SOCIAL NETWORKING AND LIFE

I would like to share my views and experience about social networking...
There are many incidents I want to share....this is just one of those...

A few months back I was planning to give IBSAT...icfai entrance exam...so i logged into orkut..and searched for ibsat...I could get all the details regarding IBSAT from the icfai community...I interacted with the icfai ex- students they told me about the exams...

Next was the results..and the call later...we were supposed to go Hyderabad for our Micro presentation and Interviews..

By Orkut.com...I was able to know which student is coming from which city...which college...what background...how they look...whats their age...which topic they were going to speak on...what was the content of their topic...what was their date of interview ...

thats not the end..

I also came to know their mode of transport...the hotel they were going to stay in...the dress they were going to wear...

All this ...well in advance ...just by the power of social networking website - Orkut !

I believe from one way its good...but from the other side..its not good as the CURIOSITY just vanishes away....

The curiosity which I used to have earlier before visiting any new place is all gone..Now i know everything well in advance..!!

I will be joining IBS -BAGALORE from 1st may...but see the effect of social networking..I have already chatted with about 150 students out of the 400 students about to join the campus...

I have come to know A to Z of the Campus..the food..the hostels..the flats..the area...the internet facilities..the pubs ...faculties...all just by interacting with the Seniors...

Who needs a broker ?? We can get it direct from Orkut..many brokers have joined the icfai community to earn money..by giving leads of various flats with rates..and no surprises left ! they have even uploaded the pictures of each and every flat with a 360 degree view !!!

I think nothing is left to know now...I havent visited bangalore ever since past 10 years...but with the help of orkut...now I know each n everything about the city...Thanks to the Communities such as Bangalore food junctins...Bangalore City...etc etc...

Apart from social networking there is something more to add spice in this game..
with sites like wikimapia I also saw my campus..and its near by places ...

And google Earth helped me calculate all the distances...Right from VASTRAPUR to ICFAI BANGALORE !!..from airport to my hostel...from station to my auntys home..and what not..

A day is going to come soon..when everyone would be knowing the next person on road...

The Charm of 1st day of College is not going to be so Vibrant as it could have been if there was no orkut today ...

Whatever I wrote above is not just with my college..today this is the situation for all colleges...Every Student is doing the same thing ..be it IIT ..NIT...MICA...NIRMA...NID...or apna PT !! ..

Now thats what I call Social Networking Effect !!

EXPRESSWAYS IN INDIA

I have always been fond of traveling.But hardly I get any road where I could test my cars performance..


One such road is the Mumbai - Pune Express highway.Amazing landscape.The road passes through the western ghats.Its a six lane expressway.Its very busy but the scenic view keeps the drive peaceful.We get to pass by from 4 to 5 tunnels, bridges, sharp turns.In the mid way you could escape out to Lonavala too - A hill station




Ahmedabad - Baroda Expressway:

This expressway connects the twin cities Ahmedabad - Baroda in Gujarat.Total length is approximately 90 kms.Its coded as NE-1.
Its a four lane expressway with a much low traffic than it should have been.The reason behind low traffic is another parallel highway connecting these cities.

The highway has 2 exits at Anand and Nadiad. It has an accident helpline number too.The highway passes by the farm lands on both sides.Many times animals like cows and dogs enter into the expressway. In the past many accidents have happened at this expressway.

Please carry enough fuel as you wont find many fuel stations on this highway.Plus also do carry a spare air filled tyre. In case of a puncture you may have a tough time as there is just 1 shop which repairs tyre on this expressway.

Happy journey !

Patang - Revolving restaurant

Patang - The revolving restaurant.

Patang is a Gujarati as well as Hindi word which means " kite "

This restaurant is located in Ahmedabad.

Looks really stunning and gives a 360 Degree view of Ahmedabad.Its the tallest structure of Gujarat.

But the restaurant offers only Vegetarian food.

This restaurant was shut down for about 6 years after a massive earthquake in the year 2001.The Restaurant was re-launched in 2007.

The Patang restaurant isnt safe enough too.Its structure is not safe because the kitchen is located below the dining area.Which mean if there is any fire in the kitchen its going to cause a big disaster, as there is no way to escape.Even the stairs are not wide enough for exit.

So this is one place where you get a breath taking view and at the same time your life is on the verge of losing your breath !

Ahmedabad - Megacity with Mega problems

Ahmedabad is the unofficial capital of Gujarat.

The city doesnt specialize into anything to have its own identity like Bangalore is for IT, Surat is for Diamonds.

Ahmedabad has grown a lot in terms of size of the city and population as well.The city has got a lot of market space.Ahmedabad is basically a city for the businessmen.

Ahmedabad houses the top educational institutes of the country.

IIM,
NID,
CEPT,
DA-IICT,
MICA,
NIRMA,
EDI,
PRL ... and many more.

The major problem with Ahmedabad was its people. Probably the worst civic sense even by Indian standards.

The entire city is highly money-minded.They can do anything and everything to earn money.This is the typical mentality of common man in Ahmedabad.

The city is user-friendly.And yes its safe as well compared to other Indian cities.

Till 2006, Ahmedabad was not having good Infrastructure.Airport lacked facilities, Roads were not upto the mark, No flyovers, No good transportation facility as well.

But suddenly in the year 2007, Ahmedabad started to change.

But still what makes a city lively is its people, which would take decades to change.

Gujarati thali

Gujarati thali - What does it mean ?

Well this is a typical cuisine of Gujarat - a State in India.

You get a fixed meal with fixed menu at a fixed rate.

The best part of this kind of meal is you can eat " Unlimited " whatever is available in the menu.
The menu keeps on changing daily.
Usually the food is very oily and a hint of sweetness in almost each and every food item.
Prices range from 25 to 500 rupees. Average price in Ahmedabad of reputed Gujarat thali restaurant is about 70 to 80 rupees.
Its a nice experience to eat this kind of cuisine.Do try it out once in you lifetime.Its more of enjoying the way of presenting the cuisine rather than eating the food !

Surat

Surat - Rising like a phoenix.

Surat is one such city which has got that fighting spirit in itself.The city has got a big bunch of dynamic, enthusiastic people.

The city is basically famous for its diamond industry and textile hub.

The city has been ranked as No.1 destination in India to earn Money.

According to a U.N.Survey , Surat is Worlds fastest Growing City.

Its one of the most Cleanest cities of India.

Surat has the highest GDP growth rate in India i.e 11.5 %

Surat is famous for its cuisines as well....

I have seen almost all the top 20 cities of India...but believe me nothing like SURAT....surat is not much famous...but the spirit which i have seen in this city is just mind blowing...be it any condition they are always ready to take the challenge...this was best seen during the mamoth floods of 2006 when surat was dipped 95% in water...One of the worst floods ever in the history of India...Surat's diamond and Textile industry were shattered..but just within few weeks the city was back in track...all this without any support frm media, central government...Surat stood on its own feet unlike mumbai which got support frm the entire nation...

Mumbai and Surat have always been rivals to each other....since the time of British Rule...Surat was not alloted an airport till 2007...just due to cheap politics..politicians, traders knew if surat gets an airport it will harm the economy of mumbai ..but after years of struggle..surat finally managed to get an Airport in may 2007...

Surat is probably the richest city of India..a survey in 2008 revealed that surat families have the richest household income in India...this can be seen even in real life when u visit the city...porsche, audi , bmw are very common here...the Diamond and Textile business has filled the pockets of people here with tons of Cash...

Surat nu jaman ...kaashi nu maran.. This is a gujarati phrase..which means... " if you wanna die go to kashi ( an auspicious place ) and if you wanna eat food come to surat ."
Surat is very famous for its cuisine...Locha , khamani, udhyu, poke etc are just a few of the famous surti cuisines...

The cleanest city ....WEll way back in 1994 surat was the Dirtiest city of India...it was hit by plague...many people died and thousands suffered..a deadly disease which is caused by rats due to unclean environment...The then mayor of Surat....SSR Rao...took a rapid force action to clean the entire city..and this worked out..With some master plans..a team of sweapers..and various machines...surat was transformed to India's Cleanest city...and this can be seen today also...Every night the team of cleaners...swipe the roads of the city...their r dustbins every 100 meters in Surat...The city roads are too clean...Roads are cleaned using various disinfectants and utmost care...