Girinagar – Beautiful, Verdant, Unpolluted, Pristine Paradise Near Pune

Yesterday afternoon – I received a letter (by snail mail) – inviting me to deliver lecture for a training programme. 

Around 33 years a ago – in the mid 1980’s – during my first tenure on Instructional Duties as Faculty (called “Directing Staff” in Military Parlance) at the Institute of Armament Technology (IAT) located at Girinagar (on the verdant forests in the foothills of Sinhagad overlooking the picturesque Khadakwasla Lake) near Pune – I was among the “Founder Faculty” of a course we started on a state-of-the-art Defence Technology area of study. 

This annual course (of a few weeks) was a grand success and continues till today. 

Since then – IAT invites me every year to deliver a lecture for the course – and – I try my best to come and deliver my lecture – wherever I am located. 

After retirement – I have settled in Pune – and – it is easy for me to go across to deliver my lecture. 

I felt good as I read the lecture invitation letter (with our penchant for renaming institutions – IAT was renamed DIAT – then MILIT – and – the letter had come from it’s latest avatar – MILIT – of course – even IAT was the second name – the original name of the institute being IAS aka Institute for Armament Studies). 

This morning – I sent my acceptance by email (yes – an email reply to a snail-mail letter). 

Then – I went out on my terrace to enjoy the morning sunlight. 

The sky was clear – the visibility was great – and – I could see the silhouette of Sinhagad Fort clearly from my balcony (in fact – as I write this – I can see Sinhagad quite clearly – but soon – because of the haze over Pune – visibility may go down).

Looking at the mighty Sinhagad Fort evoked in me fond memories of that pristine paradise called GIRINAGAR where I spent the best years of my life as faculty at IAT/DIAT. 

So – today – let me delve into my blog – and dig out some Girinagar Memories for you to read.

Dear Reader: Here is a small post about GIRINAGAR – I wrote this around 9 years ago – during my last stint at Girinagar.

GIRINAGAR 

Pristine Paradise near Pune
A Nostalgic Memoir

By

VIKRAM KARVE 

Tell me – which is the most beautiful, most pristine, most unpolluted and most verdant place in Pune...?

I’ll tell you – it’s a lovely place called “Girinagar”.

Pune has changed – for the worse.

The pleasant, salubrious, tranquil, stress-free, easygoing, cozy, affable Pune – that I once lived in – no longer exists.

Yes – the Pune I once lived in – it no longer exists...!!!

Every nook and corner of Pune has suffered the ravages of “modernization”.

Except one place – GIRINAGAR

Yes – there still exists a pristine paradise in Pune – a Pristine Paradise called Girinagar.

With the mighty SINHAGAD Fort towering as a Sentinel – Girinagar is a fascinating place located on the slopes of the hills adjoining the cool blue Khadakwasla Lake.

The view from the Girinagar ridge is amazing.

You can see backwaters of Panshet and Varasgaon dams in the distance – and close-by – down below – your eyes are soothed by the serene expanse of the Khadakwasla Lake held back by the mighty dam.

If you stand on the Girinagar side of Khadakwasla lake (on the western bank) – the metamorphosis at sunset is enthralling.

The dance of colours – on the waters of the lake – from yellow to orange to crimson to blue to grey – and then – a still darkness – I have not seen a more magnificent sunset view anywhere else.

In the mornings – as you climb up the hills – cleansing, refreshing, revitalizing and invigorating your lungs with the clean unpolluted pure fresh air – you look in the distance – and you see the heavy layer of smog settling down over the city of Pune – and you know how lucky you are to live in this paradise called Girinagar...!

When the monsoon arrives – and it starts raining – the sensuous mist envelops all around – everything is a soothing green – and the atmosphere – the environment – and the ambiance in Girinagar is simply magnificent!

Truly a “pristine paradise” in Pune...!

Pune may have changed – but time stands still in Girinagar. 

All the green hills in Pune may have disappeared – but lush green verdant hills of Girinagar still stand strong.

Yes – Girinagar remains the same as it was in 1984 when I first visited it 

(Some old timers tell me it is the same since the early 1970’s).

I spent more than a total of 12 years of my life in Girinagar – in three tenures – in the 1980’s, 1990’s and 2000’s.

And – every time I came back – I realized that though the world outside had changed dramatically – Girinagar remained the same – as if time had stood still – yes – it seems that time stands still in Girinagar.

In the evenings – I often stand in my tall balcony high up on my 9^th Floor Flat in Rohan Tarang in Wakad – and I see in the distance – the silhouette of Sinhagad Mountain outlined vaguely against the fading light of the setting sun – and my mind harks back to nostalgic memories of my unforgettable days in Girinagar.

Even right now – on a Clear Bright Feel-Good Monday Morning in Pune – with the air so pure – and the weather so pleasant – with a cool breeze blowing softly – the Visibility is excellent – yes – the visibility is so good – that – from where I sit on my desk in my study – as I look out of the large window – in the distance – I can clearly see Sinhagad Fort with its two mammoth towers (the TV Tower and the Microwave Communication Tower at either end of the towering mountain ridge) – and the unique Potato Point at the southern tip.

I miss Girinagar – the beautiful picturesque surroundings – the lovely people I made friends with – the huge “Bhoot Bangla” in which I lived – the long walks we took in the hills – the boating and sailing in lake – the strolls on the “chowpatty on Khadakwasla lake – I miss everything – as I fondly recall my days in Girinagar. 

Now – I am looking forward to spending a day at Girinagar – reliving nostalgic memories – after I finish delivering my lecture.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
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Disclaimer:

1. This is an updated version of an article I wrote almost 9 years ago in early 2009. I last visited Girinagar last year in 2016. It was still the same pristine paradise I have mentioned above. Some places never change.

2. All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

This is a revised repost of my article posted earlier in this blog at urls: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2010/06/girinagar-pristine-paradise-in-pune.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2011/11/girinagar-pristine-paradise-in-pune.html  and  http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2012/06/girinagar-verdant-hill-station-near.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/11/girinagar-pristine-paradise-near-pune.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2016/05/girinagar-memories-pristine-paradise-in.html

Humor in Uniform : Art of “Cleanship”

Humor in Uniform

“CLEANSHIP”

In the civilian world – the “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan” (Clean India Mission) was launched on the 2nd of October 2014.

But – in the Navy – this initiative is going on since time immemorial – only – it is known by a different name – it is called “cleanship” – and – in the Navy – all ships, shore establishments (stone frigates) and Dockyards are required to be kept spotlessly clean. 

Also – in the Navy – an Officer is supposed to be a “Jack of all Trades – and Master of One”

The one “Trade” in which you are supposed to be a “Master” is your professional job at sea and ashore (what they call “core competency” in the corporate world and industry) – but beyond that – you can be tasked with anything and everything – including “cleanship”.

So – in addition to your professional “tradecraft” (your primary duty in which you are supposed to be a “Master”) – in the Navy – you are given a lot of “secondary duties” – which you are supposed to perform to the best of your ability.

And – one of the most important “secondary duties” at which all officers and sailors are adept at is “cleanship”.

Like there is humor in all Naval activities – there are plenty of hilarious “cleanship” stories.

Let me tell you one such “cleanship” story from my wonderful Navy Days – this happened many years ago...

ART OF CLEANSHIP

A Spoof

By

VIKRAM KARVE

During my long service in the Navy– especially in Naval Dockyards – I have observed that it is easy to create a junkyard (or garbage dump) anywhere you want to.

All you have to do is to dump some trash at the “selected site” for a few days.

Soon – others will follow suit – and they will start dumping their garbage, junk, litter, and debris (whatever they want to get rid of) at the same place – and in due course you will have a full fledged garbage dump or junkyard in place over there.

This is exactly what happened in a Naval Dockyard.

A desperate Manager was conducting a frantic “full-night overtime” last minute “cleanship” of his department workshops for a sudden “surprise” VIP visit the next morning.

All the junk, scrap, litter and debris removed from the shop-floors were meticulously piled up in a newly created trash-heap.

The Foreman was careful to ensure that this newly created junkyard (“garbage dump”) was strategically located well away from his department.

The Foreman believed in the “cleanship” dictum: 

“Never keep your “shit” in front of your doorstep. Shift your “shit” in front of someone else’s doorstep”

(The word “shit” is used metaphorically to denote all types of garbage, rubbish, junk, debris, trash etc)

That is why the innovative Foreman had ingeniously created the new “garbage dump” near the entrance of a Naval Unit which did not belong to the Dockyard – though the unit was located inside the premises of the dockyard.

The VIP visit was a success – and the “Top Brass” complimented the Manager on the excellent cleanliness of his workshops.

Meanwhile – the newly created “garbage dump” started growing in size – since everyone nearby conveniently started using it to dump their garbage there – rather than carry it to conservancy bins located some distance away.

Some construction work was in progress nearby – and workers found it convenient to dump debris here at this newly created “garbage dump” – rather than cart it all the way to the officially designated debris dumping site.

In a matter of days – the place looked like a full-fledged junkyard – with all sorts of rubbish, waste, junk, scrap, litter and debris heaped up in a huge pile of garbage.

I am sure a few officers – including me – must have noticed the trash heap – but in typical “mind-your-own-business” mentality they must have thought to themselves: “It is not my job to clear garbage – so why should I bother about it”.

(Of course – this did not prevent them from conveniently dumping their own garbage in that “junkyard”)

One day – the Navy Unit adjoining the “garbage dump” was visited by an Admiral from Headquarters – Rear Admiral “X” – who was the direct boss of the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the unit.

The Admiral was surprised to see the huge trash-heap near the entrance gate of the Naval Unit – and he was appalled.  

Rear Admiral “X” told the OIC that he did not remember seeing this “garbage dump” in front of his unit – and the Admiral asked the OIC who had created this huge “junkyard” right next to the entrance of the Naval Unit. 

The OIC was clueless.

The furious Admiral ordered the OIC to remove the garbage pile immediately and render a completion report by evening.

The OIC “officially” asked Yard Conservancy Services to remove the “garbage dump”.

Yard Conservancy Services “officially” told the OIC to “hop”.

Yard Conservancy Services said that this new “junkyard” did not fall under their “jurisdiction” – as it was not in their “official list of garbage dumps”.

The hapless OIC then personally went across to Manager Yard Services and pleaded before him.

“Okay – I will have the debris cleared next week when the scrap dealer comes to take away the scrap,” the Yard Services Manager said.

“No, No, my Boss, Rear Admiral “X” wants a completion report by today evening. Please help me…” the OIC was on the verge of tears.

Seeing the pitiable state of the OIC – the Yard Services Manager decided to help him.

But the real reason was that the Yard Services Manager wanted to earn some “brownie points” with Rear Admiral “X” – who was a “rising star” in the Navy.

“Okay – I will relocate the garbage dump to a temporary place till the scrap dealer comes next week,” the Yard Services Manager assured the OIC.

“Thanks,” the OIC said gratefully.

“And you don’t bother about making the completion report to your boss. I know Rear Admiral “X” very well – I will personally make the completion report to him once the job is done,” the Yard Services Manager told the OIC of the unit.

The “garbage dump” was relocated in the evening – after working hours.

By a strange irony – the garbage pile was dumped near the entrance of the very same department which had created the “junkyard” in the first place. 

The new “garbage dump” was 10 times the size of the original trash-pile.

On seeing the huge “garbage dump” in front of his workshop – and – recognizing some junk which had emanated from his workshop – the wizened Foreman laughed – and he said to himself: 

“If you shift your “shit” in front of someone else’s doorstep – you may find even greater “shit” in front of your doorstep”

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. This story is a spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.

2. All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

This is a repost of my story DOCKYARDS AND JUNKYARDS posted by me online earlier in my Academic and Creative Writing Journal Blog at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/06/humor-in-uniform-dockyards-and-junkyards.html

DOES TECHNOLOGY AFFECT HUMAN LIFE ?

Around 20 years ago, in the early 1990’s, I wrote a series of articles on TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT

Here is an abridged version of an article on the Ethical aspect of Technology Management – How Technology affects Human Life – the pros and the cons...

HOW TECHNOLOGY AFFECTS HUMAN LIFE

An Essay

By

VIKRAM KARVE 

DEFINITION OF TECHNOLOGY

In our everyday lives, most of us use a number of words that we assume have a universal, agreed-upon, and accepted meaning for all people in all contexts.

Often, the more frequently the word is used, the more we take for granted that our usage is the only possible usage of the term.

One such popular word freely bandied about and very much in-vogue jargon now-a-days is “technology”.

Let us explore the meaning of the word “technology”.

The word “technology” comprises two parts – “technikos” & “ology”

The historical derivation of the term technology comes from the Greek word technikos, meaning “of art, skillful, practical”

The portion of the word ology indicates“knowledge of” or a “systematic treatment of.”

Thus, the literal verbatim derivation of the term technology is literally“knowledge of the skilful and practical”

However, this definition is too general in nature and we have to transcend this narrow view of technology since every technology starts from a human purpose, from the intention to satisfy some human need or behaviour.

Indeed, technology is the manipulation of nature for human purpose – yes, manipulation of nature, so let us use a slightly different definition of technology.

We will define technology as the knowledge of the manipulation of nature for human purposes.

This definition retains the notions of both knowledge and practicality (human purposes) but adds the new concept of manipulation of nature.

This implies that all practical or technical skills ultimately derive from alterations or manipulation of nature.

Technology depends on a base in the natural world (Science) but extends the natural world through the phenomenon of manipulation (Engineering).

Since we want to manipulate nature, the ability to predict what nature will do when manipulated is most useful, indeed imperative.

ETHICS OF TECHNOLOGY

By our very definition, technology manipulates nature for human purposes.

Technology manipulates nature.

Man is a part of nature.

By manipulating nature, man manipulates himself.

Thus, technology manipulates man, influences, even governs human behaviour, and in turn impinges on societal behaviour, traditions and culture.

Technology is an entity that intervenes in the life of human beings in multifarious ways, directly or indirectly, trying to alter behaviours.

Thus, Technology has an Ethical Dimension.

The very raison d’etre of technology is human purpose.

What is the fundamental purpose of human life?

Is it to increase standard of living?

Is it to improve quality of life?

Or is it to have greater satisfaction in life?

We can distill all these various aspects into a single holistic concept:

“VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE”

Thus, the cardinal aim of technology is to enhance the value of human life.

TECHNOLOGY and the VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE

Let us define the value of human life as the balance or ratio between satisfaction or happiness and pain or suffering.

VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE = HAPPINESS/SUFFERING

In the context of this definition, the ultimate purpose of technology is to enhance the value of human life, with a long-term perspective, by maximization of happiness and satisfaction and a concomitant reduction or minimization of pain and suffering (physical, mental and emotional).

As a generalization, people want a better life.

A better life may usually mean things like freedom from want, access to and possession of at least some of the “nonessentials”, comforts or luxuries, good health, a reasonable life expectancy, the absence of emotional stress, satisfying human relations (resulting from gratifying work experience and meaningful interpersonal relationships), intellectual stimulation, and personally rewarding leisure activities.

HUMAN NEEDS and VALUES

Human needs and values change through time as technology advances.

Man tends to accept the fruits of new technology more readily (satisfaction, pleasure, happiness, comfort) whereas he is reluctant to accept changes in his personal life.

Thus, social and cultural changes always lag behind technology causing a mismatch and disconnect which consequently leads to unhappiness, dissatisfaction, pain and suffering (emotional) and concomitant lowering of the value of human life.

A crude but practical way of classifying human values is to divide needs into those that are essentially physiological and those that are psychological.

Most new technologies cater to the physiological aspect by performing Dangerous, Dirty, or Difficult jobs (the 3 D’s) thereby enhancing the value of human life.

As regards the psychological aspect, an example pertaining to Information Technology (IT) may be in order.

Information Technology (IT) caters to two unique categories of psychological needs of humans:

 

Cognitive Needs – which refer to the human need for information so as to be ready to act or make decisions that may be required, and

Affective Needs – which refer to the emotional requirements of human, such as their need to do challenging work, to know their work has value, to feel personally secure, and to be in control.

Undue emphasis on cognitive needs and consequent neglect of affective needs may cause emotional pain that counterbalances the gains from technology and this may be detrimental to the “value of human life” as a whole.

 

TECHNOLOGY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Effects and Consequences of Technology

In our haste to milk technology for immediate economic advantage, we often lose sight of the long-term consequences: the higher order and indirect effects, especially the delayed and unintended effects of technology.

The Sorenson multiple effect network methodology is a useful technique for an analyzing the impact and consequences of technology.

Let us introduce the term malefit to represent harmful effects and consequences of a technology in contrast with benefit as a useful output.

We may categorize the consequences of a technology (Effects versus Consequences) as:

EFFECTS versus CONSEQUENCES

(i)         First Order                  :           Benefits

(ii)        Second Order              :           Direct Malefits

(iii)       Third Order                 :           Indirect Malefits

(iv)       Fourth Order               :           Unintended Malefits

(v)        Fifth Order                  :           Delayed Malefits

Such analyses definitely help in assessing the impact of various consequences of a technology on the value of human life in the long-term perspective in holistic manner.

Early identification of factors detrimental to the value of human life may prove useful in technology impact assessment to reduce mismatches and smoothen out incongruities.

CONCLUSION

We must not lose sight of our basic premise that the cardinal aim of technology is to increase the value of human life by maximising happiness and minimising suffering.

 

Ethical Technology Management comprises a harmonious blend of rational thinking and empathic understanding wherein one studies, analyses and mitigates the conflicting interplay between human cognitive and affective processes.

It may be apt to conclude with a comment by RM Pirsig, who states that:

“The way to solve the conflict between human values and technological needs is not to run away from technology. That is impossible. The way to resolve the conflict is to break down the barriers of dualistic thought that prevent a real understanding of what technology is…not an exploitation of nature, but a fusion of nature and the human spirit into a new kind of creation that transcends both”.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)

 

Earlier Posted by me Vikram Karve at 1/08/2014 08:24:00 PM at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/01/how-technology-affects-human-life.html