***My grandmother had a thorough way of getting fully posted on any topic the answers to which she might have known already. She used to make sure she had all the details and the necessary action taken. For that she asked the same question at least three times though in varied forms of longer to shorter and to short. Here is an example of what she used to ask me almost everyday. ‘Dearest, have you eaten your lunch?’ ‘Yes, grandma.’ ‘You have eaten?’ ‘Yes, grandma.’ ‘Eaten, no?’ ‘Yes, grandma!’ I took it as an expression of her tremendous love for me which was the case indeed.
***Greatly angered by inaction of one of his subordinates the boss one day stormed into the subordinate’s room and shouted, ‘Look Mr… My last warning to you! I want results! Don’t continue sitting on the files!’ And he stormed out. The dazed subordinate lifted the cushions of his seat moment the boss left and muttered, ‘What the hell…!’ Not a joke, mind you!
***Once in a project we were trying out young interns for casual work. One lady in a different department used to help us in various ways from technical to routine. That lady knew little English, had a peculiar accent and just managed to convey her thoughts to us. One day she came to my room and said,’ You see… three girls available. You can use if you want!’ Putting on a straight face I asked,’ But have you told them about our consolidated payments?’ ‘Nothing! It’s free!’ I was horrified even though I knew she just conveyed her helpful thoughts!
Meantime back from Jaipur--the Pink City
--today. Ragini performed in the 43rd Mahashivaratri Sangeet Samaroh there. A breathtaking venue called Gaitore Ki Chhatriya consisting of royal monuments including an ancient Shiva temple and surrounded by hills. A temple of Ganesha on the right atop a steep hill. The color pink is very predominant all around Jaipur. Sawai Man Singh II who was the last ruling monarch of Rajasthan 
liked this color and made ample use of it in his campaign for modernization of Rajasthan and capital Jaipur. A beautiful place to visit. We also visited the Amber Fort and the Jaigarh Fort. The world's largest canon at Jaigarh Fort was really spectacular. Mounted on wheels it has a range of 22 miles and one blast needs 100 kilos of gunpowder. It is said because of terror inspiring defense no enemy dared attack Rajasthan and the canon needed to fire only test blasts.
The Ajmer Dargah Sharif is world's second most sacred and India's first. People of all religions visit this pilgrimage to fulfill their wishes. Just near Ajmer is a small town called Pushkar which is also a major tourist attraction for its Brahma temple and a lake surrounded by nearly thousand temples. Pushkar is the only place in the world where Lord Brahma is worshiped and there is beautiful story about it.
