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
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

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

LEISURE MANAGEMENT - CONTRARIAN WISDOM - NEVER PARTY ON WEEKENDS

HUMOUR IN UNIFORM

Let me share some “GYAN” I applied in the Navy on the ART OF PARTYING

LEISURE MANAGEMENT

CONTRARIAN WISDOM – NEVER PARTY ON WEEKENDS

By

VIKRAM KARVE

(This happened long back when we worked for 6 days in a week in all government offices)

PARTY TIME

“You think you are too damn smart – but I have found out something about you,” the PMC said.

“What is it, Sir?” I asked – curious – wondering which ‘secret’ of mine the PMC had discovered.

“You avoid having parties on Saturdays,” he said.

“Is it so?” I said, smiling like a Cheshire Cat.

“Ever since you have taken over as Mess Secretary you always schedule parties on working days – on weekday evenings. Every time we want to have a party on Saturday evenings, you get the party re-scheduled on a weekday on some pretext or the other. Now you have crossed all limits – you even want a Saturday afternoon Pre-Lunch Drinks (PLD) preponed to Wednesday afternoon,” he said.

“There is no such word as ‘preponed’, Sir...” I said.

“Shut up. Don’t try to change the topic...” he said.

“Sir – but Wednesday is also a make-and-mend (half-day) routine – and the officer whose farewell party it is – he wanted it on Wednesday – he said it was more convenient…”

“Don’t bullshit me – the officer said that it was you who told him that Wednesday would be convenient…” the PMC said.

Now that the cat was out of the bag – I decided to make a clean breast of it.

“Sir, you are right – I don’t like to have parties on Saturdays,” I said.

“Any particular reason – something religious – do you fast on Saturdays?” he asked.

“No, no, Sir – it is something totally different – nothing religious or spiritual about it, Sir – maybe philosophical – but you won’t believe me if I tell you,” I said.

“I want to know – you have to tell me,” the PMC insisted.

“I work to enjoy my leisure,” I said.

“You work to enjoy your leisure?” he repeated my words, looking puzzled.

“We all do, don’t we? Don’t we all work so that we can enjoy our leisure? We slog 6 days a week – so that we can enjoy that one Sunday we get off. And in the Navy – we have to do duties on some Sundays too, so even some of the few Sunday routines we get are ruined anyway,” I said.

“But what the hell has all this got to do with not having parties on weekends?” he asked.

“I don’t like to have a hangover on a Sunday morning – I prefer to have my hangover on a working day and in working hours,” I said.

“What?” he asked, looking puzzled.

“I drink because I am in the Navy – it is the Navy that taught me how to drink, it is the Navy that motivates me to drink by giving me the choicest top quality duty free and subsidized liquor – and don’t we have an official party culture that encourages drinking?” I said.

“How can you say that?” he asked.

“Sir – I never touched a drop of booze in college. And most probably – I would never have started drinking alcohol had I not joined the Navy. So – since I drink alcohol because I am in the Navy – the effects of drinking alcohol like a hangover must be suffered in working hours. Also – Sir – most navy parties are official parties – so the aftereffects of these ‘official’ parties must be ‘officially’ endured in official working hours…” I explained.

“You are talking all nonsense…” the PMC said.

“Sir – please try to see it logically – the Navy is responsible for my drinking – so the Navy must bear my hangover. Why should I ruin my valuable leisure hours suffering a hangover on the one beautiful Sunday morning I get for myself – in fact – I like to get up early on Sundays so I can enjoy my well deserved holiday to the fullest…” I said.

From the incredulous look on his face – it appeared that the PMC was not convinced by my logical reasoning.

And to prove that he was the boss – when the next occasion for an official farewell party arose – the PMC decided that the party was to be held on a Saturday evening.

This was vetoed by the PMC’s wife – who unequivocally told her husband, “Why are you having an official party on Saturday evening? Why don’t you have the farewell party on a weekday evening like you normally do? I am not going to ruin my weekend attending your boring party which goes on and on. On Saturday evening – you take me out for shopping and a movie.”

What the PMC did not know was that a few days ago I had a discussion on the same subject with his wife – and she seemed to heartily agree with my views.

EPILOGUE

I tried my best to follow my NO PARTYING ON WEEKENDS dictum throughout my Navy career – so that I could fully enjoy my well-earned Sundays as I pleased.

(Later, after the 5-day week was introduced – my “NO PARTY WINDOW” was from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening).

Sometimes – this did annoy some seniors – who found me missing from weekend evening cocktails or afternoon Pre-Lunch Drinks (PLD).

In one organisation – despite my best efforts to convince them to have parties on weekdays – they insisted on having all parties on weekends.

I avoided most of these weekend parties.

Once when one of my bosses asked me why I was missing – I gave him one of my classic retorts: “Sir, I do not attend parties because I am an alcoholic.”

What happened after that?

Well, that is another story which I will tell you some other time.

Meanwhile – remember the “Moral of the Story”:

The worst way to spend a beautiful Sunday morning is sleeping in bed having a splitting headache suffering from a hangover due the excesses of late night weekend partying.

Why ruin your valuable leisure hours?

If you must party – why not do it on weekday evenings – and “enjoy” the hangover in working hours?

You agree with me – don’t you?

The essence of partying:

Party on Weekdays – and Enjoy your Weekend.

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)

GIRINAGAR - MONSOON PARADISE NEAR PUNE

GIRINAGAR - MONSOON PARADISE NEAR PUNE
By
VIKRAM KARVE

From My Travel Writing Archives:

It is a Clear Bright Feel-Good Day in Pune.

After a long spell of rain, it is a sunny day.

The air is pure and the weather is pleasant with a cool breeze blowing softly.

The Visibility is excellent.

From where I sit on my desk in my study in Rohan Tarang Wakad ahead of me in the distance as I look out of the large window 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.

Lovely View, Pleasant Weather, I am Feeling Good.

My mind harks back to the lovely days I spent in Girinagar in the foothills of Sinhagad overlooking the placid blue waters of Khadakwasla Lake - so, Dear Reader, be so good and permit me to post a piece I had written long ago when I lived in that Pristine Paradise in Pune called Girinagar.

GIRINAGAR 

Pristine Paradise in Pune

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 I once lived in no longer exists.

Yes, the Pune I once lived in 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 Khadakvasla 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 the serene expanse of the Khadakvasla Lake held back by the mighty dam.

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 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, 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 1970s)

In the evenings, I often stand in my tall balcony high up on my 9^th Floor Flat in Rohan Tarang in Wakad and 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.

It is monsoon time. Sinhagad, Girinagar, Khadakvasla and Panshet and its surroundings are most beautiful during the rainy season. 

As you go up the hills it is like a Hill Station. 

Do drive down in the rains and take a weekend trip to this wonderful pristine paradise near Pune. 

But do remember to take plenty of water and food with you.

Here is the link to the map of Girinagar Pune: http://g.co/maps/8d7n2

Link to the maps and photos of Girinagar in the foothills of Sinhagarh Fort on the backwaters of Khadakwasla Lake: http://g.co/maps/56ucn

Sinhagad Fort: http://g.co/maps/cgvhy

GIRINAGAR is towards the northern tip of the map. 

Have a nice weekend

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

NB

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 2013. All Rights Reserved

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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional  and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
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