Angela's Ashes

Angela's Ashes- my current read!

A childhood tale told by it's author Frank Mc Court is definitely making me laugh but I do not want to many a times because what follows after that humour is the bitter truth about his family's poverty and hardship.

But he's narrating it so very naturally.

I am still a long way in reading the story completely but couldn't resist writing these present thoughts. 

I see a sparkle in their eyes when I enter their room.
A tiny room which can seat 20 children at the most. The adjacent rooms are not separated with a wall. Rather, they are divided in a way that would give an impression of office cubicles.
But it is not any office space that I am describing.
It is the school which I visit every Thursday precisely at 11 '0 clock and leave exactly at 12.
It is an underprivileged school and has been adopted by an NGO that goes mobile carrying storybooks to selected schools in Hyderabad.

That sparkle in their eyes tell me that they have been waiting for another Story Reading session.
Probably, this may be their one hour of complete enjoyment for the whole week.
The noise that surrounds the place (coming from all the adjacent classrooms) do not bother them nor me. Of course, this makes my task a little difficult. I 'shout'  the story rather than 'read' it for them:)
At the end of each story, they eagerly wait for the fun- filled worksheets or activities.
Their enthusiasm never fades.

I have worked in an International School earlier and I cannot remember a single child who showed this kind of earnestness in the classroom. I was never happy in that job even though I was paid.
But here, I am just a volunteer working without any incentives and I am 'happy'.

A year later…

Beware!!! It’s gonna be a long story!!!

It’s been exactly a year since I and S went on a journey to one of the most travelled land in India- Rajasthan. I can still feel the sticky sand that hugged our skin amidst the sand dunes of Sam, Jaisalmer. I would definitely love to go back to that land with few more destinations in my list but might want to undo some of the unusual experiences we have had during our stay there!

Ours holidays have always been ‘budget holidays’ considering the number of places that is there in our list. So “spend less on stay, food and travel as much as possible and travel to faraway places” is our policy. Of course food does have some exception as we ‘have’ to taste some of the authentic regional dishes. We could save a lot by choosing train journey instead of a flight to reach our present destination- Jaipur. Our plan was very simple- it consisted of Three J’s of Rajasthan: Jaipur- Jaisalmer – Jodhpur. Of course it would end with a short visit to Pushkar as our return journey was from Ajmer which was close to Pushkar.  

We allotted only a day to Jaipur as we had decided to visit this place again when we travel to Delhi. But all the while we knew one day was not enough to lay our eyes on such a city with so many marvelous structures in its credit. Nevertheless, we did manage to see most of the forts of Jaipur except of course the famous HawamahalL The moment we entered its premises, its doors were closed!

To travel to Jaisalmer, we again had to take a night train from Jaipur to Jaisalmer.

The first thought that hit us the moment we entered the crowded railway station of Jaipur that night was “was this station always so packed or is it so only today?” We moved in inches to reach our platform. As we reached our platform, our thoughts turned to fear looking at the gathered people ‘supposed’ to be travelling to Jaisalmer. ‘Unlucky’ as I might put it, we had only a sleeper class ticket with us for this journey and not an AC berth. This meant only one thing, the people wouldn’t even mind occupying ‘any’ seat and throwing us out from our own! The crowd did not look the type who would listen to someone if a situation I just explained arose. They were all (all of them) from rural places travelling to reach only ‘one’ destination- to attend a religious congregation. Apart from these there was one whole cadre of army men (mostly trainees) who thronged the platform within no time. Cuddling our baggage we patiently waited for the arrival of train. I and S even made plan as to how we could get into the train quickly and look for the seatsJ As the train approached and came to a halt, we pushed ourselves and got inside. There were people approaching from all directions. The only way, we thought, we could keep our seats to ourselves was to go to sleep as soon as possible. Having obtained both upper berth seats we decided to climb on and fall asleep (or pretend to do so). The immediate thought that stung my senses I climbed up was- “How am I to go to the washroom if I want to?” Because, it was not only the seats that were full but even the aisle was filled with people. I wouldn’t dare get down and walk through midst those people!

Lying there looking at the roof and the circling fan (the only source of ventilation), I couldn’t close my eyes. So many thoughts rushed in the mind. It was not just about how we got in the train or how stupid of us to have booked seats in a sleeper class rather than an AC berth. The feeling was more than that. It was almost like witnessing people from another world. Amid the popularity of Rajasthan for its heritage sites lay poverty, helplessness of people and the struggle they went through every day. Many of them (or almost all) did not have a ticket to travel. It was only a witness to their deplorable condition. The army jawans struggled to get seats and finally they decided to put themselves on ease in the aisle. They were not even provided reservations, it showed nothing but apathy.  

No longer had I closed my eyes with all these feelings than I woke up with jolt in the early hours of morning. It was because of the cry of a baby sleeping next to our seat. The baby was not even 6 months old probably, crying incessantly- as I could gather it was due to hunger. The mother lay next to her helpless along with her two more elder children. It was evident the mother did not feed her (the reason for which cannot be questioned I think) and the baby desperately sucked its thumb now and then just as an act of consoling itself. This continued for a long time until the train stopped at a station and the baby’s father bought a glass of tea. He dipped his finger in tea and dropped a few drops of it in baby’s mouth; just enough to wet the thirsty tongue of that tiny tot.

Luckily, they got down after a short while and the remaining crowd too. The whole train looked almost empty!!! Only after this, had I got down from the upper berth and sat next to a window- to see the coming of parched land of desert. It was almost 9.30 in the morning and I sat there without hunger trying to take in all that had happened the previous night. It meant only thing to me, all that people think of about Rajasthan is beautiful forts, loads of shopping, camping in desert and camel rides but this journey showed more than that. And in a way I felt good that I saw the other side of Rajasthan too.

The heat waves that hit my cheeks brought me back to the present and also to mine and S’s next destination- Jaisalmer. We had decided to spend almost 4 lazy days in Jaisalmer- no rushing and no running around. We explored the place quite lazily but later the blunder that we committed was to choose ‘sleep under the stars’ option for our desert safari. Being only two of us with having left our daughter back home with my parents, we thought the experience would be quite romantic. But as we discovered it, it was more for people who hadn’t had an experience of a village life (or like the foreign tourists who accompanied us who thoroughly liked the happenings). For us, who had already seen a village life before and had seen more stars on the darkest of nights, it was not extra-ordinary. Moreover, it was scary too without any source of lighting around us with beetles being our companions (and of course we couldn’t rule out the presence of scorpions too!)

We were mesmerized to see the Mehrangarh fort in Jodhpur the next day. Among all the forts that we had seen, it was the most magnificent one! It was only a day’s stay in Jodhpur and from there we decided to travel to Pushkar in a regular state transport bus. As we booked our tickets, S was happy to see flat 30% discount on my ticket. It was the case with all the ladies who travelled in state transport bus.

Pushkar was a religious place or supposed to be so. Of course, the temple here (the only temple dedicated to Lord Brahma) is sacred but not the people who reside in it. It is over- inhabited by foreigners and immensely commercialized to the extent that people coming here seeking peace for their ancestors’ soul may forget their purpose. The sudden downpour and the subsequent result because of that rain (many roads blocked from water) was a witness how such religious places can be ill used. The scene was a reminder of Uttarakhand floods. It could easily be reasoned out how such religious places could be drowned to that extent. Nature was not at fault, it was all man-made.

Drenched in rain we somehow managed to reach Ajmer to start our journey back to Hyderabad.  Few good men really helped us to reach the station on time. The unceasing rain was like an epilogue to wrap up our travel experiences of The Desert Land.

How the wolves changed Yellowstone National Park

I read about the process of 'Trophic Cascade' for the first time in a Kannada daily very recently.
Trophic Cascade- a phenomenon which changed the flow of river and eventually the whole eco-system in the Yellowstone National Park, USA.
Detailed information about this phenomenon can be gone through here:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1669736/trophic-cascade

As I searched for more information on this process, I became more curious about it.
One can only marvel at how the entire ecological system can be balanced or imbalanced through Trophic Cascade.
It was just an introduction of wolves at the Yellowstone National Park- one can say.
But those wolves changed the course of a huge river in turn bringing back the balance of America's first national park which has world's largest collection of natural geysers.

With the re-introduction of wolves into this park, the population of deer came down who ate up almost all the vegetation of the park. Also, the deer started avoiding certain areas of the forest in the fear of being attacked by the wolves. This, in turn, regenerated the trees in just a few years.

With the re-generation of trees came a variety of birds. The wolves also killed the coyotes. This raised the population of rabbits and mice. Hawks' visits became more frequent as they wanted to hunt the rabbits and mice. Bear population too rose as there were more berries available because of the regeneration of shrubs.

But a major breakthrough arrived when they changed the course of a river flow. As the trees grew, the soil erosion came down which in turn formed more pools. The rivers started flowing in a set direction.

So, these wolves not only changed the eco-system of Yellowstone National Park but also the geography of the park.

Coincidentally, a very similar program was broadcasted in the Discovery channel wherein the animal species in the Canadian forests helped indirectly in the out growth of magnificent trees. Trees which would last for almost 500 years!

Major changes can be brought about in the eco- system with the introduction of such minor changes!
If only all these lessons could be learned by everyone in saving our entire ecology.

Livelihood...

This is a picture which I took randomly at my native place (Sirsi, South Canara North Canara dist. in Karnataka) when I visited there last winter.
The scene would be rather similar in almost all the houses during the winter.
These are raw Arecaunuts (also called Beetelnut) which is grown extensively in those areas.
The processing requires immense hardship which starts exactly during the biting cold month of December.
Plucking the riped nuts, peeling the skin (which goes on till mid night), boiling it in low flame throughout the night (the container which is used for boiling can be seen the photo), colouring and ultimately drying these nuts in the sun till March end.
These are the peak months of the year where everyone is busy and all their hard work pays-off.
This post is a salute to all those who undergo all these hardships including my father.

Looking back

There was a time some 15 years ago when I struggled to operate a computer.
Emails were beginning to catch popularity then but I did not know how open an ID. I did open my email account later but I was always in a dilemma whether I had to go to the same 'cyber cafe' and use the same 'computer' to see my emails again!!!

I did learn some of the basic operations much later and tried my hand in learning 'C' language too but never did I understood the rationale behind learning that computer language.

Of course I laugh at them now but they were very embarrassing then.

Now, I do feel I have come a long way from those embarrassing situations. I am much a learned person now, most of the lessons learnt on my OWN.
Especially so when I have my own blogs and being able to manage them.
From past two days I have worked very hard to give a fresh look to my blogs and also learn to increase the image size of my posts.
Finally, I succeeded with much googling and trial and error.

That's an achievement for me.

It is moments like these which make me wonder about the capacity of our 'Brain' or can also be termed 'Plasticity' of the brain.
It's the capacity to learn, un- learn and re- learn based on what happens in our environment.
It is this super- computer which I need to know more about than the one which is typing these texts.

Like and dislike

It has happened so many times that I liked few people without any particular reason and disliked a few without any evidence for doing so...
And those perceptions have changed vice versa a lot many times.

There is a boy (who is in Grade 4) in the apartment whom I encountered several times last year. He is a boy with special needs.
Being a remedial teacher and after knowing that he is kid with special needs I avoided talking either to him or to his mother.

It's difficult to understand what made me do so.

I presumed that he was a child with lot of behavioural issues (which he ought to have considering his condition). I even thought how would I handle such a kid if by any chance approached me for help.

But, lately I have been taking English remedial classes for this boy!

One fine day, his mother approached me for assistance for coping up with his English and attention difficulties and I did not find a reason to say NO.
So, I accepted.

Few days took me to understand him and his behaviour (it's more difficult as he is slightly autistic).

Now, we seem to be getting along very well with each other.

He doesn't miss a single class, gets upset if the class is suspended without any notice, speaks a few English sentences which he failed to do earlier, loves watching his favourite Brain gym video. What more, he even wishes me good evening and thank you while entering the class and walking out.

He even laughs which I thought he seldom did. Though he does that controlling himself (do not know why), but he looks very cute when he does.

Rhythm and Movement therapy

Attended a rejuvenating Dance therapy session today at our school which was demonstrated by Dr. Tripura Kashyap, a dance therapist.

As her colleague's body moved to the tunes of enchanting music most of our bodies too wanted to sway.

How well she explained the way body movements can be used in the classroom which, not only enhances learning but revitalises the creativity of each student and teacher.

Dance, which can be learned not for a performance but as a process, can be amalgamated in each subject a child is learning in class.

Simple usage of props such as balloons, sticks, stretching ropes can make a boring topic more interesting.

She imbibed Howard Gardner's concept of 'Multiple Intelligence' to express each child's unique ability too.

By far it was an amazing session, to conclude.

A single night....

One more short story by Rabindranath Tagore...A single night.

I liked this ONE particular part...

"I had no doubt that it would soon become necessary for me to lay down my life for my country.

My father passed away, so I quit college and got a job as an assistant master at a school. I told myself I had found the right sort of work. My guidance and encouragement would raise each pupil to be a leader of the new India.

I started work. I found that the coming exam was much more demanding than the new India. The head master objected if I breathed a single word to the pupils outside grammar and algebra. In a couple of months my enthusiasm had faded away. I became one of those dull individualswho sits and broods when he is at home; who, when working, shoulders his plough with his head bowed, whipped from behind, meekly breaking up earth; content at night to stuff his belly with cattle -fodder; noenergy or enterprise in him at all".

A similar situation that I am facing at work. Let alone bringing a change in the student, managing the documentation of what has 'NOT' been achieved is a big job which I have been doing from past eight months!!!

It's frustrating to be surrounded by students who have been brought up people who do not know what to do with their money, by authorities who assume that their subordinates would anything for an appraisal and money.

Ganesha Immersion

Last week, the whole city of Hyderabad was busy with the Ganesh immersion.

Me and my daughter witnessed the same immersion sight next to our apartment which is surrounded by daily wage workers.

A group of about 6-7 children gathered around carrying a drum made of cardboard box. I did think they were playing something but later I realised that they were all busy in the immersion of the Ganesh they had prepared.

The Ganesh (which was invisible for me though) was placed on a tiny truck which too was built with cardboard boxes. All the children danced and shouted around their truck while pulling the chord which was tied at its end.

Dancing merrily, they brought their idol to an open field filled with shrubs, cleared some place for themselves, dug a hole and happily sent away their GOD.

The whole act was finished in just 10- 15 mins time.

While all the others try to immerse their favourite God with pompous and glory, the children displyed it in their own way.

This incident happened just today in my class.

She is a second grade student- very cute, still filled with baby talk (as she cannot pronounce few letters) and very innocent too.
After she completed her work, I started chatting and pulling her leg saying that you always go down from higher classes the following year. So, I said "you will go to first grade next year".
She kept refusing and at the end she revealed something which made my heart sink. She said 'few of her classmates do ask her to go to first grade again as she does not know the spelling of words'.

This she said casually without any bad feeling which only reflects her innocence.

This is the kind of situation faced by many of the children who have a learning difficulty.
They are not completely accepted by the peers even though a lot of counselling is done by the class teachers.

These children are always looked down as someone who is slow in understanding and cannot match the speed of rest of the class.

This indifferent attitude of peers along with the frustration of not being able to learn brings down the confidence level of the child to a very great extent.

I wish these children could be understood better.

Teaching (or learning) Math

I have always been bad with numbers.
Except the basic operations of addition and multiplication all other calculations make me phobic.
Sometimes I even thought if I were dyscalculic (may be in some respect yes!!!).
Though, being with S I have learnt a great deal now.

When I started taking classes for my student 'N' I concentrated mainly on English.
But her mother explained that not only English but Math too was a great area of concern.
She wanted me to teach both the subjects.
Now, I couldn't admit to her that I was so bad in Math especially even at the third grade level.

I decided to give it a try, though I started it much later when she showed some improvement in English.
At present, to my amusement I am not just teaching her Math but I have learnt a great deal while being in that process. (I must thank S too here as he has given me lot of ideas).
I can easily connect one area to another related topic, can prepare a lesson plan and make it interseting.
As for N's mother is concerned, she is very happy that her daughter has shown changes (if not lot yet considerably)in her 'attitude' towards the subject. This attitude change can make a lot of difference. This who once hated the subject likes to learn the same numbers now!

And I am glad that I too changed my attitude from 'NOT teaching MATH' to 'YES I will teach MATH'.

In a day's time

It's true that I was preparing myself to start working (mostly part- time) and I wasn't too serious about it.
But opportunities do knock at the door with or without warning (or even if we want it or not want it).
So did one chance knock at my door and I did went ahead to try my luck.

Like the other usual interviews the assumption was that it would get over very soon, so taking my girl along did not look a bad idea.
But, big institution; big name...everyone is too busy to complete an interview in an hour's time.
The arrangement for the interview would be done once the candidate has arrived; if the higher authority is busy one has to come back again the next day.

Keeping in mind that my dearest husband and daughter were waiting outside I patiently waited for almost two hours.
After those two hours the information was revealed that I had to give a written test and a demo of the class.
By the time these tasks were done it was lunch time. Lunch was generously offered and served. The huge dining hall and the sumptuous food was attractive but was shortlived as the main interview hadn't been done:(

The next round would be after two days, it was declared.

I prepared myself for the next round (more for attending the interview than to win it over as I was least interested). But A fell ill and I aptly refused to attend the interview. Days passed by and waited for their call but after a week's time it was evident they wouldn't call me back. At once I felt bad as I wanted to face it but later was relieved as I was not prepared for a full time job.

My phone did ring again after 15days and they asked me to come again. Getting prepared myself to waste a full day in the lobby of that huge educational institution I went again. It was a very humorous moment for me to sit in the lobby which also accommodates the cashier who collects the so called Fees for Education from parents (not just parents but very rich parents). All the transactions take place in lakhs in the name of providing world class facility (which they do of course).

At the end of three more rounds of interview I was pretty sure that the job was mine. That had not made me happy. I was feeling good that I would be guided by a very senior psychologist but otherwise everything else made me think that I was going there just for the BIG name and the pay they were offering.

Anyone would be happy to work in those conditions, it attracts all. It played its trick on me too. But there is a corner in me which says I would be more contented in a job where the pay is less because they are trying to help someone genuinely without making the education their business. There is dearth of individuals like us in those non-profit organisations but they fail to attract just because they have less money. Guilt prevails me as I think of this but I know I do not belong where I am now. I cannot last long here and I will not last long here.

Book, Nature, Nostalgia...

Tagore's Omnibus IV still lies on my table only half-read.

I read it every afternoon when A goes to sleep and after I am done with semi-finished household work. No sooner do I read a few lines than it's time for A to get disturbed and wake up.
I hurriedly close the book, run towards her, offer my arms to her to go back to sleep. After 10 mins. when she is back in her dreamy world I stealthily withdraw my hands and resume my position to read again (though with lot of apprehension as to when she will get up next).

Today's read said:"When are you coming down from your three-storeyed building to meet your love (love of nature) under the shade of trees?"

"When are you coming down to meet me on the green grass under the rustling leaves, where you have the freedom of the sky and of sunlight and the tender touch of life's simplicity."

As I read these lines, I stop and recall the days I was in Mysore's University Fine arts campus attending NCC camp (though it was years ago). I have a hazy picture of the whole campus- the rooms we shared, the greenery, the low-lying branches of various trees just outside our room. But what I recollect the most is the way we all slept under the trees after our heavy work out and during lunch break.
The cool breeze would touch our sweaty body only to make us feel cold and soothing. The nap wouldn't last for more than 30 minutes yet it rejuvenated us all for the next session of rigorous parade.

Those were the naps which I will miss forever.

Caged

It is hard to see the wild animals caged behind the bars. Though we (me n S) liked the vastness of the Hyderabad Zoo, it’s a sad sight to see animals singled out from their counterparts. Taken, that some of them are savage but not compared to the savagery of we humans who would neither let them live in the jungle nor outside.

Just a few days ago, I was teaching my daughter to differentiate between water animals and wild animals of the jungle soon she blurted out wild animals do not stay in jungle but in the zoo! That day too is not very far.

ನಮ್ಮ ಮನೆಯಲೊಂದು ಗುಬ್ಬಿ ಗೂಡ ಕಟ್ಟಿತು ...

Just a few days back I had started teaching my daughter as to where a bird lives. And this week the birds have started that process next to our window. I had just observed these birds sitting next to the window for the first time. I enjoyed the sight as I had not witnessed it from quite sometime now, especially after shifting from Srinagar colony where it was more usual and accessible. There, being on the first floor, the branches of Guava and Pomegranate protruded generously into the balcony making it easier to watch the birds that found shade on those trees.

Whereas here it is an uncommon view. It was S who told me that the birds (do not know the name, they look like sparrows but they are slightly taller and are in dark brown colour) are looking for a place to build their nest as they were all sneaking into the half opened window which could not be closed fully due to some reasons. We were, at first, apprehensive whether to allow these birds to nestle there as we thought they might be scared if our girl knew they were there and meddle with it. But later on we decided to make a few arrangements for them to hide from our daughter and let them continue with their preparation. I too wanted Anvitha to see this sight (sometime later) to give a hands on experience of what she is learning.

We pulled the widow curtains to their side, tied the half-opened window tightly to the grills (to make sure it doesn't open when the wind blew) and put a barricade between the mosquito mesh and the window (just to make sure it is not visible to our daughter if she opens the curtains). All arrangements made we waited for them to start their job. They made their way patiently selecting each grass carefully. They first laid a layer of dry grass and upon that started with the wet grass. In just two days time they have covered up completely leaving a small gap to move about. Now and then, I sneak at them just to see what the bird is up to but in vain. I know they too need some privacy. It is only through their sounds and flapping of their wings one can make their presence felt.
Yesterday when my girl threw a tantrum they started flapping their wings- a sign of fear or danger. I worried they would find another place. But in the evening when Anvitha started her Music classes (so called) I was consoled and wanted the birds to be there. And in the night, when S was late and I laid my hands on Tagore's book (my first attempt on His book) a perfect backdrop was created with the chirping of these cute birds. The movement of the curtains made me think of the endless efforts they were making in perfecting their nest and its occupant.

How I wish to show their nest to Anvitha but I know I have to wait.

Hotel Diana

This is one of my husband's favourite hotels in Udupi(of his parents' too).
And that's the reason he didn't want me to miss it this time.
Though the entrance of the hotel looks somewhat old and unappealing, the circular pavement that leads to the first storey of the building catches ones attention immediately.
The pavement also hides in itself a small well which can easily be overlooked because of the greenery that surrounds the place.
The inside of the hotel is impeccably clean and if you visit the place during rainy season you can find a bucket placed next to every table:the reason, to keep your wet umbrellas.
The speciality of the place is their Gudbud ice cream (which i tasted alone:()but i liked their Masala Dosa more.
The dosas are crispy yet so soft that it melts the moment it reaches the mouth. The ghee adds to the taste.
Variety of chutneys that is provided for each dish is commendable.
I will remember their food for a very long time especially the savouring of Gudbud watching the heavy rains through the window next to me, though i missed my daughter and S by my side.

Srinagar colony v/s Kondapur

Relocating to a place has its own pros and cons. But our relocation from Srinagar colony to Kondapur seems to be full of cons! Srinagar colony was much much cheaper in terms of cost of living, more accessible to almost all the locations, had lots of greenery, people were more sober and down to earth etc etc.,
Whereas in Kondapur everybody seems to be walking with their nose high up in air, the first sentence which they would ask to start a conversation would be "Where does your husband work?" or "Which school does your child attend?" And their expected answer would be "Microsoft, Wipro, Oracle etc., or Oakridge school, Chirec, DPS or Meridian". If they get these answers they may continue their conversation. At first i used to be very irritated but now i am accustomed to it. Here, money doesn't seem to have any value.
I miss Srinagar colony. No wonder my daughter too is missing her old school Daksha.

Less than 48 hrs and three Telugu movies is hard to digest that too in a situation when you are in a bus and can't look away.
Movies with hard-to-believe actions (some of the actions does look like a scene from a comedy movie), filled with violence, with born-to-rich-dads heroes (Jr.NTR and Charan Raj) are a nightmare.
It's worse when children watch the same with their wide open eyes.

The false 'depths' of Araku valley

Call it the exaggeration of the locals or the extreme advertisement of the AP tourism or the bad taste for travel of the people of A.P, Araku is indeed not a tourist destination from any angle.
We had heard a loooot about the place and the unavailability of any pacakges from APTDC and the train tickets gave us the impression that it's not the place to be 'missed'.
As per our (me n S's) internet search and the local folks it was the train journey from Vizag to Araku that's supposed to give the best view of the scenic beauty.
May be it was a sign when we didn't get the train reservation that we were headed in the wrong direction which we didn't notice.
Actually we found it was through road that we could enjoy more rather than the crowded and ever screaming people in the train (screaming as the train passes through several tunnels).
The only hotels that are situated in the Araku are managed by APTDC whose service is utterly chaotic.
The sooo called local sight seeing places are nothing but a tribal museum and a botanical garden which give the impression of nothing more than our lifestyle in the village and a park respectively.
The whole tour was so depressive and the only ocassion when I laughed that day was when a lady in the so called botanical garden was showing her husband 'the pineapple TREE':0 in actual a decorative plant with light green leaves which stood tall and haggard.
Nothing could be more dissapointing than this!
Of course, our trip to the next destination the after that was more appealing and it compensated for the previous day.