THE TULU LANGUAGE AND MYSELF

The Tulu language is widely spoken in the city of Mangalore and around and is unique in many ways but to my understanding has no script. Tulu is also spoken in the place called Shringeri and in many other pockets around this place. The language of Tulu must have been spoken widely in the erstwhile Tulunad which to my understanding extended from the Chandragiri river near Kasargod of today and extended some fifty kilometres northward.

My first tryst with this language was in the room B-315 of REC hostels where two of my room mates Jerald Harry Dsouza from Kinnigoli and Srinath Shetty from Shirva Manchakkal used to talk and sometimes argue in this language and I was hell-bent at learning it.Though Iam not a very fluent speaker of this language but can manage to some extent.

To my understating everything must be done to preserve this language and the local Govt. must take steps to encourage this language that for some strange reason it does not become extinct. It is unique in many ways and its identity as an independent language must be fully preserved.

THE MALAMPUZHA DAM NEAR PALGHAT

Malampuzha is to Palghat/Palakkad what Brindavan gardens and KRS is to Mysore.At this place the river is damned and in the downstream is a park similar to Brindavan gardens. Malampuzha is some half an hour drive from Palakkad.

If we were to compare Brindavan gardens with Malampuzha,Malampuzha is a smaller outfit some one third to Brindavan gardens with  similar elegance. This is a place worth visiting once which is in the foot hill of the Western Ghat mountains.

One key aspect here is the ropeway which carries tourists over a circular route of some two kilometers over-seeing the entire stretch of mountains ,the dam and the river.Whenever you embark to use the ropeway do so with adequate planning and if one is too young or too old avoid the rope way for safety reasons. The ropeway could be some 500ft above the ground and there is a stair case that leads to it with highly trained staff handling the operations. but involves some physical juggling from the part of the tourist. 

DOG DEATHS ON ROADS

Speeding vehicles run over dogs every day across the stretches of roads and highways of our country which is a distressing phenomenon; from small roads to highways this phenomenon exists.

Recently I was travelling to Puttaparthi, on two instances small puppies were seen crossing the road and the driver of the KSRTC bus was considerate in stopping the bus to let the pup pass.

Dogs cross busy roads in distress and confusion trying to bolt across the road landing up being over-run; a tragic phenomena. Recently a very amusing thing happened. A fully grown dog was standing beside me very confused to cross the road.I requested some damsels near-by to help the dog cross the road which they did.What the dog did on crossing the road left me speechless. It was wagging its tail and jumping in joy near the damsels so as to say Thank-You.

Some solution for this problem must be found at all levels. This menace for all practical purposes does not exist on the Bangalore-Mysore Express-Way because the road is fenced on both sides. National Highways Authority of India and other departments must find some comprehensive solutions.One of it would be to build conduits under the road for dogs to pass involving all forms of roads negating the need for dogs to bolt across roads.

Some brainstorming might be needed at all levels across the country to prevent this un-warranted incidents on our roads. International institutions can give us inputs as to how this issue can be tackled.

AMERICAN PRESIDENTS

 

KSRTC BUS STATION AT HASSAN

 

Hassan  is a key town in the state of Karnataka and is a transit point to places like Mangalore and is some four hours journey from Bengaluru. Modern day Hassan is a major township. Decades ago I had visited a place called Holenarsipura which is near Hassan and Hassan has many scientific and educational institutions.

The key aspect today is the exquisite KSRTC bus stand which is of splendid design. It uses the "OPEN DESIGN" model of bus stations with platforms on either side with ample parking and seating spaces. Designers of  Govt. bus stations around the country can have a look at the Hassan bus station and incorporate its attributes when they design Bus Stations.

LEG BYE CARTOON

 

GHAZAL HUM TERE SHAHAR ME AYE HAI MUZAFIR KI TARAH