the use. I am not able to be with my family in good and bad times. They have been very dependent on me. When I go home for few days, there are hundred of things I need to do. Again I don't get times with my family. What's the use of serving the country when you can't even serve your family? Also have to be stationed at the post and do nothing the whole year. In extreme cold as well, we need to stay like a ghost and no one to talk to.

  It was extremely cold in Sikkim and this person was stationed in a post at the Indo-China border. He had no one to talk to but he wanted to talk several things out. He had so many complains and so much pain which he did not even tell us. We were immature engineering students, but we could still sense it.

  In my opinion, we, the people in IT industry, have an easiest job and get sufficient money at the end of the month. These sufficiently earning class are broadly classified among two category. One who earns more than he deserves and other who deserves more. If someone earns more money than he deserves, he is lucky or he had worked hard to reach there. If he deserve more but he is not earning as much, then he is caught in a wrong job, he better go to monster.com.

  The very famous saying that one must be satisfied with whatever he gets is a myth. Everyone is unhappy in some way or another. Some are disappointed with themselves and some with the company. Some struggle to afford every small luxury due to lack of money. Some compare themselves with friends, relatives and neighbors. Some sacrifice the health or basic necessities, like taking an auto-rickshaw for 2-3 km, to save some money for their children and their education. Some work in sun all day. Some work in fear avoiding any complaint to their master. Some work for longer time to impress their employer. Some, like customer care, have to hear everyone complains and scoldings whole day. Some travel for more than 4 hours a day between home to office. Some sleep for 4 hours a day to maintain time for office work. Some are already in good place but want better.

The job is easier than any

The pressure is lesser than any

The money is better than any

That makes us happier than many

The reasons for unhappiness are many 

But all are smaller than any

Below is the list of biggest reason for dissatisfaction in IT industries.

1. For guys, no girlfriend. Trust me this is the biggest.
2. For girls, very few 9-5 jobs.
3. Want to go onsite.
4. Manager is an asshole
5. Need to work extra hours
6. No work life balance
7. No job security
8. Blah blah blah

Just a conversation with someone special

Day before yesterday I was talking to love of my life Aiesha on phone. She is not my girlfriend, not even my ex. But I adore her. She is married now for more than 2 years and is supporting her parents financially. Since few weeks she is asking me to refer her somewhere for job. Her salary is pretty low to support her parents and do regular (weekly) shopping. Her husband supports his parents. Even if they hang out, they do Dutch. WTF. Even on Valentine’s day the (married) couple shared. She is the girl for who I wrote my previous posts I hate you and I am hurt.

She asked me to find a job for her abroad, as she knows I want the same for myself.  The passive voice sucks. Though I don’t remember the exact words in the conversation but I will use the intent. And just for information, Aiesha is the same girl for who I wrote one of my previous posts "I am hurt".

Aiesha, what you doing?

I am getting bored at home. Nothing to do. Gaurav (her husband) had gone out with his friends. Since morning I am alone at home.

How is your job hunt going?

Not able to find anything good. I need a good package.

Modi won the election and stock market jumped above 25k. Now the market will gain.

Deepak, you can find a job in US still, right? There is lot of scope outside for you. You can go to US with a good job there. Then you can find a good job for me too. I will come there as well. I need a job in higher currency. I want to visit places in US as well.

OK. So this means you will be coming to US alone or (pause) Gaurav will come too.

I will come alone.

Awesome. Now I have some motivation to go abroad.

Don’t get ambitious. I won’t live with you.

So what? You will be living in the neighborhood, right?

Yes.

 We will have breakfast together, have lunch and dinner together, visit places together, drink and smoke together as well. Correct?

Yes.

Then why do I need to get married.

There are more than these, people get married for.

(Long silence) Hmm. Why do I need to get married for things that money can buy?

Idiot. I did not mean that.

Trip to Munsiyari

      Munsiyari trip started with my resignation in my company and in a vision of possibility of a supposedly very unfortunate breakup with my girlfriend Shruti. It was supposed to be a last trip with her. It wasn't my first trip to Uttarakhand. I have been to Jim Corbett national park, Nainital and Ranikhet with my friends and to Almora with Shruti.
      In the last trip to Almora, Shruti and I wanted to go closer to the Himalayas. It couldn't happened that time. Whoever we asked suggested to go to Munsiyari. But due to time constraints we did not go there. Someone who had been in the mountains for a long time and had visited several places suggested Munsiyari in Uttarakhand and Manali in Himachal. As I had already relieved from the company, I also needed time to think about the career and I also had time for that. I just needed was a place. Munsiyari it is. Plus no time constraints, awesome.
      Lets me brief about Munsiyari first. If you know the place, skip the paragraph. Munsiyari lies in the north east corner of the state, which is around 50 km road distance from Nepal border Dharchula. It is about 2200 m above sea level like  the rest of the popular hill stations in Uttarakhand. It is the base point of trekking along the Goriganga river to Milam Glacier, a very popular destinations among trekkers. So Munsiyari becomes their beginning point of the journey to the Glacier. The best season for the trek is in months May and June. From Munsiyari, there are guides to reach Milam. They take you to Lilam 12 km from Munsiyari on their vehicle, then on foot journey begins. The return journey is of 12 days. Lilam (1810) - Bagudiyar (2450) - Rilkote (3350) - Burfu (3450) - Milam village (3500) - Milam Glacier - return. Roads are now getting constructed for increasing the reachability to Milam village. Milam village get deserted and people migrate to Munsiyari off-seasons. Not only trek, Munsiyari and Milam people trade with China with much part of the route in common. That's all I knew before I left for Munsiyari.
      Forgot to mention it was the month of February, which means off-season. Shruti and I began our journey taking the easiest way of transport train Ranikhet Express to enter the state Uttarakhand at night. We got off at Haldwani in the morning. Then we took a bus to Bageshwar from Haldwani. In the bus we discussed with other passengers about how to reach Munsiyari. Everyone said it would not be possible the same day (obviously). We would have needed to get down at Bageshwar. If is still not dark we could reach Thal, which was not certain, and stay there. But Shruti was not feeling so well to travel too much in bus. She has bus sickness. The choice was to have a night stay at Bageshwar. But Bageshwar is not a place to stay and enjoy. So we preferred getting down in another hill station Kausani about which we heard in our previous visits.
      Bus went via Almora and we reached Kausani around 3-4 PM. Hotel guides troubled us a lot and we got a hotel Hotel Vishakha 3 km far from the bus stop. The hotel was awesome and we got it for just Rs. 500 due to off-season. The hills around the hotel were more or less same as they were in Almora and the view of mountains were slight larger than that in Almora. The place was not at all crowded, only few small houses very distant from each other. Very few hotels too. Shruti wore a black dress. The dress was short and sexy. Whoever saw us knew we were tourists and wanted to talk to us. Our lifestyle seemed to them too different from theirs. We were getting lot of attention. And we were loving it. We played badminton in a place provided by the hotel. At night it got very cold. We went to get some heat in a bonfire with the hotel staff. Food was good and we got a nice sleep. In the morning we were woken up for sunrise by the hotel guide. We had breakfast and inquired about Munsiyari. We found out that vehicles leave from Thal in the morning. Even if we stayed at Bageshwar, we would not have reached. So the target of the day was Thal.
      Checking out from the hotel, we walked till the bus stop with the guide. The bus for Bageshwar had just left. So we had breakfast first. The food was awesome. We did not wanted to wait for the bus as the bus in hilly areas stop anywhere and for anyone on the road. We started walking on foot towards Bageshwar. We stopped a truck for lift. A car stopped to help us, which gave us lift till Garur. The driver of the car drove too fast and rash in the hills that after we got down at Garur, Shruti puked. After she puked, we saw the same bus which had left from Kausani before we reached the bus stop. Should I be thankful to the driver of the car for this?
      We walked in Garur for around 2 km crossing the confluence of the river Gomti and river Garur Ganga and stopped at a shop for some snacks. Someone got a puppy to the shop. I took few snaps of Shruti with the dog. Then the bus came from behind and stopped for us. Bus dropped us at Bageshwar. Bageshwar is situated at confluence of river Gomti and river Saryu. We took a Bolero from Bageshwar to Kanda. From Kanda another Bolero to Udiyari Band. At Udiyari Band I had tea and Maggi. Then came Bolero to Thal. Each of the break journeys including the car were around 20-25 km each and Bolero took around Rs 2 - Rs 2.5 for each km.
      At Thal we stayed at Rituraj Hotel and Banquet Hall. This hotel was good too. Not as good as the Vishakha Hotel in Kausani but was the best in Thal. Again same rate Rs. 500 due to off-season. Off the window, was a river Ramganga, the river which reaches in Jim Corbett as well. In the morning, we reached the place from where the Bolero for Munsiyari will leave.
      The vehicles refused to leave for Munsiyari as it snowed heavily in Munsiyari. This was a good thing as well a bad thing. Good because its the snow which will make the trip worthy and bad because vehicles are not leaving for the place. Munsiyari was around 90 km from Thal. If the vehicles left, it will be difficult to reach, also it will get dark when they return Thal. After 5-6 hours of waiting, a Bolero came who was ready to leave for Munsiyari and he had just come from there. He was ready because his home was Munsiyari and he anyway will go there. So we took it and it began.
      The driver had taken many post mails and newspaper bags for the villages on the way. On the way he and I threw the bags in few of the villages. Life in the hills seemed not so easy after all. On the hilly roads, almost everyone, except the driver and I, including  Shruti puked. Then finally snowed mountains were in sight and Munsiyari was the other side of the mountains. After few minutes, roads were with snow piled up. There were truck trails which the driver followed to avoid slipping, but it still did. Following the trails we reached the main vehicle stop of Munsiyari.

Munsiyari - Day 0 - THE FAST
      After 3 complete days of travel, finally we reached Munsiyari. The Himalayan mountains were very close to Munsiyari, which are called Panchuli. As it had just snowed the mountains looked milky. The 3 days to reach the place felt worth. There was no time to enjoy the gorgeous view. We had to find a hotel. It took a lot of time to get a hotel because walking on foot in Munsiyari up and down the steps is energy consuming. Shruti and I were both on Mahashivratri fast on that day. So we were very hungry. Shruti had even puked on the way and she was feeling sick. I made her to wait in a tea stall and went ahead to see any hotel towards Lilam on the road towards Lilam and Dharchula. But there were hardly any options. I came back and we stayed in a hotel which was actually nameless that time but was getting built for the coming season for just Rs. 400 per day. The hotel had a restaurant and luckily the hotel caretaker was also on fast that day. We asked him to make for us the same what he had. Whatever he made was good and we had a pretty good sleep after that.

Munsiyari - Day 1 - DISAPPOINTMENT
      We woke up late around 10 AM. It was snowing. We got ready and went outside to enjoy the snow. We bought an umbrella first and then went to a restaurant. We asked for the items. Chowmein and Momos. Both of us shocked, even though we couldn't have predicted anything different. But we were on fast the previous day and wanted something nicer to eat. We had a plate of each Chowmein and Momos. We left for somewhere we could the Panchuli mountains clearer. But we stayed on the roads and did not go too far. Shruti was still very tired due to the travelling for reaching Munsiyari. Shruti and I inquired with everyone about the trek. Everyone said that it wasn't the season for it. Even if we go there won't be anyone in the Milam or Burfu village for us to get shelter. Damn! Shruti knew I desperately wanted to do something stupid, due the series of bad weeks before this and insight of the forthcoming bad weeks. Shruti and I decided to enjoy the other day on the hills ourselves 1000 folds more than we did that day.

Munsiyari - Day 2 - DHAPA
      We freshened up early and went up on the roads towards an army cantonment. After reaching quite a distant, we reached the army quarter. The army quarter entrance was steep and downwards and it was slipping a lot going down on the road. Also entering army area was scary to me, but not to Shruti. She knew army men are good. I followed few meters behind her. We entered the army quarter and met a army man on duty. The guy was so indifferent to tourist or visitor that it was difficult to digest him not being excited to talk to us. We again went ahead to find some village and meet more people. We left the roads and followed the path made by walking or the pagdandi. We followed few people so that we get to somewhere. There was a school, but we did not go there. The pagdandi led us to an open space, not flat but open.
      Let's have some snaps. Took few good ones of Shruti with and without umbrella. Few videos as well. Then we heard some whistling. There were few more men at the army watch, who started whistling and shouting at us. Their voice was not much audible but they surely were shouting at us. We came back down the road back towards the army men. When we were passing, they said that they were just asking us to be cautious. We thanked them and walked back down the road towards the hotel. School students were leaving that time. They walked pretty fast compared to us downwards on the slippery roads. This too was no surprise. Melting snow slips a lot and I have a habit of slipping due to bad shoes. I kept my pace slower as we were in no hurry. Finally we reached the hotel. But the day seemed very incomplete or the excitement we promised was not fulfilled. Remember 1000 folds.
      It was just 1 PM in the afternoon and stopping for food did not seemed exciting at all. We decided we will stop to have something on the way but lot ahead where the crowd is even lesser. Done. With this in mind, we walked on the road to find some restaurant quite far away. After 2-3 km, it was like now the next restaurant we see will be the one. But there was none. There were 2 shepherds with sheep one young and one old. I asked them the way to Lilam. Shruti gave me a angry look. She asked whether there was any restaurant ahead. They said there wasn't. But they offered us to take some rest at their home.
      The steps went from the side of the road. Uncle ran down the steps and we slowly followed him. After walking down more than 200 steps, there was a some village of not more than 8 houses. The village had cattle, sheep and farming of vegetables and that too all in a very small area. It all was so beautiful. We went inside their house. The house was very small and was made of mud. The uncle's wife gave us small rope chairs to sit, which we urban people find very cute. Aunty was making woolen mats on some tool stuck to the wall of the house. They had a cat, which did not leave Aunty at all. Aunty made us tea and brought us cream biscuit. I started having cream biscuits one by one. Shruti signaled me not to. But by the time I could pick up the signal, there were only two in the plate. Damn! How stupid and shameless of me. These poor people could hardly afford these cream biscuit and I finished it all. But Uncle started telling us his stories that how he cross the borders and carry these woolen mats and vegetables to trade to China in October-November. He also works as a guide to trekkers. He also told many of his fascinating stories. He also told us that this season we can only go till Dhapa, but not till Lilam.
      Dhapa is the place where the trekking on foot begins and Lilam is down the hill to the river Goriganga. So Dhapa it is. 10 km away Google Maps said. Uncle showed us a short cut. The short cut was really short and downwards and time saving but was still tiring too. It avoided two rounds of road and led us to the road which goes straight to Dhapa. The same road goes ahead and splits into two. One going straight to Dhapa and the main one turning back further downward on the hill towards Dharchula. After walking few km we could hear the sound of vehicles on the Dharchula road. Then came the junction and we went straight towards Dhapa.
      There was another hill in front of this hill. Obviously all hills are joint but we don't realize that we changed hill when we are on road. But this one was noticeable. Our road would go over a small bridge on a small waterfall and will change the hill to the hill in front of us. We could even see two or three people in front of us and could even make out the color of the dresses. There was humming sound echoing in the hills. Google Maps confirmed that Dhapa is on the other side of the hill in front of us. After 2 km we reached the waterfall and passed it to the other hill. There was construction of the road going on, which created the humming sound we were hearing since. The road were muddy and dirty due to melting snow and rain. Ahead the roads were broken and landslide. And now the slope of the road got upward and I had to pull Shruti to avoid her from getting tired.
      Shruti told me that we should go back towards the city and to the hotel now. It could get dark while returning. After reaching near so close to Dhapa, I did not wanted to go back. I told her lets see some restaurant, eat and then go back. Anyway it would be more difficult returning empty stomach. So we again moved towards Dhapa and walking upwards in the turning roads we reached Dhapa. Dhapa was very small place with 3-4 houses and a very small post office, police station or something of Government of size of a bedroom. But we found something we were searching for.
      A restaurant. Which could serve nothing but Maggi. What! Not again. There were no other choice but to have maggi. It started raining heavily. We sat with the cook beside the chulha to watch him cook. For the first time in my life and the same goes with Shruti. For the first time in our life, we had a maggi made on chulha. But to our surprise, the maggi was awesome. By awesome, I really mean awesome. Far far better than the ones I always have on gas. Back to the Dhapa. Rained had slowed down. I asked Shruti to take some rest and stay at the restaurant, I will walk few meters and come back. How many hills I have visited, I have seen the hilly village people are good and harmless. So leaving Shruti behind with them was not unsafe.
      I walked towards Lilam alone for few 100 m till where the hill road turned but there seemed no ending of the road. Even I couldn't figure out from where will the trekking start. At the end of this road or is there any cut from the side of the road which I am not able to see. Not able to find out I came back to the Dhapa restaurant.
      There was a Bolero but wasn't leaving without passenger. Where will that guy find passenger in such less populate place and in rain? Our footwork began as usual and I asked the guy if he got few passenger, he could pick us up ahead. And thus the return journey on foot began.
      We walked back to the waterfall, to the junction and then towards Munsiyari. Now the slope got upward. We saw a truck and asked for lift. He was waiting for something. They said they will catch us ahead. But by the time they came they were around 100 m near their destinations. So we let them go. But even that 100 m took too much out of us. The road had got even worse due to rain. Somehow we reached the base of the short cut. I confirmed it using the Google Maps. Yes this short cut is the same and will lead us to the Uncle's house and Munsiyari. But going upward on the step and in the rain was difficult. We saw a car coming towards us. I waved for lift but it did not stop and went off. This was shocking that for the first time somebody in the hilly areas had refused to help someone. Fine, we can go ourselves.
      I held the umbrella over Shruti's head and we walked. Shruti was tired and felt dizzy. We stopped several times for rest, but taking rest sitting or standing makes difference. But we never got place to sit. May be Shruti was too tired that she could even faint but she was not admitting. We crossed the first road.
      Climbing the steps further, Shruti fell. My body did not respond suddenly to catch her. I thought she might hit her face, but luckily she placed her hand. But after this, she got too slow and weak. Her legs even started paining. Somehow we reached Uncle's place. Uncle called us inside for tea. But I refused because it would get dark to reach the hotel. But I knew Shruti needed rest. So for few minutes we stayed there. Then again we started climbing steps. Finally we reached the road where Uncle met us and which goes straight to hotel. Shruti was unable to walk. Luckily there was a Bolero coming from Dharchula. We took it and reached the hotel. We had dinner and slept.
      1000 Salutes to Shruti. Not just for walking more than 26 km in hills with me. For not being a hurdle in my enjoyment. For doing everything for me. And mainly because she has a rod in her leg, which is due to a fracture she had an year ago.

Munsiyari - Day 3 - HOTEL UTTARAKHAND
      We got up very lazily. Had late breakfast. It was still snowing. We got fresh and came out. Snow had stopped by the time we had breakfast. But it was still raining with small amount of snow in it. We already had enough walk the previous day. So we had no plan take more pain again. We walked towards the army quarter but did not there. We took another turn upward from where we came while coming from Thal. We walked again for 4-6 km and then stopped at a hotel Hotel Uttarakhand. It was a very big and beautiful hotel. There were more than 100 good rooms in the hotel. But there was no one in them. All were empty. We had heavy lunch there and unfortunately a very costly one as well. To make the cost worth we stayed there for more than 3 hours. Played music on my mobile and hers. We even danced in the restaurant as there was no one. Someone gave us lift till some point and showed us a short cut to our hotel from there. We came back and the day finished with a nice dinner.

Munsiyari - Day 4 - JALEBI
      We went to eat Jalebi, which I am not very fond of. But we couldn't find a shop selling Jalebi. We knew we have seen somewhere. We started walking downward to a perpendicular road to the one which goes to Dhapa. We could find house but no shops. We went down then turned then more turns. Now here I was culprit. Shruti asked to go back from where we came. Again I, the bad ass, denied and suggested to goes upward from pagdandis or steps but not roads. As usual she agreed. We took a pagdandi and got lost for several times. But we found our way someway to the road to Dhapa. What a relief? It took around an hour to get the road again. We went to the same place where we were searching for Jalebi and asked several shops and finally reached THE SHOP. We got the Jalebi packed. And now time to return to the hotel. But not by any of the routes we had been till now. We took different steps and then pagdandis. After some time we saw our hotel from below. With the hotel in sight, we walk on the pagdandis barren farms snows farm and then finally reached the hotel. We rested the rest of the day.

Munsiyari - Day 5 - RETURN
      Shruti and I got up early in the morning for the Bolero which leave around 8 AM. It had been snowing all night. After few km from Munsiyari, the roads were completely snowed. The driver was good that he could manage driving it it. But many cars were on the roads stopped and slipping back. The driver helped them the turn back so that they could return. Few more km ahead just before Kalamuni Baba Mandir, there were trucks removing the snows from the road. Everyone got down. We played in snow for a long time. I even participated in removing snow from the road. It was fun for us, but not for them. 2 SUV were in the place all night waiting for snow to stop and road to get cleared. Everyone was helping each other. After an hour of hard work, snow got cleared and we followed a truck which kept pressing the snow on its way. Return journey was not as exciting as it was while going. We had seen enough snow in Munsiyari. We reached Thal around 2 PM and had lunch there.

      We did not wanted to waste our day in Thal. So we took another Bolero to Udiyari Band, then from Udiyari Band to Kanda and then from Kanda to Bageshwar. We planned to stay at Bageshwar. On the way from Munsiyari to Bageshwar, I had been checking Google Maps for closer place to the Himalayas than Kausani and I found a place Kapkot-Barahi and Jhopda Gaon in lesser air distance to Himalaya than Kausani. Kapkot-Barahi can be reached from Bageshwar by Bolero along the river Saryu. It was 6 PM but the Bolero was going to the place at that time. This made us suspicious that I am missing some important thing. Even Shruti insisted on not going. But as I don't listen, we went to Barahi.
      And this was the biggest mistake of the trip. There had been several mistakes but this was the biggest. The important thing I thought I am missing to consider was that if the place was along the Saryu river means there would hardly be any altitude difference with Bageshwar. And if the Bolero is going at night means its not hilly or steep or turns. How stupid of me? There were only 3 hotels in Barahi. One was shit. Other was full, not by tourist because it did not seem like a tourist place, so no idea about it. Third was like rent house. It seemed good initially.
      Shruti and I went for dinner. People looked at her with bad intention which made her uncomfortable. So we finished early and left. In the room, we slept soon and got up early. I got up first and went to the toilet. Toilet obviously was Indian and floor was dirty. Its OK. But then no water in the tap. WTF. There was drum with stagnant water in it and a glass. Took water in the glass and washed my face in the basin outside the bathroom and my pants got wet. The basin had no pipe below. I went outside and brought a Bisleri bottle. Then woke Shruti up and asked her to wash her face using that Bisleri water in the bathroom asap and lets leave without even brushing our teeth.
      We took the first Bolero to Bageshwar. Reaching Bageshwar we got bus. Bus reached Garur and stopped for a while. Shruti was feeling uncomfortable in bus. So we started walking in Garur again. Bus came and picked us up. We got down at Kausani and to our surprise it left us to the beginning of Kausani. And our previous bus stop was 4 km ahead. We walked and climbed a short cut steps and reached the bus stop. We had lunch at the same place whose food I declared as awesome early. There were few foreigners shopping nearby but they did not seem like tourists. Called the Hotel Vishakha guide to receive us and again we went to the awesome hotel.
      Shruti wore an orange dress that day. Again everyone we met asked us several things. We found out about an Anamai Ashram near the hotel. We were not sure how to reach. We walked on the stone road and found few cars parked with Anamai Ashram written on it. We asked someone in a village ahead for way. They told us to take a cut from the road behind the car. As told, we went behind the car. A small entry or pagdandi with high slope entry into the jungle life environment. We walked and walked. Pagdandis split few places but we were lucky that someone guided us. But at one place there was no one and pagdandi split was very less guessable. One leading in open side of the hill and other inside the jungle. So we took the jungle path and which was correct.
      Ashram was way bigger than we expected. There was construction going on and there was a school at one side. 3 floored building for saints. Such a big construction and it is no way visible from outside, even if you are standing in the hill in front of it and the road we walked from the other bus stop was probably below the Ashram. Its so densely surrounded by trees. We went to the 2nd floor. There was a guy from Austria working on his laptop. Shruti wanted to talk to him. So I initiated the talk. Anamai Ashram is visited more by foreigners than by Indians because it had spread through word of mouth among foreigners. And the main saint of the Ashram is from Switzerland. This explains the foreigners not looking like tourists. It was good to know that Foreigners appreciate Indian culture, even more than Indians themselves do.
      That's it. Let's wrap up. Its time to sleep. The next day we left in the morning for Kathgodam in bus, having breakfast at the same place. Then Ranikhet Express from Kathgodam to Old Delhi. After reaching home, I gave some thoughts regarding the trip.
      We could have gone to the Milam Glacier if we had gone in the season.
      Were we the only tourist in the whole of Uttarakhand?
      I went to the trip to have time to think and decide about my career. Did I?