Why Udaipurites do not wear Helmet?

Published: June 18, 2013 | Last Updated: 18 June 2013 8:16 PM

I asked this question to a friend, he panicked and inquired back, “Challan thodi katna shuru hua? (Have they started imposing fine?)”. He relaxed when I said ‘no’.

Another one just smiled at the question and pointed towards his hair suggesting he didn’t want to ruin a Rs. 250 haircut he had had that morning. One of my office-mate was too lazy to wear one, “kya helmet-welmet!” was his reaction at the question (though he wears a stylish one now after purchasing his favourite sports bike).

Why am I writing about this boring issue? Because I saw two minor unreportable accidents before reaching my place last night; one in sector-4 and the other one near Surajpol. In one of them, a guy landed on his head. Luckily, he had worn a helmet. [Read more...]

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ICMS: Awakening Frankenstein

By Paloma Sharma

Published: June 13, 2013 | Last Updated: 13 June 2013 4:18 PM

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Google's transparency report for June-Dec 2012

Google’s transparency report for July-Dec 2012

ICMS, or Indian Central Monitoring System, has been implemented by the Government of India from April this year in a very hush-hush manner. Although most of us would be glad that the government actually managed to implement something, a whole bunch of cyber activists, freedom of speech crusaders (and emo teens who fill online private journals with their inner most feelings), have gotten their knickers in a mighty big twist.

ICMS, an ‘intelligence’ (yeah, right) initiative, is designed to make your dreams of entering the Big Boss house come true. While you may not get to be on national TV or rub shoulders with a movie star, you certainly will be watched 24×7. With the help of ICMS the Government of India has the means to tap your phone, read your text messages, go through your emails, your chat logs and even monitor your video calls; and you thought your parents were snoopy? [Read more...]

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Behaviour of a Jackal at a Leopard Kill

By Raza H. Tehsin

Published: June 5, 2013 | Last Updated: 05 June 2013 5:22 PM

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On March 2, 1990, I sat over a cow killed by a leopard in a ravine near Purohit-ji-ka-Talab, a small lake near Udaipur. The blind was 15m from the kill and I took up my position in the hide at 1530 hrs.

After the lapse of an hour I heard the alarm call of langur and 15 minutes later I saw a leopard descending on my right into the ravine. Probably it noticed the unnatural construction near the kill and sensed some danger.

It stopped about 100m from me, almost concealed behind some bushes. After some time it rose, took a long detour around the hide and took up its position about 40m from the hide. Only the tail of the leopard was visible from my position. Here the terrain was undulating and strewn with boulders and thick bushes. It was comparatively flat with a few bushes towards my left. [Read more...]

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Wild Life

[Movie Review] Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani: Life, Dreams and Kabiraa

By Vajrasar Goswami

Published: May 31, 2013 | Last Updated: 31 May 2013 7:10 PM

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Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Kalki Koechlin and Aditya Roy Kapoor
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Genre: Drama, Romance
Rating: 3.5/5
Movie Reviewed At: INOX Cinema, Lake City Mall

There are not many movies in Bollywood that make you pause a while and think on how you should live – should it be the usual way everybody lives or the way your close ones expect you to live or your very own personal way? ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’ asks you the same and impacts you, concluding with something to ponder upon.

Ayan Mukerji directed ‘Wake Up Sid’ where he used Ranbir Kapoor with wit to portray the youthful boy next door ‘Sid’ and this time, once again he used Ranbir with equal amazement to cater the role of wild and flirty ‘Bunny’ or Kabir Thappar if you may. [Read more...]

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International Day for Biodiversity: Common is not so common

By Dr. Satya Prakash Mehra

Published: May 22, 2013 | Last Updated: 22 May 2013 5:03 PM

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kingfisher

Undoubtedly, the Nature created the beautiful planet in the Universe in form of EARTH. The complex evolutionary process of life and the evolution of most complex species – Humans, further, enriched the planet with the wisdom of safeguarding and protecting the creations with motherly attitude.

History, revealed that the “Super Species” HUMANS maintained a strong relationship with all the creatures for a long period. But suddenly in the Modern Era, the bonding lost its strength in front of human-centric development which continued till date.

In the second half of the twentieth century, several initiative were undertaken by the then developed nations to safeguard the environment for the sake of survival of humans which resulted into the day celebrations.

Thus, to create mass awareness and encouraging common man to take the ownership of the issue, the Global Community under the United Nations listed several occasions to be recognized as International Days for particular issue. [Read more...]

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Akshay Tritiya: How we have made farce of the Auspicious Day

By Gaurav Bhandari

Published: May 13, 2013 | Last Updated: 13 May 2013 4:12 PM

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akshay-tritiya

God made religion so that people can live in harmony and attain inner peace. People derived rituals out of the religions as per their interests and choice. And, the crowd followed these rituals blindly.

One of the examples of blindly followed ritual is ‘buy gold on Akshay Tritiya’ without knowing what the day is all about.

Akshay Tritiya is one of the most auspicious days to perform all the good karmas- donation, yagya, fast etc. It is also considered a favorable occasion to start any new business, work, relationship on this day. [Read more...]

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My One Thousand Days with UT

By Sayeed Ahmed

Published: May 13, 2013 | Last Updated: 13 May 2013 4:19 PM

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It has been close to one thousand days since I started working with UT (Udaipurtimes.com), this duration though sounds very huge, passed as if it was a matter of a week or a month. I had never thought that I would be able to survive for such long period, but I was very much sure of the fact that the job I am appointed for will give me absolutely new tasks in days to come.

In the past three years I had a close glance over what is actually called struggling, although struggle is never over but the difference between those days is merely of a level. [Read more...]

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[Poetry] I Love You Maa

By Rithvi Somani

Published: May 12, 2013 | Last Updated: 12 May 2013 11:04 AM

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Maa (Mother) a combination of all care and affection, she is a mirror to a child and personification of love.

Maa, an attribute to gracefulness..MAA …meri MAA pyari MAA.

I think more than a boy, a girl finds friends in her.MAA in all roller coaster rides of world, you are the one who stands beside me & says enjoy all ups & downs of life.

I personally feel that making one day special for your MAA doesn’t pays up for the days she has suffered for you & made you feel the best in you …so today seeing my mother I dedicate this poem to all mother daughter relationship…..love you MAA. [Read more...]

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Mother, Oh Mother!

By Arunabh Mitter

Published: May 12, 2013 | Last Updated: 12 May 2013 10:15 AM

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Just the beginning of May and my mailbox is already getting bombarded by mails from companies that are advising me on how to make my mother feel special on the occasion of Mother’s Day (12th May).. A wonderful gift along with a bouquet or a cake with a wonderful card, would probably be it, I am suggested.. Really??

Mother, for most of us, happens to be our first “friend, philosopher, guide and more”, our first support system, the Angel, whose face we usually see and register first as we open our eyes to start our journey of life. She is the person who bears the maximum pain, be it child birth or compromises that she makes, so that we gain the utmost as we try to live and realize our dreams and hers as well. [Read more...]

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Flying Cars and Robots till 2050? Embrace yourself for much more

By Gaurav Bhandari

Published: May 11, 2013 | Last Updated: 11 May 2013 5:35 PM

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Flying-car

I was sitting with my roommate and scrolling through the TV channels when this godforsaken movie ‘Love Story 2050′ appeared for a moment.There were some scenes in which cars were flying; apparently they were showing 2050 AD. Friend snapped, “They show just anything and want us to believe it. Flying cars. Ha”. I didn’t reply and forgot the comment the moment I saw ‘Andaaz Apna Apna’ playing at another channel.

I would not have written this piece if I had not read a news a couple of days back in Economic Times about an American company Terrafugia which seems to have succeeded in making an automatic flying car.Published along with the news was a photograph of the car which reminded me of my friend’s comment and took me to contemplate my 26 years of journey called life. (Please keep reading, it was first and last philosophical cliche I have used in this piece. I promise, there is no more)
[Read more...]

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