OUR COUNTRY ON WHEELS

        1)          We pushed one another in usual strain
               Our simple way to get into the train
               A loud cluttering of steps with confounded noise
               Someone yelled farewell at the top of his voice
               Some people ran after the leaving train
               Shouting instructions with stress and strain.
               Some latecomers hurried and stepped in haste
               Some missed their train and cursed their fate.
                 
   2)         As people settled down in their crowded cells
               Two beggars came singing and ringing their bells
               Meanwhile a vendor showed his sundry ware
               Promising benefits beyond compare
               Young boys wielding a bunch of brushes and shoeshine
               Came in to polish people's shoes in the train.
               A woman with a child entered and began to plead
               To help her starving family to feed.




      





















   3)         Displaying a row of glittering things
               Neatly arranged in trays, a hawker brings
               New brand watches, bangles and rings
               Hair pins and cosmetics-- all foreign things;
               He sells them cheaply at a throw-away price
               No loss, no gain-- his pleasure lies in people's service.
               A loud commotion with competitive bargain
               To grab more things with maximum gain. 

 4)          A country doctor came flourishing his store
              Of herbs to cure all complaints up to the core
              Lecturing on his search for rarest things
              On distant hills as if he went for nectar to bring
              He showed his photos with all leaders of the state
              With proofs which praised him as the doctor great
              The young and old fell to his mesmerizing talk
              Within no time he sold away his herbal stock. 

5)          Amidst this multifarious enterprise,
             As people bargained with shrewd words wise
             A few plain-looking crooks procured their gain
             By picking purses without any strain
             While vendors shouted with loud ringing voice
             While children whined to get things of their choice.

6)          A blind beggar sang an old filmy song  
             Led by an orphan to help him along
             Rubbing the floor, a boy with a dirty rag
             Asked some coins for his self-employed service
             For making floor more dirty with his dirty piece.
             Denizens of poverty with dry brown hair
             Struggling for bread with bodies bare.

       










7)         Some talked about rackets and scams of the state
            About fake promises of the leaders great
            About soaring prices and corruption vile
            While ladies talked about their fashions and style;
            Some viewed videos, some chatted on their mobiles
            While kids played games on their lap-tops with smiles
            Others dwelt on their shares and careers' rise
            A jovial discussion held by college guys.

8)         Some snored, some laughed while children shouted with glee
            Some played loud music, unconcerned and free;
            Some littered floor with bits of paper and food
            Smoking and spitting some near the corridor stood
            Some left the  doors of closet open with leaking taps
            Some slept on the bare floor, poor begging chaps;
            Some sneaked into the cells with aggressive stride
            And ran away robbing the people inside.

9)         A rich medley of people here one finds
            From places and regions of various kinds
            A huge collage of human feelings do We see
            A rich diversity with kindred legacy
            Our nation here in true dimension seen
            Yet seem not so concerned, caring and clean
            Let our journey be comfortable and serene
            Let our surroundings be neat, pure and green.

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


   13th March, 2016                                 Somaseshu Gutala

    strain = manner (predisposition or tendency) , neat= clean pure= pollution-free, green= Eco-friendly, medley= varied mixture, collage= combination

   Note : The Indian Railways is one of the largest railway networks in the world. Started as an intercity service between Mumbai and Thane on April 16th 1853; it has developed by leaps and bounds into a gigantic organization having more than 1,15,000 kms of track covering a distance of nearly 65,800 kms. It carries more than 23 million passengers every day. More than 1.4 million people work in this prestigious organization. Both spatially and technologically many changes have occurred in the field of transport. Information technology and electronic equipment have changed the style of functioning and improved the means of speedy and effective communication and provided better service facilities and amenities to passengers. Yet there is a long way to go to see that the fruits of this development reach common man who travels in the general compartment. Prompt action, good maintenance, cleanliness and comfortable surroundings should be the  prime objectives to make this department more people-friendly and corruption-free. The passengers should also have concern for other fellow-travelers and should be accommodative in their attitude. They should not cause loud disturbance and throw things all over or damage railway property.

            
            
        

TOWARDS PARIS

A view of the tunnel

The Highway from Geneva towards Paris

      
  So far we have completed our Swiss tour in addition to viewing a few places in Germany which are on our travel route. The last place  of visit in tour is Paris, the place famous for three "Fs"-- Food, Fashion and Fragrance. Latest trends in fashion and modelling emerge from this cosmopolitan city which is the prime center for many cosmetic industries and boutiques such as Chanel, Dior, Hermes, Jean Paul Gaultier, LouisVuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, Loreal, Avon, Oriflame, Saint Laurent etc., which are located in shopping areas like Avenue Montaigne near Champs Elysees or Rue de la Paix. Classic branded jewellery and items of international standard like Cartier, Chanel,Dior, Fred etc., along with superb handbags from eminent brands like Louis Vuitton, Vanessa Bruno, Champ and Darel are available in these shops. During our college days our English Lecturer used to say that most of the names of the food items and delicacies in English are derived from French language such as pork,omelette, beef, venison, toast, salad, pastry etc., In France you can relish a variety of French dishes like crepes (a kind of pan cake), baguettes, truffles, French fries, Croissants, French toast, Fromage(cheese), pain au chocolat, tarte aux fruits, confits and drink Cafe au Lait (espresso with steamed milk).

View of Bellegarde

Fort at Bellegarde

   

• 
  

 We started from Geneva quite early as we had to travel nearly six hours to cover a distance of 540 kms with occasional halts in between to refresh ourselves and to avail the toilet facility gratis. on the way we passed by many villages and smaller towns, pubs and lakes. As we approached Bellegarde, a small town, our tour manager showed the dilapidated walls of a ruined structure and said that the Roman king, Nero, had visited that sport and stayed there for some time. But his statement may not be trusted as when I searched for information I came to know that the existing fort at Bellagarde had been built in 17th century by the French and that it was occupied by the Spanish army in 1674 , but later recovered by the French Duke of Schomberg in 1675. On the way our vehicle had to travel through many long tunnels as long as three to six kilometers with many lanes and bright illumination. They do not seem like dungeons as we find elsewhere. Due credit is to be given to these master architects of these fabulous highways.

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


6th March, 2016                                              Somaseshu Gutala

A City Orientation Tour in Geneva (Part--II)

Geneva city near the Lake

River Promenade

Water Fountain

Water Fountain

  After visiting the W.H.O. building complex, we went to stroll near the Geneva Lake, the main attraction in the heart of the city. It is surrounded by busy promenades, shops and restaurants. We saw the world's tallest water fountain "Jet d'Eau"(water jet) spouting water up to a height of 140 meters from the surface of the lake. In 1886 the engineers installed a hydraulic power station to supply water from the lake to city's fountains, houses and factories. A special valve was set up to regulate pressure. A jet of water sprang from the lake entering the river Rhone gradually rising to higher level. Since 1951 five hundred liters of water has been pumped per second at a speed of  two hundred kms per hour so that the jet of water from the fountain may reach up to a height of 140 meters. A miracle of Nature enhanced by technology ! The silver spurt of water leaping into the sky and falling down like a shower of laughing pearls is indeed a fantastic sight to onlookers !

Floral Clock

Floral Clock

 Later we went to see the beautiful floral clock " L'horloge Flurie" (flower clock) located at the western edge of a garden called "Jardin Anglais" ( English Garden). This giant flower clock is was set up on the southern side of the Lake Geneva.It is is made of 6,500 varieties of plants and flowers. It has eight floral circles whose colors change with seasons. It was designed in 1955 to honor the 400-year old famous watch industry of Switzerland. The seconds hand of Geneva's flower clock is the longest (more than 2.5 meters long) in the world. The diameter of the clock is five meters and the circumference is 15.7 meters. The colorful arrangement of flowers and leaves in concentric circles is a beautiful  work of floral art and technical expertise. In 2005 in Teheran a floral clock with 15-meter diameter was set up which is now the biggest flower clock in the world. Of course the first flower clock was designed by James Ritchie in 1903 in West Princess Garden, Edinburgh. If you have fancy for branded high-quality watches, you can visit the shops at  Rue Du Rhone, where you will find most sophisticated and latest varieties of watches and clocks -- if you can afford to buy."

Reformation Wall

Reformation Wall

Park Des Bastions

Inside the Park Des Bastions

  Another worth visiting place in Geneva is the famous "Reformation Hall" near the elegant "Place de Neuve" in the beautiful park "Parc des Bastions". Geneva has been one of the important centers  of the Reformation since 1565. The giant statues of Europe's major reformers (Jean Calvin, Guillame Farel, Theodore de Beze and John Knox) are engraved on the wall along with Geneva's maxim "Post Tenebras Lux" (Light after darkness) , which is also the motto of the Reformation Movement. This historic monument highlights the prominent role played by Geneva during Reformation and also Geneva's glowing tribute to the pioneers of Reformation.

While going by bus on the highway we saw a huge structure shining like a golden globe in the late evening time. It is called "The Globe of Science and Innovation" or "Conseil Europeen pour la Recherche Nucleaire" (CERN), world's largest laboratory in Particle Physics, where nearly ten thousand physicists do research on unravelling the secrets of the universe and Big Bang Theory. This building is 27 meters high and 40 meters in diameter and is spherical in shape, symbolizing the planet Earth. On the ground floor there is "Universe of Particles Exhibition" to acquaint you with scientific facts about the inner structure of particles. We were not able to visit this marvellous laboratory due to lack of time.

The Globe of Science & Innovation

Inside View

St. Peter's Cathedral

Church of Calvin, St.Peter's Cathedral

 Another historic monument we had not seen is St.Peter's Cathedral built in 12th century with later extensions done in 16th century. This cathedral was the center of the Reformation Movement. One can have a panoramic view of the city from the tower of this cathedral. To reach the tower of this cathedral one has to climb 157 steps. Besides these, there are more than thirty museums and galleries such as International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMCO), The Foundation Bodmer Library Museum etc.,

Business Park Hotel

Business Park Hotel

  











 After this three-hour busy orientation tour we rushed back to our most comfortable and cosy hotel "Business Park Hotel" to have our Indian dinner and lie down soon. Our tour manager, on a precautionary note, mentally prepared us saying that in European hotels we should not expect spacious rooms and luxurious facilities. Even in the so-called three-star hotels we have not found coffee kettles, water bottles, trays with simple things like sugar sachets, coffee powder packets, sugar and biscuits. Even a writing pad and stationery articles were not seen,-- not to speak of journals, books and newspapers. But here in Geneva at this hotel I felt glad to see a writing pad with stationery along with a proforma requesting our feedback. In most of the European hotels even free water bottles are not supplied.You have to go down to the bar  and buy a bottle priced at seven Euros. But in all hotels complimentary breakfast is provided.

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March 1st, 2016                                                   Somaseshu Gutala

A City-Orientation Tour in Geneva (Part--I)

U.N.O. Building Front View

Ariana Park

Celestial Sphere near Woodrow Wilson Monument

Most of you might have heard of Geneva which has the privilege of having many international organizations and institutions, apart from being a cultural and commercial hub. This French-speaking city is set in between the Alpine peaks and Jura hills, beside Lake Geneva (also called Lake Leman) from which the Rhone river flows. It took almost three hours for us to travel from Lucerne to this historic city. Our luxury coach halted before the conglomeration of the U.N.O. building complex where we were asked to get down and relax for a while. The great building "Palace Des Nations" is the European head quarters of the U.N.O. It is seen in the middle of the Ariana Park on the banks of the Lake Geneva. Built in between 1929 and 1936 it was the main head quarters of the League of Nations until 1946. It has been the U.N.O. head quarters since 1966. The white edifice pedestalled on a flight of steps can be seen with an approach road flanked on both sides by a row of poles with fluttering  flags of various nations. Just in the center of the open space there is a monument called "Woodrow Wilson's Monument," a spherical globe with various continents etched on it. There are thirty-four conference rooms and two thousand and eight hundred offices. Every year more than eight thousand meetings and six hundred conferences take place in these buildings. Visitors are allowed to see only a few rooms. "Consultation Halls", :The Hall of Human Rights" and "Assembly Hall" are some of the prominent rooms.

Broken Chair Monument

Statue of Mahatma Gandhi at U.N.O.

UNESCO

       

W.H.O.

 Many of the rooms are decorated with artistic carvings, statues and artifacts donated by various nations. Nearly 25,000 delegates come here to negotiate on their national and international matters and affairs. The tour manager showed us from a distance the office complexes of International Labor Organization (I.L.O.), World Trade Organization (WTO) , United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) , International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)  and World Trade Organization (WTO).  We saw a huge twelve-meter high  three-legged wooden monument called "The Broken Chair", which was set up opposite the U.N.O.Building complex, as sad reminder of the tragedy caused to people who lost their lives or became physically disabled due to explosion of landmines. We looked at the statue of our Father of Nation, "Mahatma Gandhi" set up in Ariana Park. A sense of pride and delight swelled within our bosoms on seeing this black granite figure of Mahatma Gandhi sitting in meditative posture. This statue ,gifted by the Indian Government, was unveiled on the fourteenth of November in 2007.

Peace Monument

   

Rebirth Sculpture

Hall Of Human Rights 

 Just behind the the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) building, many statues concerned with health and social awareness themes were set up to emphasize and highlight the humanitarian principles of the U.N.O. such as Aid for Visually Challenged People, Vaccination Drive, Friendship Symbol etc. We spent some time breathing fresh air and strolling through the garden, feeling a sense of pride that we had the rare opportunity of visiting this most prestigious organization which has nearly 193 countries as members and where so many issues of international importance are discussed and decisions are taken.

Another important thing  we noticed here  is that the U.N.O. has set a good example to all her member countries by adopting Eco-friendly and energy-saving methods such as re-cycling its resources, use of solar energy and cultivation of greenery . Let us hope that this reputed organization will succeed in her efforts in fulfilling her noble ideals: Equal rights for all human beings and all nations, economic and social progress, disarmament and maintenance of international peace and security.

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

24th February, 2016                                        Somaseshu Gutala

The Lake City of Old Chapels and Bridges-- (Part--II)

The Lion Monument (Lowen Platz)

 Our tour coordinator told us that generally Swiss People are peaceful and tradition-respecting people who do not converse and mix with strangers easily. He also informed that the name of the city "Lucerne"(originally appeared as Luciaria in written records in 840 A.D.) came from that of the Benedictine Monastery of St. Leodegar founded here in 730 A.D. Later we went to see the famous Lion Monument in the small park located near Lowenplatz (Lion Square). The sculpture of a dying lion was hewn from the face of a sandstone rock commemorating the bravery and heroic struggle of the Swiss guards who sacrificed their lives to protect the French king Louis XVI during an attack by revolutionaries on Tuileries Palace in 1792.  The sculptor expressed the majestic and undying bravery of the wounded lion in lying position with arrows pierced into its strong muscular body. In the park there is a pond surrounded by garden. The wrinkles on its face conveyed a sense of agony coupled with death-defying noble dignity. The inscription in Latin "Helvetiorune Fidei Ac Virtuti" (To the loyalty  and bravery of the Swiss" was seen on the top of the monument. Nearly 760 Swiss mercenary soldiers lost their lives. This life-like monument was designed by a Danish sculptor, Thorvaldsen and was executed in sandstone by Lucas Ahorn, a German stone-mason from Southern Germany. This marvellous monument is 20 feet in height and 10 feet in length. Mark Twain, the famous American writer, described this monument as "the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world."

Casagrande, the gift shop, Lucerne

Interior View of Casagrande

 In the market place there are many shops and restaurant. We went to "Casagrande", a shop where one can buy gift items, Swiss chocolates and souvenirs. We bought a Swiss knife (a multi-purpose tool with many blades), a few pens and key chains.Wherever we went, we  found our countrymen working as helpers in sale counters. As Lucerne is a tourist destination, people can understand  English and we did not face any problem. Though the currency of Swiss is Swiss Franks, Euros are accepted everywhere.

Business Park Hotel, Geneva

 Thus ended our first phase of our day's journey as we have to reach Geneva by evening where we are going to stay and spend one night. To save time our tour manager organized a short trip through  Geneva city i.e. a sort of city orientation tour before releasing us from hectic schedule to rest our limbs in the cosy hotel "Business Park Hotel" after having our Indian dinner. It would have been better if we had been  introduced to some of the native Swiss dishes, of course, with the option given for both veggies and non-veggies.

                  ************************************************************

The Lake City of Old Chapels and Bridges (Part--I)

Lucerne City, Central Switzerland

Lakeside Promenade

Chapel Bridge (Kapell Brucke)

 

Paintings under the ceiling

    In the afternoon after having our lunch we traveled towards Lucerne, the gateway to Central Switzerland. Throughout the way we saw the typical Swiss landscape with vast green pastures, farm cottages, lakes, grazing cattle, hills and valleys with dense growth of fir and pine trees. Pure air, pure dairy products, pure water from mountain rills and hygienic climate are the God-given gifts to this land of peace and prosperity. The distance from Engelberg to Lucerne is nearly thirty kms and so it took forty-five minutes to reach Lucerne, the famous town of ancient churches and many museums, dominated by the lake side view of historic buildings and churches. Lucerne lies at the northeen end of the Lake Lucerne, where the river Reuss flows out of the lake.On the Lake Promenade many souvenir shops, watch shops and confectionery shops attract many tourists. Ferry trips on the lake provide a panoramic view of  the surrounding monuments, Alpine hills of Pilatus and Rigi and the Chapel Bridge.

  Soon after we got down, we took a leisurely stroll along the banks of the lake Lucerne and walked across the Chapel Bridge, a roofed medieval wooden bridge with paintings on both sides of the ceiling. This is one of the oldest wooden bridges in Europe built in 1333, as part of Lucern's fortifications. It linked the old town on the right side of the Reuss river to the new town  was on the left. When it was built it was 204 meters in length, but now it is 170 meters due to , modifications made in later times. The famous 17th century Catholic painter Hans Heinrich Wagmann painted the events from Lucerne history and the lives of the town's patron saints, St.Leodegar and St. Maurice on 110 panels. In 1993 eighty-five of these 110 paintings were destroyed in fire accident. They have been replaced by paintings taken from the second part of the bridge which was dismantled in 1834 to make room for the Lakeside Avenue. Just beside the bridge there is an octagonal tower called "Wasserturm", a fortification from 13th century. The bridge led the way directly to St.Peter's chapel on northern side. This is an eighteenth century church that was built over a twelfth century chapel. St.Peter's chapel (St.Peter's kapelle) lends its name to the wooden bridge as Chapel Bridge (Kapell Bruke). The Chapel Bridge and the Water Tower were once the ramparts of the medieval town of Lucerne. Later the water tower was used as a dungeon, an archive and as a treasury till 19th century. At present it is used as a club by a traditional  association and is not open to public.

St.Peter's Chapel (St.Peter's Kapelle)

Ferry ride on Lucerne Lake

Spreur Bridge

Paintings on Dance of Death

 There is another ancient wooden bridge called Spreur Bridge located at the lower end of the medieval town of Lucerne. It is also a part of the medieval town's fortifications. It was erected in 1408. It was destroyed by storm in 1566 and was re-built in 1568. On the ceiling of this bridge also there are 67 paintings drawn during the period between 1627 and 1635 representing the dance of death. These paintings are quite realistic representing the costumes and style of medieval times. This bridge connected the mills  with bakers' quarters on the left bank of Reuss. The mills on the right bank were destroyed by fire in 1865.

St.Leodegar's  Church

Interior View of St. Leodegar's Church

 Another important monument in Lucerne is "Hofkirche" or church of St.Leodegar with twin towers, built during the period between 1633-1639. On this site previously there was a monastery built in eighth century. Later in twelfth century this church was constructed. Due to fire accident most parts of the church were destroyed except the front two towers. In 1633 another fire accident happened. The present church was built in late Renaissance style. In the church we can still see the previous Death of Virgin altar belonging to 15th century and the original wooden pews that survived the fire accident.

 As the time given for seeing the town was barely two hours, we were not able to see Hofkirche, the church founded in memory of St.Leodegar, the patron saint of this city. If you are a votary of knowledge, there are many museums like Swiss Museum of Transport, Culture and Convention Center and Nature Museum to reveal many interesting facts.

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       5th February, 2016                                                                     Somaseshu Gutala