Rahul Writes

I and my wife visited ISKCON Temple, New Delhi some time back. While in Mumbai, we used to visit ISKCON Temple at Juhu many times and it was nice to visit one in Delhi too. ISKCON Temple in South Delhi is situated in East of Kailash.  

The Temple structure is grand and we need to walk up the stairs to reach the main temple (the height is because the temple is situated on a hill called Hare Krishna Hill). The prime deities Radha and Krishna are so wonderful to visit. The Krishna’s idol here is made of black colored stone. On one side of the main deity are the idols of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai along with Srila Prabhupada and his spiritual master Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati. And on the other side very beautiful deities in the form of Ram Parivaar are installed. The main prayer hall in front of the deities has a very peaceful energy and environment and the devotees sit for some time and soak themselves into the positive energy of the temple.  

One door from the main prayer hall takes us towards a gallery which has beautiful and large portraits showing different leelas and life events of Lord Krishna. It also has a series of portraits of Radha and Krishna from many ISKCON Temples from all across the world. It is a matter of pride for us to see such beautiful temples made by ISKCON all across the world.  

When we come out of the main temple, we find some restaurants and also a beautiful shop selling religious literature and music CDs. There is also a museum gallery. We also got to know that the temple conducts Multimedia Shows for the visitors.  

Some other useful information:  

Name of the temple: Sri Sri Radha Partha-Sarathi ISKCON temple 

Address: Iskcon Temple, Hare Krishna Hill, Sant Nagar Main Road, New Delhi, Delhi 110065, India +91 11 2332 0005 

Timing: Open on all days. Morning Prayer Time: 4.30 am, 7.15 am, 7.45 am. Evening Prayer Time - 12.30 pm, 7.00 pm, 7.45 pm (Prayer Hall Remains Closed from 12 pm to 4 pm) 

Website: http://www.iskcondelhi.com/  

Recommended webpage for a very good review: http://www.shubhyatra.com/delhi/isckon-temple.html 

Here I have posted some of the temple pictures we took during the visit: [Link]

For the past few months, I stayed in Hyderabad. Though I lived in the outskirts, I did see places of worth visiting in the city and got a feel of the city. I found the city very friendly, peaceful and calm. There is no language problem for the Hindi speaking, as most of the locals spoke it too. Food is also not a problem.  

I love visiting historical places, so for one day I caught the city tour bus to see all such places. And then I visited some of the places separately. Husain Sagar Lake was wonderful, with its boat rides and Buddha’s status in the middle. Birla Mandir (Shri Venkatesh Mandir) made up of white marble on the top of a black hill is simply amazing. There is something special in it – one can only feel calmer and peaceful in its surrounding. From atom the veranda of the temple, one can see a major part of Hyderabad and Secunderabad – and it is a wonderful experience to spend time there. As a disappointment, I found Charminar an average structure – it is nothing when compared to India Gate or Gateway of India. But it is very picture-perfect as we see it on the posters. Saw Nizam’s museum, which is again not worth the hype. But the Salarganj Museum is amazing – I have not seen a grander museum than this. Perhaps no one can finish seeing whole of it. Then I simply loved the Golkunda Fort. I wished to go there again, as it takes quite some time to roam around and see it properly. We visited the Zoo also; there is a toy train which takes people around. And then there is another place of delight, called Sudhakar’s Car Museum. It is a museum of wonderful designer cars – some of the vehicles have won the designer entries in the famous Book of World Records. 

In my recent train journey, I noticed an interesting behavior. There was a couple with a little daughter travelling in our compartment. After some hours the gentleman became restless: he started complaining that the AC was not running effectively. I felt the AC was running but the temperature setting should be high – perhaps 26. In Delhi’s cold if one gets to remain in 26 degrees, I don’t see any problem at all. But he went out, had debates with the caretakers and returned back, still frowning. I saw it as a pattern, rather than a single behavior. I feel after remaining confined in a train for hours, people tend to get bored. And they express their frustration in these ways: either they would pick up their children, or will start discussing politics and criticize one and everything, or as this gentleman did: they would find faults in the nearest and simplest things like AC and vent their anger at these. This is connected to why so many passengers discuss issues with Railways while travelling in a train – they need some common topics to discuss and Railways is a kind of leveler. You can start discussing about Railway’s service quality to an NRI, even if you are an illiterate layman.

At eleven in the night, I noticed some curious voices. In the darkness, no sound was audible other than children’s. One small girl was singing near my seat, one was talking to her mother, another boy somewhere was crying, and some other was telling a story. Children lit up the monotonous journey. There were two young girls near my berth. When some other kid started crying in the neighboring cell, the two started talking to each other. The girl on the upper-berth said, “Ye Pink Wala baby hai na?” The girl on the lower-berth replied, “Nahi, Ye Red wala Baby hai.” “Pink” protested the baby on top. “Red” contested the baby on lower berth. It continued for some time.

I have seen some people getting irritated enough to keep on criticizing the Railways, or the government, or anything and everything. In such cases, I tell myself, “How Railways would behave is not in our control. But how we would react, is definitely in our control.” The same holds true for those who get irritated at kids making noise too. I would rather choose to focus on my book and ignore a lot of things, than throwing around my bad swollen mood. To make a journey “happy” is entirely in our hand.

- Rahul

There are few temples which are as passionately revered by devotees as is Baba Dham of Deoghar. Baba Dham means place of Baba Shankar (Shiva) and Deoghar means abode of gods. The temple is so important because Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga temple, popularly known as Baba Dham and Baidyanath Dham is one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlingas. Every year in the Shravan month, devotees (called kavarias) throng to this temple from all over the region to offer water (jal) to the sacred Shivalingam.  

I visited Baba Dham at Deoghar for the first time this year. We were visiting Baba Dham before Shravan month and hence the crowd was slightly less. We reached the town of Jasidih by train, which is on the Howrah–Patna–Delhi line. Deoghar is about 6 Kms from this place. We took an auto-rickshaw to reach there. After much search, we were able to find a hotel with a vacancy. Even though it was not the Shravan month, hotels were all booked due to some Satsang. We went to the temple in the morning, on foot. And it was an experience to remember. 

The temple town of Deoghar is a small one with clean air and a pleasant environment. It has the beauty of a small town and also the facilities of every need. In the middle of the town, all lanes converge to reach the temple of Baba Bholenath (one name of Lord Shiva). In the main temple, the sacred Shivalingam is situated. To read about the legends behind this Shivalingam and the temple, you can see the Wiki article on Vaidyanath Temple. The origin belongs to Treta Yuga. The temple is thronging with devotees most of the time and it is very difficult to do darshan or to worship the Lord. There we found many Pandas who were sitting round the temples, with their names and mobile numbers written on the walls. Father tells that each family has a particular Panda ji assigned to it. We got to know that one Shree Dhwajadhari Panda has been the one for our family. Later on we got to know that he was no more and another of his children was carrying out his work. These Pandas also visit our families in our villages and maintain a good relationship. This is the tradition for generations. Then one boy was assigned to us as a guide. There are so many temples for almost each and every god including Ganga ji (the river goddess). The main temple where sacred Shivalingam was situated was too crowded for us. I thought it was a miracle that we came out without being hurt or falling down. And as if to confirm the miracle, I had by chance kept a mobile phone in my pocket, which remained intact. While going through the melee, I doubted if I would wish to come back again. In the centre of the temple, the sacred Shivalingam was there, to which we offered water and prayers. Later on, we visited many of the other temples inside the premises.  

Another aspect of the experience is that you would see Pandas and priests in each and every corner of the temple-cluster asking for money as offering. For a moment, it doesn’t look nice. But on a second thought, it was the temple which was giving them the employment and I think there was no other way for them to get compensation. The main temple had only one door and the crowd was always in over capacity. In those conditions if there are some guys to manage everything, it seems they deserved a few coins from the devotees. Good thing was that they received whatever you gave and won’t ask again even if you didn’t offer anything. Another interesting scene was when some of those guys were hitting the unruly crowd with thin (non-harming) sticks, to bring them in order. To a large extent, it reminded me of Shiva’s army. Lord Shankar is also called Bhootnath. To expect order and discipline from his army is a misplaced expectation, perhaps. Also, the whole chaos and crowd reminded me of our world where we have to find inner peace in the midst of the outer bedlam. We have to find inner order despite outer disorder. We have to search for inner stability from within outer mayhem. And there, in midst of chaotic crowd, when money seemed far too apparent, there lied the sacred Shivalangam. Unaware of the chaos, yet aware of everything; unshaken by mayhem, yet touched by each moving heart. That is how we can take it. To me, the temple with all its crowd and chaos stands for victory of spiritualism over disturbing materialism. Otherwise, the ocean of devotees won’t be coming in streams to this temple town year after year. 

There are markets selling hosts of items like bangles, toys, pictures, and sweets. Peda is the most favourite prasad which is bought by the devotees. Mixed with chuda (beaten rice) and ilichai-dana (a kind of sugar), it forms the typical prasad which people take back home to distribute among relatives, friends and neighbours.  

We returned back with a resolve to come back soon. The experience was one to remember forever. Jai Baba Vaidyanath! Jai Shiv Shankar!  

- Rahul 

Some Websites:  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaidyanath_Jyotirlinga,_Deogarh 

http://www.babadham.org/ 

http://babadham.blogspot.com/

I had visited ISKCON temple first about four years ago. I was not so impressed with the experience and had written a critical review. Afterwards I visited the temple twice and was completely infatuated with the visits. There was not much crowd (though it depended on occasion and time), photography was banned (earlier people would stop in front of the deity and would shoot with digital and mobile-phone cameras, thereby stopping the queue), shops were peaceful (earlier ISKCON members would stop you and request you to buy a copy of Gita for Rs 100, or a jap-mala) and there were less sweets-shops (earlier the exit space near the temple looked like venue of a feast). Now the experience is very nice and different. 

The temple is situated very near to the Juhu Beach. You can even walk the distance through a narrow lane, or can take an auto-rickshaw. The temple is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. The snap with this article is taken by me. The whole environment is very peaceful and soothing. As we enter the temple, after the security check and depositing shoes at the stall and washing hands and feet, we enter the main hall. It is a big hall in front of the deity with the floor adorned with white marble. The deities of Radha Krishna, Sita Ram and of the founder of ISKCON are splendid. One can simply get lost in the beauty of Radha Krishna. I read that the present clothes of Radha are designed by one of the best fashion designers of India. There are murals on a wall, describing the avatars of Lord Vishnu and some teachings and life sketches. Devotees normally sit on the floor looking at the deities and listening to the live music. Many times there are foreigner-devotees who would play bhajans and songs in love of Krishna. It is a wonderful experience to be there and soak oneself in the devotion of Lord Krishna. 

When we come out of the main temple, we pass through a number of shops selling religious books, copies of Bhagawat Gita, posters, paintings and many other gift items. I have found these posters as the most beautiful I have ever seen. My favourite is the picture of Radha Krishna deity of the same temple. Then there are shops which sell some ready food items and all sort of sweets. Coming out of the temple, we find a place where a member would be distributing prasad, which I have normally found as a tasty halwa.  

The whole experience is so wonderful and refreshing that instead of going to any other place on a weekend, one should go visit this temple. Apart from Juhu beach, the legendary Prithvi Theatre is also very nearby, giving you more reasons to reach here frequently.  

Hare Krishna temple

Hare Kirshna Land, Near Juhu Beach, Juhu Rd, Juhu

Mumbai, Maharashtra 400049 

http://www.iskconmumbai.com/ 

- Rahul 

Picture: ISKCON Temple, Juhu, By Rahul

(Travelogue)

Durga Puja at Tembi Naka, Thane West

The picture attached with this article is one of the most vibrant images of Durga Ma I have ever seen. Recently when a friend sent this picture to me as Durgapuja greetings, I asked her if she could find out where this Durga idol was situated at. She said it was in a Puja Pandal near Tembi Naka in Thane West. I didn't believe her ' I thought this beautiful idol must be installed in some very big temple. An internet search didn't give any clue and hence I decided to visit this place itself, to see Ma Durga there

It so happened that I couldn't go to Thane even on the day of Durga Navmi. It would have been a journey of more than an hour to reach there ' and I was not sure if I will find this very idol of Durga ji there. Afternoon of Dashmi ' and time was running fast. Suddenly, I felt it was now or never. Seeing this very idol of Durga ji was my dream ' and I decided to take chance.

This place is called Tembi (or Tembhi) Naka in Thane West. It is not far from the railway station and buses reach this place from most of locations in Thane. Another landmark here is a big Jain Mandir which I had visited some years ago with a friend. The roads were very crowded ' much more than non-festive days. I got down near the Puja Pandal, and became part of the group of devotees watching and praying to Her. It's a huge arrangement, decorations done on a grand scale, and everything was very systematic. I saw Durga ji from a distance, and kept looking at her to be sure if she was the same :). Now what I witnessed, I will never forget in life. A yagya was under process. The sacred fire in the hawan kunda was rising very high. A couple was presiding there, with the man wearing dhoti'kurta, and the lady had put up bright saree and traditional ornaments. More than a dozen Brahmins were chanting Vedic mantras and the whole atmosphere was full of positive energy and vivacity. They kept putting offerings in the hawan kunda and Agni Devta took all of those; in turn producing heat, light, dhoop and smoke which purified the whole environment. Durga ji's idol was installed far away at a higher platform and it seemed she kept watching all of us

Durga Shakti is the divine energy ' the beginning of this whole universe ' the reason of all that ever happens ' she is the cosmic energy ' the sacred force ' the feminine creative power ' the great divine Mother in Hinduism

India is the land of festivals. Hindu festivals, representing their unstoppable fervour and unmatched spirit of liveliness, are not invented with any particular purpose ' they are simply part of our life. Just outside Her temple, the same life and energy spread itself in the form of countless colourful shops. On both sides of the road, there was a fair like situation. It attracted children with plenty of toys and items to splurge on. (I found an office of Anand Sangh there, though I couldn't find out if this organisation was behind this puja organisation too.) Very nearby, an organised formal fair (mela) was running. I entered, remembering the mela, fair, circus, and pradarshini (exhibitions) that our hometown used to sport every year when we were young.

There were lines of shops selling toys, gol gappe, laddoos, and fashion accessories. Then there were stalls offering sports and games ' use the airgun to shoot balloons ' or throw rings to win the items kept on table ' I never imagined we could enjoy gaon ke mele ki masti here too! There were merry-go-rounds and big jhoolas: one of them had motorbikes on which a baby boy sat in style but started crying when the speed got higher. Little girls, some times troubling their fathers with their demands, looked around curiously. Then, one of the STAR attractions ' The Magic Show! The magician's name was Jadoogar Bhairwi! And the name of the show left me rolling in laughter ' it was called 'Dil-bahaar Mayajaal'! :) Jadoogarni Bhairwi was on the stage with her eyes closed with a black mask. She hit another girl with a long knife ' aiming at the apple that this bichari girl had kept on her belly while she lied on a table. And she was perfect ' she hit the apple and escaped the girl! The artificial clapping applauded her with great sense of magic! :)

This area is just adjacent to Talao-pali (Masunda lake). This is a lake in which boats take the merrymaking families on the rounds. In the midst of the pond lies an island while the closed lake is surrounded by a circle with seating arrangements. A great festive environment indeed

If you happen to be around this place during the next Durga Puja, do visit the Tembi Naka in Thane West. There is something there for each one of you Soulful bhakti and heartfelt masti, if that's the spirit of festivals in India, then its alive here in all its elements

(Rahul)

(Travel)

Visit to Holy Shirdi and Sai Baba Temple

If you want to feel the presence of a greater power in our life, just think about how our life has largely been constructed by happenings and events occurring by 'chance'. Life is seldom logical and plans rarely work. This is why those who are peaceful are humble: humble in front of the Power that guides us through unguided lanes and moments

Recently I happened to reach a relative's place 'by chance', and two hours later we left for Shirdi. This was my first visit to the shrine though I had wished for the same many times in the past.

It's about six hour's from Mumbai by bus. We reached the temple town at around five, very early in the morning. The atmosphere was divine. Divine, despite the over enthusiast guides chasing and competing every opportunity to help the tourists find suitable places to stay and take a bath before visiting the temple. We made a round of the area and then chose to stay at a guest house very near to the temple gates.

The darshan was very nice and peaceful. We even touched his tomb (Samadhi) to seek blessings. The world famous idol was in all its glory ' shining in gold and silver, while Saibaba's eyes showered peace and love on us The temple complex has many temples and sections like Samadhi Mandir (containing his sacred tomb and idol), Dwarkamai (a mosque; it is said that Sai Baba regarded this mosque as a mother (mai means mother), and it also represents the fact that Baba respected all religions. Every one has free access to this mosque), Chavadi (meaning 'village office'; Baba used to stay here alternate nights. I could also touch one stone, on which Baba used to sit.), Shani Temple (has temple of Lord Shani, in between a Shiva temple and a Ganesha temple), Hanuman Temple (This temple is South-facing, found rarely in Hinduism.) To know more about the temple and location, visit the website of Shri Sai Baba Sansthan http://www.shrisaibabasansthan.org/

The area in and around the temple has a host of shops selling pictures and mementos with images of Sai Baba. And then there are also poor children selling picture postcards and idols. One such girl got into argument with my friend. He had just purchased a bottle of packaged water as we were returning to the hotel and there she caught him and tried to sell a Sai Baba idol. A little bargain and she reduced the price from Rs 90 to Rs 30. But he was insisting for Rs 25. The girl got furious and asked, "You are bargaining for Rs 5?" When she got "Why not" as the answer, she said something which floored us: "At a place where you get water for free, you are spending 12 rupees to purchase a bottle, and then you are not willing to give me Rs 5 as a margin?" He purchased one for Rs 30. Five minutes later, he called her again and purchased two more idols

In our life, we get most good things for free, but we run to spend so much to get the same, packaged and priced and then we go visit temples seeking peace?

Nothing in this world happens by chance

(Rahul)

While Traveling .

My visit to Elephanta Caves

Last Sunday, I visited Elephanta Caves. Here is the link to my uploaded pictures on Rediff Photos: (I have reduced the size of the pictures.)

http://photos.rediff.com/photos/share/sh_thumbs/rahul_nitd/84034/

It was a great experience. Though I went there in summer, I was able to enjoy the nature’s beauty. It is a one hour journey on boat from Gateway of India to the island. After landing on the island, we need to scale up the hill. There is a small train for those who want to enjoy its ride. There are numerous antique shops on the path leading to the caves. One has to pay Rs 5 and 10 as fee to enter the area which is a world heritage site.

Introduction (borrowed): 

Elephanta Caves

The Elephanta Island is located 10 km away from the Gateway of India. These caves house rock cut temples dating back to a time which is not certain. These rock cut temples dedicated to Shiva Mahadeva are rich in sculptural content.

Name: The Elephanta Island was so named by the Portuguese, after the statue of an elephant near the landing area of the island. Now this statue is displayed in one museum in Mumbai.

How they were constructed: The entire temple is akin to a huge sculpture, through whose corridors and chambers one can walk. The entire complex was created through a process of rock removal. Above the temple is the mass of natural rock. 

The enigmatic image of Trimurthi Sadasiva: The Sadasiva manifestation of Shiva is carved in relief at the end of the north south axis.  This colossal 20 feet high image of the three headed Shiva, Trimurthy is a magnificent one, considered to be a masterpiece of Indian art.  This colossal image represents Panchamukha Shiva, only three faces of whom are carved into the wall and it demands immediate attention upon entering the temple through the northern entrance. 

Also on the southern wall are grand sculptured images of Kalyanasundara, Gangadhara, Ardhanariswara and Uma Maheswara. To the west of the northern entrance are sculptured images of Nataraja and Andhakaasuravadamoorthy, and to its east are images of Yogiswara and Ravanaanugrahamurthy.

Thus in the Elephanta caves, Shiva is portrayed in the non anthropomorphic Shivalingam form, as well as in his quintessential being emanating from the Shivalingam in the colossal image, and in 8 manifest forms. 

I visited Kuala Lumpur (or “KL” as it is commonly known), Malaysia in March 2005. The visit was official. My company was sending me along with a colleague to take part in the much-sought-after “Training Session” for young engineers, a program by the Lafarge Group, Paris. But it turned out to be equally beneficial on the personal front in terms of site-seeing and visiting “Videsh”. The participants were a group of 18 people: 2 from India, 4 each from Malaysia, Philippines and Bangladesh, 3 from Jordan, and 1 from Venezuela. This was my first foreign trip.

We caught the Malaysian Airlines flight from Kolkata’s Dumdum airport at 2′ O clock in the morning. The crew was good, and we reached KL in no more than three and half hours of flight. There is a time difference of two and half hours between the two countries, so it was 8 O’ clock in the morning there! While the plane was landing, I saw from some height, very clearly marked pieces of land, lying on the ground, just like floor tiles. I thought: Is this country really well organized, or seem so from a distance. Later, my suspicion was removed, as I found the country very well maintained and organized.

The Kuala Lumpur International Airport is among the top 5-6 airports of the world. It is very big, and extremely beautiful. Perfectly neat and clean and a nice display of automation. The airport has big markets and a large number of duty-free shops. There are frequent trams running from one part of the port to the other. The cosmopolitan people were of varied nationality. I felt very good to find me there! I saw some Indians too. A group of blue-collar workers had arrived from some flight. Later, while going through the local newspapers I came to know that there is scarcity of blue-collar workers in Malaysia, and workers from some other poor nations fill the gap. A Mercedes was waiting for us at the airport.

The highway we were cruising on, was of four lanes on both sides, and the traffic was in discipline. The limousine reached the speed of 140 Kmph. By the side of the roads, there were palm trees everywhere. I thought of them as coconut trees. Everywhere either palm trees, or beautiful grass made the scene very beautiful. Throughout the drive, I was totally amazed to see, how man and nature both have joined hands to make the place like heaven. I am very impressed with the infrastructure of the place. Quoting: “The city’s bustling streets, its shining, modern office towers, and its cosmopolitan air, project an unbounded spirit of progress and symbolize Malaysia’s unhesitating leap into the future.”

Our accommodation was arranged at Hyatt Regency, Saujana, which was 40 minutes away from the airport. The luxurious hotel consisted of three Golf courses and several swimming pools. The participants of the Kuala Lumpur F-1 racing (March 2005) were staying at the same hotel!

The people speak Malays as well as English. We had no problem while communicating. But the real handicap was the pronunciation. The Malaysian people used to speak in an accent that was not easy to comprehend for me. I remember, once I said “pardon” two times to a waitress, only to realize that she was saying “Thank you” to me! People were smart and fashionably dressed. There are three main people groups in Malaysia: Malays, Indians and Chinese. Many Chinese are Buddhist; Indians are Hindus or Muslims and Malays are officially Muslim. I saw most of the Malay women wearing scarf. Today ten percent of Malaysia is of Indian origin. Their culture, with it’s exquisite Hindu temples, cuisine, and colorful garments - is visible throughout the land. Most of the people of Indian origin we interacted with, in Malaysia, were of 3rd or 4th generation residents of the country. They don’t know much about India, but are interested to be more aware of the present India.

The training was in the daytime, and almost every evening, we went to all the beautiful places of the Kuala Lumpur city. The KL Tower is one of the highest communication towers in the world. We dined at the roof-top ‘revolving’ restaurant. It keeps on revolving, and with the walls of glass, we get 360 degree views of the city from that height.

The Petronas Twin Towers, with a height of 1,453 feet, one of the world’s tallest buildings has great shopping malls on lower floors, and we dined at the McDonald’s restaurant. There are big shopping malls everywhere, though having come from India, I didn’t find the prices luring. One Malaysian Ringgit (RM) is equivalent to 12 Indian Rupees. And most of the articles were 2-3 times costlier than “Made in India” products, of the same brand and company. I bought several gift items for my loved ones at home, and at last I had to buy one more luggage bag, in order to accommodate all the shopping.

The Central Market is a center for the display of Malaysian culture, arts and crafts. We enjoyed playing Bowling one evening, and another evening we visited one sea food restaurant. We also dined at the former residence of Malaysian Prime Minister, which is now open for public bookings. The Chinese market and Times Square were also the places of visit. There are some South Indian markets as well, where all “Made in India” products were being sold. I noticed the price of one Britannia Milk Bikis of Rs 7/- in India, was priced MR 1.5 (Rs 18/-) there. Here we enjoyed the (South) Indian food like Dosa, and ‘Roti Chanai’ was my favorite there.

One warning for Indians: At several places they cook Chicken/Lamb/Beef on the same stove, and using the same utensils. And even the fast food like burgers may contain beef without mentioning on wrappers. So take care, and ask before taking. Also, there are prayer rooms (surau) in many public places. Don't enter one, thinking it's the rest-room!

We returned back by the same Malaysian Airlines flight. But the facilities provided were much better in KL-Kolkata flight, than the Kolkata-KL flight. I don't know why.

I made at least four Malaysian friends - Sasheen, Haris, Dhynna and Faizah are still in touch with me by emails. All the 18 participants are very well connected through Lotus notes email IDs, and frequently share our experiences. I returned back with loads of sweet memories… memories of the lifetime…