About my stay in Hotel Niharika, A.J.C. Bose Road, Kolkata

Front View of Hotel Niharika

Reception and Drawing Room

Front reception Lobby

Wooden toys on the tables

                                                                                     Regalia Room

Providence Room

Bliss Room

Banquet Hall

Olive Restaurant

Business center (Conference Room)

I chose this hotel as it is in central area and most of the tourist places are within short distance. This hotel is on A.J.C.Road just beside the Minto park neat the traffic signal. It has nearly 52 rooms on five floors. The lobby is very spacious and one can see a row of pretty dolls and models made of wood on the shelves. The reception staff are quite courteous and helpful.

There are three types of rooms in this hotel: Providence, Bliss and Regalia. For one small family providence is suitable and one can get extra beds on payment. The rooms are very spacious and neat. Being a three-star hotel they maintained all the requisite facilities such as A.C. LED T.V. tea and coffee maker, locker, mini-fridge, telephone, work desk with chair, free wifi and room accessories like dental and shaving kit along with soaps, shampoos, hairdryers and a comb also. Nowadays in most of the hotels such accessories are not given though they declare star status for their hotels. It would be better if a bucket and a mug are kept in bathroom as most of the tourists like to have a bath without preferring shower. The complimentary newspaper and complimentary breakfast are also provided.

In this hotel besides free parking space other facilities like room service, car hire, 24-hour front desk, laundry and doctor on call and an in-house multi-cuisine restaurant (called “Olive”) along with a Coffee house are also available. The coffee house is open from 7.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. In Olive restaurant Indian and Chinese dishes are served. The lunch buffet is from 12.30 p.m. it would have been better if it is arranged from 11.30 p.m. as some people may like to have their lunch earlier.

 The breakfast hours are from 7.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. There are three banquet halls with accommodation for 250 guests each in this hotel for organizing meetings and functions. The check-in and check-out hours are 12.00 noon and 11.30 a.m. But those who want to leave late may vacate their rooms and keep their luggage securely in the cloak room so that they can carry on their work and return to claim their luggage later.

From this hotel many tourist places are easily accessible such as the Kali Ghat temple (3kms.), Dakshineswar Kali temple (15kms), Mother House (2kms), Victoria Memorial (2 kms), Howrah bridge (7 kms), Masters Collection gallery (1 km), Eden gardens (5 kms), Mangalam Business Center (1 km.), New Market (3 kms),  Indian Museum (4.5 kms),Tagore House – Jorasanko Thakur Bari(24 kms), ISKON (1 km), Kolkota Railway Station (9 kms) and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Airport (17kms). Though the room tariffs are a little bit high, one finds satisfaction of having a comfortable stay in this hotel.

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  8th November, 2018                                     Somaseshu Gutala

   

About my Stay at Viswaratna, A.T.Road, Guwahati (Assam)

 

Reception Counter

deluxe room

Executive Room

Khayal (Bar & Lounge)

Durbar Banquet Hall

Mehfil Banquet hall

This three-star hotel is located centrally located in the busy market area. Yet once we enter in, we find the surroundings quite cosy and comfortable. The lounge at the entrance is decorated with a row of wooden carved idols, metal figures and photos that will give you a picture of Assamese culture and art. In the corridors also we find some photos depicting the various dress forms and dances of North-eastern states. As there is no scope for outside scenic views, these pictures will give us a brief view of the hilly surroundings of Assam state.

 In this hotel there are nearly 50 rooms on three floors with lift facility. The rooms are of three types. The deluxe rooms are quite spacious and if you want more space you can go in for super deluxe, executive rooms and suites with more space and furniture. In every room you will have facilities like wifi, A.C. tea/coffee maker, T.V., mini-bar, locker facility, work desk with a chair, phone and bottled drinking water. In this hotel there is laundry service, wheel chair access, a coffee shop, bakery shop, multi-cuisine restaurant (The Jharaana),, a bar and lounge (Khayal), a unisex spa and salon (Sahil's),   an open door swimming pool, airport transportation facility, free parking space and doctor on call facilty also. 

There are two function halls (Durbar banquet Hall) and (Mehfil banquet Hall) with attractive ambiance for arranging parties and meetings. The travel desk counter arranges tour packages to places like Shillong, Kaziranga national park, Chirapunjee and Uniam Lake. The complimentary breakfast provided here is very delicious and caters to  the tastes of people coming from various regions of India.

 From this hotel many tourist sites and places are easily accessible such as the famous Kamakhya temple (7kms), Assam State Museum (1.1 kms), Nehru park (1km), Guwahati Planetarium (1.7 kms), Umanand temple (2kms), Shukleswar temple (1.5 kms), Silsako lake (7kms) and Assam state Zoo cum Botanical garden (7kms) etc. The international airport is nearly at a distance of 21kms. The room tariffs are also very reasonable. As this is a three star hotel, it would be better if the accessories like shaving and dental kits are kept in rooms along with a note pad and a pen for the convenience of customers. Pamphlets and brochures giving information about the neighboring tourist sites will help customers in planning their local trips. The check-in and check-out timings are from 12.00 to 12.00 noon.

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    5th November, 2018                                         Somaseshu Gutala

At PAI VISTA, Bangalore Nilgiri Road, Mysore

                           

                   

                     

Swimming Pool

GYM

Gift & Handicrafts Store 

     

           

Jungle Restaurant

            

Gupha (Cave) Restaurant

Breakfast in Jungle Restaurant

During our short trip to Mysore we chose this hotel as it is located just opposite to KSRTC Bus stand and is very near to Mysore Palace. The hotel is behind Bhima jewellery and is beside Vishnu Bhavan, a very popular restaurant where one can get many varieties of dishes. In Pai Vista also there are two restaurants with jungle and gupha themes. One should surely go there to get a realistic experience of jungle climate where servers move dressed as forest rangers. Children will feel very much happy and love to visit these restaurants. Besides the complimentary breakfast provided in Jungle Restaurant is very delicious with a variety of South Indian and North Indian dishes. Buffet lunch is also served here. In Gupha Restaurant one can choose ala carte lunch. Apart from proximity to many important tourist places this hotel has very well-maintained rooms with prompt service and many facilities. The staff are quite courteous and helpful. There is free parking space and drivers are given free accommodation along with free breakfast and free lunch. To chill out there is “Opium Bar”, a rock music pub.

There are three types of rooms to cater to the needs of customers.The “Comfort Room” has a large bed room with many facilities like 24-hour hot water supply, A.C., Wifi, refrigerator, mini-bar, free mineral water bottle, work desk, T.V.   & Coffee maker along with 24 room service and laundry. In “Luxury Room” one can have spacious interiors with charming décor. In “Club Suite” apart from these facilities there will be an adjoining living room for luxurious stay.

 In the hotel premises there is a swimming pool, Gym, Ayurvedic Spa, Pastry Shop and Gifts and Handicrafts Shop. Foreign currency Exchange and Air Port transfer are available here. There is a spacious conference hall called “Sammilan Hall” with a seating capacity for 450 people for professional Board meetings. Just near this hotel there are many shops like Mysore Silk Shop with many gift items and art pieces. One gets a very comfortable and relaxing stay at this four-star rated hotel. The check-in and check-out timings are from 12.00 p.m. to 12.00 noon.

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      27th October, 2018                                      Somaseshu Gutala

            

 

I FEEL

         
 











              1)        I feel Thy Grace in fresh, cool air

                         In dew-decked flowers in colors fair

                         In raining showers from blue cloudy sky ;

                         In sprouting grass flowers Thy smiles I spy.

             2)        I feel Thy Love in looks of dearest hearts

                        In helping hands with no gross, selfish thoughts

                        I feel Thy guidance and moral advice

                        When I am tempted by fair-seeming vice.

            3)         I feel Thy Mercy in every smile of dawn

                        Thy forgiveness as I wake up in morn

                        My countless blunders seem nothing to Thee

                        You fill my bosom with fresh hopes and glee.

           4)          I feel Thy Might in tempestuous seas

                        In bursting quakes and stunning Tsunamis

                        Our latest knowledge and tools can’t withstand

                        Before Thy might, our earth—a grain of sand.

           5)          I feel Thy Presence in countless stars and spheres

                        Moving in orbits with precision clear

                       Thy divine laws beyond our mortal sight

                        Even greatest sages can’t see Thy visage bright.

           6)          I feel Thy enchanting Joyous Charms

                        In Nature’s captivating colorful forms

                        No poet or painter can catch those marvels

                        No artist can create such magic-spells.

            7)         I feel Thy all-conquering Power of Time

                        That leads this universe with power sublime;

                        What is to happen, happens in a trice

                        Thy mysterious workings we can’t surmise.

            8)         I feel Thy wise Controlling Force

                        Without Thy mighty will, not a moment goes

                        Despite my perversions, you try to mend

                        My crooked ways and lead me to my destined end.

            9)         Thy justice wise beyond my narrow range

                        Thy various ways of acts seem to me strange;

                         When virtue suffers exploited by vice

                         While vicious vermin thrive and swiftly rise.

             

          10)         As I give up my hopes and blame Thee unkind

                         I feel Thy whispering voice within my mind

                         Thy mercy boundless—saints and sages say;

                         Help me, oh Lord, to tread on righteous way.

                             +++++++++++++++++++++++++

                 21st October, 2018                               Somaseshu Gutala

                                                

         

                       

                                                

           

PARADOX

             

                         

 

                   

                                                           

     1)      We do not mean by what we act

              We do not act by what we mean, a fact

              Our conscience seems so innocent and clean

              Our acts divulge our minds cunning and mean.

    2)       Our cows—abodes of gods—we state

               So many stray cattle in starving state

               Who cares about their wretched state?

               With dirty plastic-food they fill their pates.

    3)       On serpent –stones milk we devoutly pour

              To ward off evils and ill-health from our door

               But kill the snakes that crawl through brier and bush

               Vile poisonous pests we ruthlessly crush.

                         

    4)        As holy goddesses we ever treat

               Our lakes and rivers filled with waters sweet

               We dump all dirt, garbage and sewage waste

               Degrading them to a most polluted state

    5)        True shelters of gods our trees we say

                Going around them we piously pray

                In lakhs we cut them down without remorse

                Ignoring future disasters and loss.  

    6)        Our greed for land destroyed jungles dense

                Resulting in famines and drought intense

                Wild animals and beasts perished a lot

                Nature’s rare gifts, alas, forever lost.

    7)        To compensate our countless sinful deeds

               To holy places we devoutly proceed

                Donating wealth in liberal measure

               To pacify gods and earn their pleasure.

    8)         In lakhs we give to monks and temples great

                But not for men in suffering state

                One omnipresent  God we rarely meet

                In fellow-beings and fairly treat.

    9)         Will our bosoms melt with pity to see

                Those kids toil out of dire necessity?

                Who cares to see those beggars and orphans poor?

                To wipe their tears and their poverty cure ?

       

   10)        We talk so big about our ancient culture

                Still murders and rapes rage like vultures

                Justice creeps too slow like a wounded snail

                 While criminals enjoy their stay in jail.

    11)        Our bureaucrats equipped with latest tools

                 Still treat their customers and public as fools

                 Till their purses are satisfied, they never mind

                 Their crooked tactics too abstruse to find.

    12)        What is the use of bragging glorious past

                  If the noble spirit behind them is not sought?

                  No deceptive acts can save us from fate

                  The fruits of our deeds we suffer soon or late. 

     13)       Our thoughts and words should match with our deeds

                 Give up violence and destructive creeds

                  Live up to the ideals you praise upright

                  If not, we will be called mere hypocrites.

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              Plastic-food --- food polluted with plastic material

    Note :         A paradox is a statement which appears to be

                      contradictory but is actually true in fact.

                           Eg:  I must be cruel to be kind.

                                  The child is father of the man.

                                  Truth is honey which is bitter.

                  

       13th October, 2018                            Somaseshu Gutala

                                                       

                                                   

                                                   

                                              

About Gali Anjaneya temple, Byatanarayanapura, Mysore Road, Bangalore

                             

                       

                           

                             

                           

 This temple is one of the oldest Anjaneya temples in the city. As it is located in the heart of the city on Mysore Road , many devotees visit this temple. The temple’s outer walls freshly painted with gilded towers attract everyone’s attention. The main deity is called Gali Anjaneya as the idol was found in an open space before the Saint Vyasaraya discovered the idol and constructed a temple in 1425 at the convergence of two rivers, Vrishabhavati and its tributary, Paschima Vahini. This is one of the 732 temples built by him in various regions. Now the river is not seen. The word “gali” in Kannada means “wind’. As Vayuputra the Lord here is called “Gali Anjaneya”.  The word “gali” also suggests the harmful evil spirits and the Lord here is the protector who wards off the effects of evil spirits. Many devotees bring their children to receive the protection and blessings of the Lord.

 The 75-foot tall Rajagopuram leads one to pass through an arched entrance where one can see tiny idols of Venu Gopala and Ganesha on either side of the corridor. The main presiding deity Anjaneya appears quite different from those of other Hanuman idols we see in other temples. The west-facing idol of Anjaneya faces directly the devotees (yathumukhi) with wide-open eyes and radiant sindur-coated body. He keeps His left hand on his hip and holds a flower in His right hand. A small knife is seen near His right hip. The Lord’s face looks quite benign and calm. So he is called Prasanna Anjaneya and a Shanta Gnana Swaroopi (an embodiment of wisdom and serenity). The moustache on his lip indicates the Lord’s valor and manliness. The tail has a lot of bends with a small bell tied at the end. The small bell attached at the end is a common feature seen in most of the idols installed by the great Hanuman Bhakth and philosopher, Sri Vysa Raja (1460-1539). 

Just on the left side of the main shrine, there is a shrine for Sri Rama along with Lakshmana and Sita facing east. On the right side of the main shrine there is a shrine for Lord Satyanarayana On every full moon day, Satyanarayana Vratam is performed here. In the hall leading to exit door there is a shrine for Gopala Krishna. Here a sacred range-colored thread along with sindur is given as Prasad to devotees as a means of Lord’s protection and blessing. The temple is very much crowded during Tuesdays and Saturdays when special poojas are done. The car festival is being celebrated here in Chaitra month for the last 120 years. During Sankranthi season special poojas are performed for one month. 

The Gali Anjaneya Trust formed in 1985 looks after the temple activities. The temple is open from 7.00 to 2.00 p.m. in the morning and from 3.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m. in the evening. Recently an idol of Anjaneya is found in the storm drain just near this temple. The idol is now under the care of the Archaeological Department.           
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    8th october, 2018                                              Somaseshu Gutala