Trip to Sikkim - Namchi - Pelling - Darjeeling

Wake up from your bed and you are awestruck by the breathtaking view of the mighty Kanchenjunga from your balcony door. Wondering where this is?

This is Pelling and we were on a week-long trip to Gangtok, Pelling and Darjeeling. One can get a glimpse of the mighty Kanchenjunga's snow laden peaks from all these locations, but a much closer view of all the 4 peaks fills your eyes and heart, as you travel with them in Pelling.

We started our journey from Chennai and landed in Bagdogra airport in West Bengal, which is supposed to be the closest to Gangtok. It takes around 6 hrs travel from Bagdogra to Gangtok and most of your travel would be on bumpy roads. Teesta river flows all through the way covering Sikkim and West Bengal. The roads are completely damaged after the recent floods there. Mind you, if you have travel sickness, especially in hilly terrains, be prepared with imli candies or whatever that could save you from giddiness and throwing up. Welcome to the roller coaster ride in the hilly state of Sikkim for the next few days.

This is the month of December and the sun sets much earlier. It gets pitch dark at 5 PM and it seems like 8 PM. As you travel from plains to hills, a cold wave runs through your spine indicating that you have reached Gangtok. Shockingly, the hotel rooms were not equipped with heaters and we were given only a blower which was not sufficient for the room size. Notwithstanding the cold, we got ourselves into the duvet until we felt warmer.

Travel in Sikkim:

90% of Sikkim’s revenue is from tourism and only 10% goes for Farming and other industries. Needless to say, there are lot of travel agencies and you can pre-book any travel package based on the number of days and places to visit. Their itineraries are fixed and they hardly give an option to customize it for your needs. We decided to book cabs after reaching Gangtok. We inquired the same travel agency after reaching there and that was way cheaper than the quotation they gave for pre- booking. But we could not do much about the itinerary and most of the time ended up following whatever package they suggested. A request for small deviation in the route would mean shelling out an extra 1000 bucks.

Basic Hindi knowledge is a must to communicate with the drivers. Most of the drivers don’t speak English, though they claim to understand English.

Day tour of Sikkim:

The next day, we set out on a Gangtok Day trip. We visited a small flower garden, Sikkim Ropeway followed by Do-Drul-Charten Monastery. All through Sikkim, one can find Buddhist monasteries. These monasteries are abode for the monks who stay there and maintain the temples. This is relatively new monastery and paintings of all different deities adorn the walls. There is a huge stupa which stands tall in front of the monastery.

One can get a glimpse of the entire Gangtok from the Ropeway, which runs for few 100 metres. You can also see the river Teesta flowing below. It was an enthralling ride.

Banjakhri falls is another main attraction in Gangtok. Though not a majestic waterfall, this water fall is a picturesque location that is maintained well to click selfies for your profile. Adventure lovers can engage in activities like rock climbing, zip line and rope walk here. The weather was around 14 degrees during day. But we felt blissful as the sun rays showered us with the much longing warmth amidst the chill weather. It is most comfortable to travel between 11 am to 2 pm due to the sun and it starts getting colder beyond that time

Our first attempt to view Kanchenjunga was from Tashi View Point in Gangtok. It was cloudy and we were disappointed, as we could hardly see the mountains.

Monasteries in Sikkim:

There are lot of old and new monasteries in and around Sikkim, in all sizes. If you think that these temples would house only Buddha idols and his teachings and principles, you are wrong. These temples have adopted the Tibetan culture of Buddhism. According to them, Padmasambhava Is the Guru or God and all other deities including Buddha (who they call as Sakyamuni) are manifestations of Him. The deities are categorized as Protectors and Destroyers. Few of the paintings also portray Shiva and Vishnu, which are visible from the tiger skin and lotus.

The prayers are inscribed onto cylinder like structures, which are found in different sizes around the main hall. It is believed that rotating them clockwise would bring good fortune.

Day 2 – Most Awaited Changu lake and Nathula Pass:

Changu lake (meaning silent lake) or Tsangmo lake is around 40 Kms from Gangtok and it is on the way to Nathula Pass. Due to heavy traffic all along, it took around 3 hrs to reach Nathula safely after passing through sharps turns, uneven road surfaces and lack of barriers. On the way, we stopped at a location and we all stood spellbound at the first clear sight of the snow laden peaks of the Kanchenjunga, the third highest in the World. It was a celestial view that lifted up my spirit and energy levels.

We headed to Baba Harbhajan Singh Mandir first on the way to Nathula. The story of Baba is  really strange. Harbhajan Singh was a valiant soldier who guarded the border single-handedly during the Indo – China war. As it was an unexpected attack by China, it took 21 hrs for the Border Security Force to reach the location and Harbhajan Singh managed the attack of the Chinese till then by moving from one location to another and firing the opponents. He eventually was shot dead by the Chinese. The local people considered him to be a God who saved their lives and have built a temple in his memory.

On reaching Nathula, we realized that we are at whopping 15,000 ft above sea level at this zone. Along with the chillness, altitude sickness kicked in and we felt slightly dizzy due to low oxygen levels. Camphor breathing and deep breathing came in handy to get over the breathlessness. From car parking, we had to climb around 100 stairs to get a sight of the Indo-China border. It was a wow moment when we finally reached there, as China is just a stone throw away. The area is completely under control of the Border Security Force and a huge tall Iron gate separates India from China. As crowd was thronging India side, we could hardly sight anyone from China side. It seemed to be like a deserted building. It was a scenic view but we are not allowed to take photographs.

We then set out to Tsangmo lake. My daughter was super excited, as she saw snow for the first time. It is only mid December and there had been only one snow fall so far. There were only patches of snow but the lake looked strikingly beautiful with the partly frozen lake amidst the snow covered mountains. It was scary to see that O2 cans being sold at the counter but the ride was simply exciting. The rope way at the lake takes you to the mountain top (around 12000 ft above sea level) and there were amazing view of the lake and the Kanchenjunga from the top. No wonder honeymoon couples throng the location, as the cold weather and the scenic mountains and lakes makes it the ideal spot for honeymoon.

Food in Gangtok:

The most popular food in Gangtok is momos. If you don’t like the regular thali, you can still survive by eating momos. There are lot of varieties like chilly momos, fried momos, chicken momos etc.. yet a simple veg momos is simply lavishing in taste. A regular thali has rice, dal (watery) and 2 curries , mostly Gobi, Aloo or spinach like greens. Thupka is another common food, which is nothing but soupy noodles filled with lot of veggies.  Roti Subzi and fried rice are also easily available in any eateries. You can choose small eateries which serve simple homemade food instead of big restaurants.

Day 3 : To Pelling via Namchi

Third day drive, I felt the travel was quite comfortable. Not that the roads were good and plain. I got adopted to the ascent and descent of the drive in hilly terrains. We went to Pelling, a hill station in Gyalshing district of Sikkim via Namchi, a small town. Magnificient statues of Char Dham Shiva and Samdruptse Padmasambhava (According to Tibetan Buddhism, Buddha is considered to be his manifestation) stand tall in the 2 hills facing each other.  These man-made marvels could be seen from anywhere in Namchi. Samdruptse houses idol of the God with 1000 hands and many faces. Buddha idols and paintings adorn the walls.

Char Dham was built much later with the towering statue of Shiva much taller than Padmasambhava. One could see the temples architects from all over India depicted here including Gopuram of Tamil nadu. You can get the virtue of visiting 12 Jyorthirlingams Dharshan, all in a single place.

 

 

 

 

Day 4 : Pelling Trip and Heading to Darjeeling:

I woke up from my bed in Pelling hotel room and was astounded by the much closer view of Kanchenjunga from our balcony. After enjoying the view, we started for Kanchenjunga falls. As the driver said that it was not season time, we expected there would be less
water. It was a pleasant surprise to view the water gushing down from the hills with a thundering noise. As It was a pretty warm day, the sun rays fell on the water fall and the rainbow background added to the beauty of the waterfall. As this waterfall is not usually included in the usual package, there was hardly anyone there. As this is a perennial waterfall, this is a place not to be missed in all seasons.

Have you ever tasted pure orange juice from freshly plucked oranges and got to drink it amidst orange trees? We relished the juice in the Pelling orange garden which is along the bank of a river. After buying fresh oranges, we started for Skywalk, which is the most popular location in Pelling. It is a Glass bridge and as you walk on it, you can realize that it is a blend of natural and man-made beauty. One side, you can immerse yourself in the picturesque closer view of Kanchenjunga and other peaks and valleys surrounding it.

Other side is the mighty statue of Buddha and the magnificent multi-storied halls and paintings that decorated the walls. True to its name, it was a real Skywalk with a paradisaical view.

There are lot of monasteries in Sikkim but many have been built recently. Among the oldest and largest monasteries is the Pemayangtse monastery. It has multiple floors. Apart from idols, it also houses a museum. The museum has artifacts from Rabdentse ruins , which was the former capital of Sikkim. We initially thought that we walk to the Rabdentse ruins from the monastery. Though it is close by, there is no walk way. To reach the ruins, we had to trek for a Km through the forest way from the Sidkeong Tulku Bird’s park entrance. Rabdentse was the second capital of the former Kingdom of Sikkim from 1670 to 1814. The capital city was destroyed by the invading Gurkha army and only the ruins of the palace and the Chortens are seen here now.

We waved good bye to the scenic town of Pelling and started towards Darjeeling. Heavy traffic and narrow roads indicated that we reached the commercial city of Darjeeling.

Day 5: Darjeeling day trip:

After good rest that night, we had to leave early in the morning at 4 am to go to Tiger Hill. Sunrise view at Tiger Hills is quite popular and people throng here not just to view the sunrise but for the spectacular view of Kanchenjunga which shines in Golden colour with the sun’s reflection. Unfortunately, we could not get the view that day due to clouds. We were a bit disappointed as the 2 hour wait in the shivering cold became fruitless.Then on the way to the hotel we visited Ghoom Monastery and Batasia loop. Ghoom Monastery seems to follow Indian Buddhism and hence we get to see Buddha as the main deity and not Padma Sambhava as in Tibetan Buddhism.

After refreshing and breakfast, we set out for a day trip of Darjeeling and visited the Tea Gardens from where on can see Namchi's Char Dham and Samdruptse statues. Then before lunch we saw the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, where we could see Himalayan animals like Red Panda and then had a visit to Japanese Peace Pagoda.

Finally, we got to do some shopping in the high streets of Darjeeling, as it was only a walkable distance from the hotel.

Day 6: To Bagdogra Return to Chennai

It takes around 3 hrs from Darjeeling to Bagdogra. Unlike the onward flight journey which was exciting and filled with expectations, this was tough. Thinking of getting back to routine life after a week of amazing traveling experience was hard to digest. But the celestial energy from the snow covered Kanchenjunga remains in my heart and replenishes me whenever I feel low.

Best time to visit Sikkim :

Best time to visit Sikkim is from Mar to June, though I felt visit in mid December was also a good experience. Snow starts here only from Nov end and only by Jan , most of the places would be covered by Snow , especially Tsangmo lake looks fabulous with its frozen lake surrounded by Snow laden mountains. The snow remains for the next few months but the weather becomes warmer. Hence Mar to June is considered the best time to visit.  Apart from the above places that we visited, Kalimpong is another must visit place, where there is Teesta river rafting, which many tourists have appreciated.

Tips for inculcating reading habit among children

Dumbfounded was I, when I observed a 4 year old child moving his fingers at a fast pace like Michael Jackson’s dance movements, while playing with a smart phone game. Children need either a micro (phone), mini (tab) or mega screens (TV) for their recreations. Gadgets have become inseparable from them, especially during holidays. 

Those days before the advent of satellite TV and other gadgets, children spend their time either playing outdoors or reading books. Any holiday home works or essays to be written, their only source of reference were books. But books were not easily accessible. Parents could not afford to buy books other than their academics. There were very few libraries. Schools hardly had libraries of their own.

Now the trend has changed.. Those children who yearned for books have become parents now. So  they want to give their children what they could not easily access. They are ready to buy books for their children. Lot of books with attractive illustrations for children of all age groups starting from 

0 yrs are getting published. Private libraries and online libraries have sprung up in many places. Unfortunately most of the children are reluctant to read mainly because of gadget addictions.

Here are few thoughts that could inculcate reading habit among children

 

·         Bed Time Stories – Bed time stories are the best way to stimulate interest in stories for children. Children irrespective of age could be told a story before they go to bed. As they grow up, they can read on their own and in fact tell a story to their siblings.

·         Start Early - ‘Aindhil Vilayaadhadhu Aimbadhil Vilayaadhu’  goes a Tamil saying meaning, what is not taught at the age of 5 cannot be taught at 50. So reading habit should start at an early age. Make it interesting through games like "I Spy" where children have to find words starting with a particular letter from a picture book. Children also get fascinated with "Touch and Feel Books" , books with colorful pictures, Stickers and Activity books.

·         Be a Trend Setter – Children practice what they observe. If they watch their parents sticking to phone or laptop, they also develop interest only in gadgets. Try to reduce gadgets usage at least when your kids are around. If they observe you reading books, they would also replicate you.

·         Library Visits – Make it a practice to visit library regularly at least once a week. The library ambience will create interest in books for children.

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       Morals – Choose books that teach good morals and discipline for children. For instance "bubbles" books teach good morals through stories.

·         Knowledge is for Knowledge sake – The World revolves around money.  As parents, we have the responsibility to motivate children to read good literature in Tamil and English. Insist on reading for knowledge and not just for marks. Marks will naturally follow.

Just like music, a good book brims your heart with pleasure. 

We do not want our children to be just wealthy citizens, we want them to be good citizens as well. Don’t we?

A brief history of Kashmir!

Recently read a few scholarly and a few “not so” scholarly articles on the Kashmir issue. In the “not so” scholarly articles and across the web there are several articles that contradict each other a lot. These prompted me to write this blog.

A clarity that has to be brought to this issue is that Kashmir was not part of India in 1947, as it was not part of British India. Maharaja Hari Singh, the then monarch of Kashmir, to escape the atrocities of Pathans requested India to interfere through a Letter to Lord Mountbatten, the Governor General of that time. You can find that letter here. When Mountbatten used that opportunity to demand the Maharaja to annex Kashmir to the Indian Union (letter here), the then Indian Prime Minister, left it to the people of Kashmir to decide (letter here) and till date they are undecided. You can find a lot of transcripts in this website and in this page.

After the war in 1947 that lasted for just 3 months, in which the Indian troops drove away the Pathans (supported by Pak army), India requested UN’s intervention and the world community to understand the ulterior motives of the then leaders of our neighborhood country and help to establish peace in Kashmir. This is re-iterated in this letter to the Security Council. So India never had an intention to bring Kashmir into Indian Union by force. The question that lingers in most of the Indian minds is resonated in this article in Quora.com - Why did India gave back POK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir) even after winning the war with Pakistan? You can read various perceptions in these answers, if you ignore some silly ones. In multiple wars that followed, we kept the promise of respecting peace in the valley and we do so even now, by conducting fair (?) elections. 

Unfortunately no other country in the world had really had any interest, neither in the peace of Kashmir valley nor in respecting the sovereignty of that princely state. Whether this first war in 1947 or the subsequent wars, we always respected the sovereignty of the Kashmir state and expected same from the international forces of that time and the UNO. However they did not think in the same way. Read this account of an American on the 1965 war and the comment by Roger at the bottom. An interesting read.

Personally, I really don’t bother whether Kashmir is in India or stays independent. It’s up to the people of Kashmir to decide and the world should respect that decision. It can be a Switzerland of Asia, if the neighborhood nations cooperate and the people of Kashmir have the ability and courage to decide.

Teach Maths the right way - II (Fractions, decimals and Percentage)

 Past week has been a real nightmare for me. Guess what? I was trying to teach fractions, decimals and percentages to my 5th grade son. Hope it the same with many other parents. 'Maths for Mums and Dads' book came to my rescue again. I just flipped through the pages but devised more ideas of my own and got few from my sister who is a Maths teacher.

Problem lies with parents. We always teach Maths only with the text book in hand and make children work out Maths with a paper and pen. Isn't it boring for children? Be it any word problem, the first thing that springs up in a child's mind is to think of whether the numbers have to be added, subtracted or multiplied without thinking of a logical solution. He does not understand 50% of 120 is just 60 and ends up with a tedious calculation of 50/100 * 120 .

Yesterday, my son added 1290 and 158.56 and gave the result as 171.46. As there was no decimal place in 1290 , he just kept a decimal point after 2 digits and added it up. If he had thought logically as to how could addition yield a smaller result, he would not have given such an answer. Paper and pen cripples the child's thought process.
Unlike other subjects, Maths is part of our daily life. We use Maths while cooking, shopping, dining outside, playing, partying and even when we travel. Then why teach it separately? Let Children learn Maths in a fun way.

Teach fractions through food. When distributing a chocolate bar among family members, ask the child what is his share. For ex. if a chocolate bar has 12 pieces and there are 12 people, the child would be able to tell that each one's share is one twelfth, i.e 1/12. So she understands fraction is nothing but division. If the same chocolate bar has to be distributed to 15 people, then it becomes 1/15. Hence the understanding that 1/15 is less than 1/12 automatically creeps up in his mind, as she gets less share than before.

When walking to a shop, ask the distance of the shop with reference to the bus stop. Suppose, bus stop is 3 kms from your house and the shop is 1 km from your house, then the shop is in 1/3rd distance with reference to the bus stop. So it is 1/3 of 3 kms , which is 1 Km. Understanding concepts will remain in their memory forever rather than practicing more exercise problems. However large numbers have to be worked out but it becomes easier if the underlying concept is clear.

Once the child understands fractions, then decimals is like a cake walk. Decimals is nothing but place value which is 1/10th, 1/100th etc. So, as in the example of adding a whole number with decimal number, a child would not get confused with 10th and 1/10th position. Allowing the child to go for small shopping and to ask him to get the correct change would also help in learning decimals. If an egg costs 3.5 , what is the cost of 8 eggs?

Teaching Percentage is a real challenge. Though in curriculum, a child learns percentage in grade 5, it starts from the stage when the child scores marks for his class test. If he gets 5 on 10, he gets 50%. He also knows 50% is nothing but 1/2. Whenever your daughter comes up with her test results, ask her for her percentage. So it would not be anything new, when she comes across it in her subject. Best way to teach percentage is while buying clothes at a discounted price. A shirt costs Rs.800, there is discount of 20% , what is the shirt cost? You can even promise to buy him the shirt if he tells the correct price :-). He can always relate this example, when he has to do complex problems.

Eating out? A percentage of it gets added to the bill. Ask your son to tell the bill amount with the tax added. By the way, they also get to know that there is something called tax that is added to whatever things we buy or eat.

If you start thinking, you will get lot more real time problems.

My son did his math to tell me the bill price , when we ordered Pizza online. This time he came out with the correct answer, as he enjoyed doing it. If you like your son/daughter to enjoy it the same way, then teach maths the right way !!!

A breathtaking trip to Kolli hills

Are you a person who is fascinated by the thrilling, terrific rides in amusement parks? Then travel to Kolli hills is the right choice for you. With 70 hairpin bends to reach the hill top, the experience is nothing short of the giant roller coaster rides. Of course, the duration is longer, lasting 45 to 60 minutes.

Kolli hills is a small mountain range located in Namakkal district of Central Tamil Nadu. It is around 350 km from Chennai and 65 Km from Salem. Planning for a 2 days vacation getaway to a serene location that is not much commercialised by tourists , we started to Kolli hills from Chennai on a Friday morning by car. Though much smaller than Ooty/Kodaikanal , the winding ride to the mountain could evoke dizziness and nausea for anyone. Better to be prepared with some fizzy drinks/lemon. We reached the hill top around 1 pm and took rest for few hours after taking lunch in the restaurant attached to the resort. We started for sightseeing after sipping our evening tea enjoying the scenic beauty around.

Scenic View of Kolli from View Point

The Kolli View point is at few km distance from the resort. As it was almost twilight, we could get only glimpse of the wading sun beside the mountain. We felt as if the sun was red hot with anger and it tried to hide its face, as we got late. However, the misty mountains engulfed in canopy of green trees was a picturesque one. To get a better view of the never ending beauty of the towering mountains, we climbed on the watch tower. As darkness engulfed us, we returned back to the resort brimming with energy, capturing the scenery in both our eye and camera lens.

There are only a handful of resorts in kolli , as tourism has just picked up. We stayed in Nallathambi resort, which is ideal for a family stay. Though not a Posh one, it has all the basic facilities and is clean. Powered by solar water heaters, there is 24 hrs hot water supply.

Jack fruits 

You can wake up to see Jack fruits hanging, pepper climbers and red hibiscus and other beautiful flowers greeting u a good morning. What more is required than having a meals with home made touch in an open to sky environment with cool breeze and mild sun? As it is December., we expected the weather to be cold and packed up our winter clothes but the weather was neither cold nor hot but very pleasant.

The next day, we woke  up early and started for Arappaleeswarar temple, which is around 12 kms from the resort, It is an ancient small temple believed to have been built by Valvil Ori in the 1st or 2nd century. Though there has been lot of renovations since the time it was built , it did not lose its heritage and ancient glory. We could sense it as we stood in the main Karpagriha to pray the lord.

Agaya Ganga from a distance

Agaya Ganga

With blessings of lord Shiva, we proceeded to the majestic Agaya Ganga waterfalls. It is just a stone throw away from the temple. With full of energy to see the falls, we climbed down the 1000 steps. At about half the distance, we can hear the giant roar of the waterfall. Nearing the falls, you are sure to feel that it is worth the effort. With its rapid speed and height, it gives a feel of water falling from the sky justifying its name. But we cannot get closer to the fall as we get wet by the fall shower few metres before. It is nearly comparable to the famous Kutralam in Thenkasi. The view of Agaya Ganga amidst the mountain range and greeneries is breathtaking. It turned out to be actually breathtaking for me as I nearly passed out while climbing back. Probably, it is either because of the low oxygen levels at high altitude or because I climbed in empty stomach. So, make sure that you are in good health and carry essential glucose drinks to visit this majestic waterfall.

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Don't be disappointed that you could not take bath in Agaya Ganga. There are many other waterfalls in Kolli hills, among which is Masila falls.As Masila falls is wide and the water pace is relatively low, we can take bath in this fall. Hats off to Tamil Nadu tourism department , there are toilets, waiting rooms and children's play area in all the locations. There are also many temples in Kolli but as were short of time, we returned to the resort for lunch after visiting and worshiping Ettukai Amman temple.

Pepper Climber

Post lunch, we went to boat house. Pepper climbers lined up all through the way embracing the trees like lovers hugging each other closely. The boat house is small , yet it is very scenic with ferns and evergreen trees lining up its shore. Pedaling the boat, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery with cool breeze embracing us. There is also a children's park adjacent to the boat house.
We got refreshed to drive back to Chennai.

As Kolli hills is not commercialized like other hill stations, it still retains its natural beauty.  But in spite of the several sign boards, we could see plastics and bottles littered in some places threatening the survival of forest animals. Isn't it human beings' duty to preserve God's creations?

Encompassing magnificent waterfalls, ancient temples, boat house, botanical gardens, Kolli hills is a perfect hill station. No wonder, it is the top choice for nature lovers, trekking enthusiasts and meditation practitioners.

Android app updates requiring your approval

The following notification may look familiar to you, if you are using an Android phone/tablet.

"5 updates require your approval"



Be careful, when you see this.

This is actually a warning, though it does not use any warning icon to highlight this.

When it happens to you, just tap the notification to open your app list in Google Play. Tap each app (not the update button) and check the permission details that appear at the bottom. You'll see some of the permissions to be tagged as "New:" and may appear in a different colour than the existing permissions.

Review such permissions to understand whether that app actually requires that permission for the functionality it offers.

For example, an app that was publishing me auto news has now added additional permission to "read my contacts". I really doubt the intention in that case. Whatsoever, I do not want my contacts to be shared with this app. So I just avoided that update and planning to contact the developer to know the intention.

HOW TO: Make a cell into a Drop-down combo-box in MS-Excel – Part 3

In the first two articles, we saw how to make a simple combo box in an Excel Spreadsheet and how to manage a long list of values in such a drop-down combo, respectively. Now we will see how we can make a drop-down combo whose values dynamically change based on another drop-down's value - like a Category - Sub-Category pair.

HOW TO: MS-Excel - Create a Dependent or Dynamic Drop-down combo-box

Many times we will need to make a drop-down dynamically show a list of values based on the item chosen in another drop-down combo box. Say, vehicle "Model" dependent on "Make" - BMW makes 3 series as Merc produces C-class. So when a user selects BMW as "Make", he should see only 3-series, 5-series etc. in the model. This can only happen if the "Model" drop down is dynamically set, when an user chooses the "Make".

First lets start with a sample spreadsheet with two columns, "Category" and "Sub-category". 

In the last article we saw how to make named ranges. In the same way make a named range, say "Category" as below.

Lets create a Drop-down combo for Category as described in previous article.

"Category" drop-down is ready.

To create dynamically updated dependent drop-downs we need to have named list of sub-categories. So, lets create them.

As you can see the sub-categories were named with the main category item values (i.e.) Fruits, Cars, Cities etc. This is an absolute need.

To create a sub-category item we use the same method as for the "Category" - Data -> Data Validation -> Lists. However the change is in what we specify for the Source parameter. We use the "INDIRECT" function on the related "Category" cell as below.

INDIRECT function converts the value specified in the "Category" cell (B2 for C2 cell), to the named range and send that as the "Source" parameter for the list. As this happens dynamically, you get a dynamically populated "Sub-Category" drop-down combo.

Now drag the cell C2 to the range required to get data validation copied to all the cells of the sub-category list.

A final check to see whether it works.

Job done!

Pilgrimage to Tirumala-Tirupati

"Not Now" has been my constant reply whenever my mother talks about going to Tirupati. This time I could not but accept as this was for my daughter's head tonsure in Tirupati. Probably she realized that this would be the only way to convince me!

Visiting Tirumala for Balaji Darshan had always had been an ordeal for our family and the reason could be that we do not do that too often. Tirumala is a place of uncertainties and they make us uneasy. Most of these uncertainties are due to the number of people visiting the temple at a particular point in time, which can go over a 100,000 per day. This varies a lot due to Tirumala specific rituals, religious reasons as per Hindu calendar (auspicious days), long weekends/holidays, season of the year etc. With increasing crowd, increases the uncertainties. In this blog I am narrating my experiences thru which the reader can get past these to some extent.

The following are the key areas that comprise of a Tirupati-Tirumala visit

• Travel
• Accommodation
• Other services like tonsuring head
• Darshan
• Tiruchanoor visit

Our plan:

Having decided to go, we decided for a Thursday, not knowing its specialty. As the following day was Vinayaga Chathurthi, I thought I could get rest after the travel.

Thanks to the newly introduced e-Special Entry Darshan facility, which helped us book Darshan in advance, through internet.

We planned to finish it in a day as we do not want to risk our sleep as our kids may not feel comfortable in a cottage. Our 1-day itinerary was as below.

• Travel by a cab to Tirumala - 5 am to 9 am
• Get a cottage just for the purpose of taking bath and changing after the tonsure - 9 am to 10 am
• Get head tonsured and take bath in cottage - 10 am to 12 Noon
• Have packed lunch - 12 to 1 pm
• Savor Balaji Darshan - 2 pm to 4 pm
• Visit Trichanur for paying tribute to Padmavathy Thayar - 4 pm to 6 pm
• Return home - 6 pm to 10 pm

The Travel:

Tirupati is well connected by Road, Rail and Air (Airport @ Renigunta - 14kms from Tirupati). Tirumala is only reachable by road from Tirupati. As we started from Chennai we took the road by a private cab. We chose a private cab as I am unaware of the parking and other issues at Tirumala, considering the fact that I visited Tirumala almost 10 years before. 

While booking the cab I was told that the Andhra Road permit fee is around Rs.300 for Sedans and up above Rs.2000 for MUV/MPV/SUV. We traveled by a sedan and I haven't seen any evidence of permit fee being paid, though the cabby included that in the final bill. Cabbies normally drive slower even in clean stretches and may even drive through long routes, just to avoid traffic. All these are to maximize fuel efficiency at the cost of the renter's money. More time, More tolls and More distance equals More money. 

So we reached Tirupati-Tirumala junction (bypass to Tirumala via Kadapa-Tirupati Road) by 9 am, taking a full 4 hours, just to reach Tirupati. :-(

We had our breakfast in one of the restaurants which looked good outside, but below standards inside. It is better to get into Tirupati town for breakfast as there would be better choices. After the breakfast we started towards Tirumala through the bypass road. This avoids the Tirupati traffic.

At the entrance of Tirumala ghat road, there's a toll of Rs.25 to be paid for the round trip. There's a security check and hence the cabby asked us to get down and take our bags to the security counter. The toll ticket showed us the time of booking the toll and also the time that it would take to reach Tirumala - around 28 mins. There's a penalty for over speeding if we reach Tirumala before that time! It took us around 29 mins as we were driving cautiously. Actually it should take around 20-25 mins at normal speed.

Once we reached Tirumala, we parked the cab near the new bus stand as there was ample space there.

Accommodation:

Tirumala has lots of cottages to stay and is tightly controlled by TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam), the controller/administrative body of Tirumala temple. Being atop a hill, most of these give a feel of a hill resort. They are also cheap with most cottages available for Rs.50/Rs.100 per night (called TB Cottages). However booking a cottage is not that easy. The e-Accommodation link of TTD website always show that all cottages are booked and none available, even when they are actually available. When you reach Tirumala, you can consult the CRO - Central Reception office, where a display shows the vacancy positions for the cottages. Again easy said than done. Even during lean periods there would be at least a hundred heads in a queue. If you want to return on the same day, there is no point waiting for the booking, as it would take a major chunk of your time impacting your itinerary badly. In such cases, when you want to return on the same day and need an accommodation try A/C rooms that are available for Rs.500 per night. But it may not be guaranteed in peak seasons. We went during a lean period and hence was able to get a Rs.500 per night A/C room thru Sri Padmavathy Enquiry office just behind the Tirumala bus station. The cottage was just decent enough.

Tonsuring head:

Though Kalyana Kattas (Head tonsuring facility) have separate bathrooms for men and woman to get bathed after a tonsure, they are not that convenient. These facilities are made to a minimum to save cost and space. Hence you can find a shower of cold water and nothing else in the bathrooms. However sources say that you can get bucket of hot water through the workers in the Kalyana Katta for a price. Still you should have a mug to use that.

There are mini Kalyana Kattas available near the cottages/guest houses. These are much cleaner and less crowded. Though these are meant for people dwelling in the cottages, other pilgrims too can use it for a price. As we stayed in the cottage, we used the mini Kalyana Katta for tonsuring and had bath in our cottage. My daughter was looking very good in her "mottai" and it did not make much difference for my father. But when I looked into the mirror, there was somebody there, mimicking my gestures!

Darshan:

Its a very good move by TTD in introducing the e-Special Entry Darshan. You can now book tickets/tokens in advance for the Darshan thru www.ttdsevaonline.com. We booked tickets thru this for Rs.300 per head. Please have your scanned photos and Id proofs like a PAN card, handy for booking. You need not buy tickets for children below 12. When we booked, there were only two slots - one at 2 pm and another at 3 pm and we chose the later. All pilgrims should carry valid identity proof and should visit the temple in traditional Indian clothes - Shirt and Dhothi for men, Saree/Salwar with Duppatta for women.

We have to present ourselves an hour before the Darshan time (i.e.) 1 PM for 2 PM darshan, 2 PM for 3 PM Darshan. We cannot take mobile phones inside the temple, hence we left them locked in our baggage in the cottage. This opens a problem - how we call the cab when we finish our Darshan? Hence we asked the cabby to have his car parked near the new bus stand which we knew very well, without minding the distance. We regretted later about this decision. 

Though our Darshan reporting time is 2 pm, they allowed us inside by 1:30 pm. The whole Darshan took just an hour and half. Of course it was a Thursday and hence the crowd could have been lesser than a Saturday/Friday. My friend visited a day before (Wednesday) and he had much better experience as the crowd was even more lesser. On Thursdays you get to see the deity without much alankar and is known as Netra Darshan. 

After the Darshan, we went to get the Laddoos as per our ticket - 2 Laddoos per 300 Rs. ticket. You have to buy a plastic bag in one counter (if you don't have one) and Laddoos in another. It takes anywhere between 30 mins to 1 hr to get the Laddoos. If you need extra Laddoos there is a separate counter and there were hundreds of people waiting in queue. We did not buy any extra Laddoos as it may add at least an hour to our itinerary which was already jam packed. 

From the temple entrance there are battery operated vehicles for aged/handicapped pilgrims to reach the nearest bus/taxi stand. As our cabby had his car parked near the new bus stand, I left my aged parents at the taxi stand and walked to the new bus stand. It takes at least 20 mins to reach that place. Its a mistake as the cabby could have parked in the taxi stand just opposite to the main entrance where the battery operated vehicles stop. The cabby did not know anything about Tirumala, which defeated the whole purpose of booking cab which was for avoiding such delays. Finally we started by 4:30 pm from Tirumala towards Tiruchanoor. Again at the toll gate they scan the ticket to log the start time and the estimated time at the foot hills is around 40 mins. We reached the foot hills in 35 mins, but to our surprise, it was not checked.

Tiruchanoor:

Every time we visit Tirumala, we visit Sri Padmavathy Thayar Temple in Tiruchanoor:/Alamelumangapuram, as well. It takes around 15-30 mins from Tirupati to Tiruchanoor, depending on the traffic. There is a parking lot just opposite to the temple (parking fee Rs.50). For the Darshan, there are 4 options. Free Darshan, Special Darshan (Rs.20), VIP Darshan (Rs.100) and Kunguma Archana, costing Rs.200 for a couple. By availing Kunguma Archana one can get closer to the deity and have a special archana done. As there was not much crowd we took the Rs.20 ticket. In the evenings from 5:30 pm to 7 pm, there could be a special seva during which pilgrims may not be allowed inside the temple. Hence its better to visit Tiruchanoor before 5pm. We encountered this problem as we went into the temple by 6pm. Luckily the seva got finished quicker and we were allowed by 6:15 pm. It took just 15 mins in the queue to have the darshan. For the Rs.20 ticket a free Laddoo is given in the Laddoo or Laddoo cover counter. 

Back home:

We started from Tiruchanoor at 7 pm and came through Nagalapuram/Periyapalayam. We had to face large craters and potholes near Vadamalpet in this route. Hence the Tada/SriKalahasti route is better. We reached our home around 12 owing to the cabby mostly cruising between 60 and 80 kmph and the traffic snarl near Tambaram due to the long weekend. Cab charges came to around 6K that includes permit fee, driver charges (for two days as the time had crossed 11 pm) and the km charges (Rs.10 per km). He claimed that Verito is a premium cab and hence charges are high!

Overall, by Lord Balaji's grace, we had a memorable trip without much major issues.