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Tuesday, Apr 01, 2008
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New Delhi

New Delhi

Inside Delhi

Himalayas calling

The picturesque Indian mountains are luring hordes of climbers from across the globe. In fact, the number of foreign expeditions to peaks in the country is swelling ever year.

According to the Indian Mountaineering Foundation, as many as 52 foreign expeditions were reported in 2007. An IMF study released in the Capital this past week reveals that peaks in the country attracts mountaineers especially from Germany, Britain, France and Spain.

While the Germans undertook 12 expeditions in 2006 and 2007, British and French mountaineers undertook eight expeditions each. Japan and Korea were not very far behind, with four and three expeditions respectively in 2006 and 2007.

That foreign climbers have a special fascination and fondness for certain Indian peaks and regions was manifested by the fact that Stok Kangri (6,153 m) in Ladakh attracted as many as 26 foreign expeditions in 2006 and 2007.

In addition, 95 individuals were granted permission in 2007 through the IMF Seasonal Office at Leh. This is much higher than the second and third most sought after peaks -- Kun East (7,077 m) in Jammu and Kashmir and Kedardome (6,830 m) in Garhwal -- which attracted six and five foreign expeditions each in the same period.

Madhur Tankha

‘Visionary’ advice

Responsible for a major chunk of information perceived by a person, the sense of sight has evolved from aggregates of photoreceptor cells in prehistory to complex bundles of proteins capable of colour and depth perception in advanced organisms.

Though they may not hold a candle to the acuity of the eagle’s vision, human eyes too are endowed with sufficient technical prowess that makes possible watching that favourite blockbuster, reading Khaled Hosseini’s latest tear-jerker or even engaging in that blissfully satisfying activity of observing the opposite sex.

Making his way to Town Hall this past week, a myopic friend was accosted by an aging Sikh gentleman, who held him gruffly by the shoulder and asked in rustic Punjabi: “Since when have you been wearing your spectacles?”

“For more than a decade now,” replied the friend who, much to his surprise, was then queried in exhaustive detail about how often he bathed, whether or not he used soap while performing that necessary activity and if he used a similar cleansing procedure on his eyes.

The “visionary” sardar, who was incidentally not wearing glasses, then admonished him for not taking proper care of his optical orifices and explained in detail how vision was related to “nerves” and “eye maintenance”, and how his clan had been manufacturing a familial cure for weak vision for years now.

“Give me your address and I will courier you the special eye drops,” spoke the turbaned one, finally letting go of the friend’s arm and then adding in an ominous tone: “Use them daily on arising, but remember, I do not undertake any responsibility if there is an adverse reaction.”

Kunal Diwan

Delhi melee

Recently a friend was eyewitness to an act of pick-pocketing at the crowded Inter State Bus Terminus at Kashmere Gate.

On her way to board a bus from ISBT, as the friend readied herself to cross the road along with three other people, she noticed a rag-picker get up and walk ahead following an unsuspecting man who stood on the central verge. Pre-occupied with crossing the road and concentrating on the traffic, the man didn’t notice that in a fraction of a second the rag-picker had latched on to him and drawn out his wallet from the hip pocket in one swift action.

Before the friend could comprehend what had actually happened and react, the rag-picker had fled with his booty and the man had crossed over and was swallowed up by the terminus teeming with passengers.

A little introspection revealed the rag-picker’s modus-operandi of taking advantage of distracted pedestrians who would be pre-occupied with crossing the road in heavy traffic and then would rush off to quickly board the bus before it got too crowded.

Despite public warnings against pick-pockets at various public places in the Capital including bus stands, railway stations and cinema halls, the number of people who might have fallen prey to this novel strategy is anybody’s guess.

Manisha Jha

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