| Its that time
of the year again folks! A long break from everyday routine work is
just round the corner. Have you made plans for your chutti yet? Or are you still
wondering what to do...just like me.  Hey, but I do
know that I have had enough of home and its daily dose of problems. The power cuts,the
traffic jams, the water shortage...the list can really go on and on...
Do you feel the same way? If you do, and
if you are just rear-ing to explore new places and to feast your eyes on India— our
country that changes colour (like a chameleon!) at every turn—then this issue of Gobar
Times is absolutely what you needed.
We want this year’s holiday to be
one that you have never experienced before. Because this time Panditji will
be your travel guide.
Oh he has made these journeys many times
in the past. And everytime he has picked up some fascinating new detail, met some
interest-ing local characters that have made each of his trips a really special one.
We urged him to put it all down for the
Gobar Times readers. So here are snapshots of Panditji’s 50 years as a tourist. |
|
Let’s go...
The mighty Himalayas. The beauty of its distant snow
capped ranges is awesome. But as Panditji looks around where he stands, the magic
disappears. Hey, what happened to the hills? They look brown and barren. And the place is
teeming with tourists. Panditji has just been told that there is not enough water to go
around. So it is being rationed. He wants to know more. He talks to Mr. Verghese who runs
a chai shop here. Let’s see what he has to say.
In the mountains you will see lots of barren hills. Scarred and eroded! They look like
giant anthills. These were once covered by dense forests. The trees have gone now. We cut
trees to make roads. We cut them for wooden furniture. And we don’t just stop at
cutting trees; we also cut out the land beneath them! |
