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

“Reverse Osmosis” in Human Behaviour – “Bad” Prevails Over the “Good”

“BAD” TENDS TO PREVAIL OVER THE “GOOD”

REVERSE OSMOSIS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

Musings of a Retired Veteran

By

VIKRAM KARVE

“REVERSE OSMOSIS” in HUMAN BEHAVIOUR

“BAD” TENDS TO INFLUENCE THE “GOOD”

Each individual has some good points and some bad points.

Yes – every person has some positive attributes and some negative attributes.

When two individuals interact – and they become friends or colleagues – we expect that each one will imbibe the “good aspects” of the other one.

But on many occasions exactly the opposite happens – and each one picks up the “bad habits” of the other one.

In most cases – the “bad” tends to influence the “good”. 

In fact – “bad” prevails over the “good”

It is very rare that the “good” wins over the “bad”.

This phenomenon of “reverse osmosis” is more predominant in youngsters who are of an impressionable age where peer pressure influences you and dominates your actions.

Let us take a scenario of youngsters who join the Defence Services – Army, Navy or Air Force.

Suppose a young man who is a non-drinker in civilian life joins the Navy.

He has shipmates, friends and course-mates who drink Alcohol.

Tell me – which is more likely:

1. Will the shipmates who are drinkers pick up the positive virtue of temperance from the non-drinker – and – will they all quit drinking alcohol and become teetotallers...?

or

2. Will the non-drinker “emulate” his friends and start drinking alcohol...? 

Experience shows that the second option is more likely.

Most of us picked up our smoking and drinking habits emulating our smoker and drinker friends – did we not...?

Yes – if you are a non-smoker – and – you have smoker friends – you are more likely to become a smoker.

It is unlikely that all your smoker friends will emulate you and become non-smokers – will they give up their smoking habit – and become a non-smoker like you. 

It is the same with drinking and other addictions too.

Think of your school and college days – and – think about all the habits you picked up in your youth.

It may be due to peer pressure or other reasons – but – we tend to pick up bad habits more easily from those we interact with – instead of imbibing their good points.

It is the same with other bad habits like drinking, gambling and harmful addictions and undesirable activities.

It is more common to see good persons “falling” into bad company and ruining their lives.

On the contrary – it is quite rare to see a “bad” person being reformed by “good” company.

You must have seen many persons “falling” in bad company.

But have you seen any person “rising” in good company...?

It is easier to slide down the slippery slope of vices. 

It is difficult to climb up the steep gradient of virtue.

REVERSE OSMOSIS in and out of Uniform

CIVILIANS IN UNIFORM and SOLDIERS IN CIVILIAN DRESS

This phenomenon of “reverse osmosis” happens at the group level and organizational level too.

When two organizations interact we expect that each organization will imbibe the positive aspects of the other’s organizational culture.

However – sometimes exactly the opposite happens.

Let me give you an example from my own experience.

When I was in the Navy – I was once posted to an institution called IAT Pune.

IAT was an inter-service training and research organization.

There were officers of two different cadres posted in IAT:

1. Uniformed Defence Officers of the Army Navy and Air Force

and

2. Civilian Research Scientists

It was expected that when these two different types of cadres interacted with each other – each cadre would inculcate the positive aspects of the other.

I thought that the “laid back” scientists would imbibe the good habits of punctuality and discipline from the defence service officers.

I also expected that the “do-as-you-are-told” regimented “soldiers” would cultivate a right-brain “out of the box” thinking approach and imbibe a “scientific temper” from the scientists.

To my amusement – I observed exactly the opposite.

The “Soldiers” were quick to embrace the “slack discipline” and the laid-back “chalta hai” attitude of the Scientists.

In contrast – the “Scientists” were quick to adopt the “rigid thinking” and “hierarchical rank-consciousness” prevalent among uniformed Military Officers.

In fact – some scientists became so rank conscious and were so sensitive about their “status” – that they were obsessed with things like “inter-se seniority” and “rank equivalence”  of Scientists – especially vis-a-vis military officers and civilian bureaucrats – and – this rank consciousness often resulted in strained relations, ego clashes and turf wars between Uniformed Service Officers and Civilian Scientists.

Despite the fact that they called themselves “Scientists” – these “Boffins” were extremely hypersensitive about their place in the “pecking order”.

It was amusing to see these “boffins” wasting most of their energy in arguments debating on this contentious issue of “inter-se seniority” vis-a-vis military officers and getting agitated over disputes as to who was senior and who was junior – instead of getting on with their scientific research work.

Research Scientists had imbibed Military Hierarchy Concepts which are totally alien to a “scientific temper”.

Some civilians were afflicted by military “rankomania” to such an extent – that one “senior” scientist even demanded that he be saluted by uniformed troops.

The upshot of all this was that most “research scientists” became more interested in “administering” and “managing” instead of devoting themselves to conducting scientific research.

The end result of this soldier-civilian interaction was that you got exactly the opposite of what you had envisaged.

Thanks to “reverse osmosis” – the mutual interaction between servicemen and scientists ended up producing “civilians in uniform” and “soldiers in civil dress”.

I have seen this phenomenon of “reverse osmosis” happening in other “quasi-military” organisations like DGQA, DRDO, MES, NCC and in Delhi Centric Defence Headquarters and Offices as well – where there are a large number of civilians interacting with uniformed service officers and personnel.  

Such are the ironies, paradoxes, incongruities and absurdities of life which you can observe all around you.

This phenomenon of “reverse osmosis” can be seen during “jointmanship” and in many tri-service units and inter-service institutions.

You bring together two different sets of individuals hoping that each will imbibe the good aspects of the other – but exactly the opposite happens.

You want “osmosis” – but – you end up getting “reverse osmosis”.

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, 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 Article was written by me Vikram Karve in June 2012 and earlier posted by me Vikram Karve on 15 September 20129/15/2012 12:57:00 PM in this blog at url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2012/09/good-habits-and-bad-habits-reverse.html and url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/07/civilians-in-uniform-and-soldiers-in.html and url: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/06/humor-in-uniform-civilians-in-uniform.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2015/06/humor-in-uniform-reverse-osmosis.html 

Gender Ambiguity : Yin-Yang Imbalance

Here is a blog post on the occasion of April Fool’s Day aka All Fools’ Day...

Have a Laugh – and then – Think about it...

GENDER AMBIGUITY – YIN-YANG IMBALANCE

April Fool Musings

By

VIKRAM KARVE

In modern urban India – at least in modern metropolitan cities of India – I am observing an amusing cultural metamorphosis taking place.

The thrust in professional education for women has done wonders – and opened up increasing opportunities for young women.

Almost all young urban women work – and – they take their careers seriously.

There are hardly any full-time housewives or “homemakers” these days. 

Women are achieving financial independence – and – women are no longer dependent on their “breadwinner” husbands. 

As women work shoulder-to-shoulder with men – modern women are developing masculine traits.

Yes – in order to achieve gender equality – especially at the workplace – women can no longer act in the quintessential delicate feminine manner of yesteryear India.

In order to succeed in their careers and to break the glass ceiling – women have to become more “masculine” in nature – and this transformation is visible in their personality.

“She-Women” are becoming “He-Women”.

However – a corresponding reverse transformation is not taking place among men.

Men are not developing feminine traits.

“He-Men” are not becoming “She-Men”.

Earlier – we had “She-Women” and “He-Men”.

Now – we have “He-Women” and “He-Men”.

This metamorphosis is disturbing the “gender equilibrium” in society.

You must have heard of Yin-Yang Balance.

A Woman is Yin.

A Man is Yang.

Yin is passive – oppressed and feminine.

Yang is active – bright and masculine.

Male toughness is balanced by Female gentleness.

Masculine Traits are balanced by Feminine Traits.

Thus – gender balance or gender equilibrium is maintained.

Yin-Yang Balance helps maintain Harmony.

Disturbing the delicately poised “gender equilibrium” may upset Yin-Yang Balance.

Upsetting the Yin-Yang Balance – will – in turn – cause gender related stress, tension, conflict and disharmony in society. 

We are already seeing increasing evidence of such disharmony – and its consequent ramifications – which include gender based crime – violence and abuse – and the rise in divorce rates, breakups and marital discord.

What is the solution?

Well – if you are a “mathematician” – or a “scientist”  – you will say: 

It is simple – just balance the “gender equilibrium” equation.

If increasing masculinization of women is balanced by corresponding feminization of men – gender balance will be restored – and the problem will be mitigated.

All you have to do is: 

Balance the increasing number of “he-women” by a corresponding number of “she-men”.

But – this is easier said than done.

In today’s urban scenario – owing to compulsions of the workplace – or as a consequence of cultural modernization in society – women are developing masculine traits.

Yes – “she-women” are increasingly becoming “he-women”.

Now – in order to achieve Yin-Yang Balance – and restore gender equilibrium – are modern men prepared to imbibe feminine traits...?

Are “He-Men” prepared to become “She-Men” in order to counterbalance the effect of “She-Women” becoming “He-Women”...?

If this does not happen – Yin-Yang balance will be disturbed. 

Society will become increasingly “masculine” in nature.

The consequential ramifications of this behavioural imbalance will not augur well for societal harmony in general – and for gender harmony in particular.

Think about it.

I look forward to your comments and views. 

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 Story was written by me 5 years ago in the year 2011 and earlier Posted by me online earlier in my Academic and Creative Writing Journal Blog at urls: http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/02/gender-balance-emergence-of-modern.html  and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/04/when-she-women-become-he-women-but-he.html