Fazlani Nature Park Review

Fazlani Nature's Nest is a beautiful 68 acre property and one of the best we've been to as a family so far, situated outside of the city limits between Lonavla/Pune (place called Vadgaon), in a calm and serene set up.

Things to look forward to if you plan to visit:

1. Unique check-in where the staff comes to the couch you are seated on and you don't need to go to the desk.

2. Golf cart & bicycles for movement within the property.

3. A beautiful lake at one end of the property with benches (and a machan) to sit on for a nice peaceful time.

4. A horse stable where you can feed and ride the horses.

5. A goat milking activity.

6. A flora tour (we missed it so can't share much).

7. An agro tour where they have a large variety of fruits and vegetables being grown.

8. An open bird park where ducks, turkeys, pheasants and other birds move around you. They also have more caged birds in various parts of the property. 

9. A bullock cart ride.

10. A nice trek through nature, ending at a nice point on the lakeside.

11. A school and hostel on the campus for kids adopted by the founders and a hobby centre in it for kids who visit ( pottery, glass painting etc). 

12. Bonfire at night.

13. The restaurant focuses on health. Good food but with less salt and sugar. Jaggery provided as an option for tea etc.

14. The rooms were clean and decent. We took the base option. 

15. Staff is very helpful and courteous.

16. Kids play area/game zone.

Cons (which arent that bad):

1. Just 1 restaurant and a tad bit expensive. Since it's a cut off property, you cannot go out for food. The food taste needs work for sure.

2. All activities end by 6 pm. So post 6 pm you can just chill at the property.

3. A con for some but not all - the property is a no gutkha/smoke/alcohol place. They even make you sign a declaration to abide by it.

4. They don't accept Diners Black Credit Card.

5. Erm...not too cheap. But it is worth spending the amount on a night for sure! Definitely peanuts compared to the joy that your kid experiences!

A must visit place for couples and families. Our  7 year old daughter just could not control her excitement for the 27 hours we spent at this heavenly property.

...and then I heard that sound... that dreaded sound...

...and then I heard that sound... that dreaded sound that one always wishes they had not heard. The sound of a cloth getting torn... I knew the pants bought from a local vendor weren't well stitched and it wasn't just a small tear. It was a huuge tear, right between my legs.

Everyone has brilliant memories of their honeymoon and so do we. But there is an embarrassing memory as well. Embarrassing for me, amusing for the wife. 

It was February 2012, and after a mesmerizing island hopping tour at Langkawi, Malaysia, we got off from the boat and I heard the dreaded sound and I froze. Somehow, I managed to walk like a duck till our car, but we had a few more activities (including a para sail) to be done near the local market. The wife had a good laugh when I told her about what had happened. But her amusement did not end there. We reached the market and I realized there was no way I could get out of the car now. Luckily the wife had carried a towel along & so I wrapped a towel around my waist and walked out, looking for a store that would sell me a new pair. While the others around in the market (Pantai Cenang I guess was the name) gave me the look and the wife couldn't stop giggling, I walked with swag to show that the wrapped towel was nothing unusual, and as if it was by plan. I was trying to play the cool tourist walking around in a towel. Somehow, we managed to find an apparel store and I was able to get out of my misery.

Puchho Zara Puchho

Scene (yesterday): Booking a hotel.

Wife: "Ask xyz, I think there is a 30% discount available".

Me: "Nope, I checked the net, no such deal".

Wife: "What's the harm in asking him?".

Me: "But why? I checked. I am sure. Let it be".

Result: There was a way to get a 30% discount which I got to know from xyz post the booking.

Loss: Money.

Scene (today): Trying to search for a misplaced object.

Mom: Ask the wife, she might have kept it.

Me: No way, she wouldn't touch it.

Mom: Just in case she  picked it and kept it somewhere?

Me: No, doesn't make sense, why will she!

Result: After wasting some time, I called my wife as a last resort and she mentioned she had kept it safely in the cabinet.

Loss: Time, Energy.

Scene (has been happening for the last 10 years): Trying to find the right way while driving.

They: Let's ask someone.

Me: No, I know the way.

They: I think we are lost, let's ask a local guy.

Me: Not needed, I'll figure.

They: What's the harm in asking?

Me: Relax, let me manage!

Result: Most of the time I end up asking at a later point or if I don't, we often land up at the place after a lot of struggle.

Loss: Time, Fuel (money), Peace 

Something that I (and probably many like me) need to still learn. It requires us to bring about a behavioural change. It's okay to ask. Asking doesn't always make us look needy/bad. Most of the time we don't ask due to silly inhibitions/egos (very true for most men, I believe, when we are driving and are struggling with directions).

This is one reason I always use Google Maps (in a way, I ask the app to help me) everytime I use my car - even if it is on my usual route to work or back from work. Coz I know the Google Maps lady is kind enough to keep nudging me with directions and better routes after assessing the traffic ahead.

Ask. It doesn't cost anything usually. You might actually get what you needed and might end up saving on money/time/anxiety/energy. The worst outcome - you won't get what you were looking for.

"Sheba is finally back at the beach!..."

"Sheba is finally back at the beach!..."

...exclaimed Neha, absolutely overjoyed! 

So around 2 weeks back, the authorities shut the Juhu beach 24x7 to arrest the spread of Covid. It was a bit of a setback for most of us who went to the beach in the mornings to stay fit, but I reckon the government has to make decisions that are in the best interest of the citizens. A couple of days later, I messaged Neha ( if you have read my post around Sheba, the three legged dog, I had mentioned her then - link to the post in comments) to ask her if she could notify me if and when she came to know that the beach had reopened. I used to see Neha & Sheba daily morning so I knew if the beach reopened, they'd be the first to know.

"Sure, I will let you know. I hope it opens up soon, Sheba is struggling a lot" she said, sounding distressed. Sheba is a 13 year old dog and is an amputee. She also suffers from arthritis & a spinal disease. Due to these conditions, she can only walk on soft sand and not on hard surfaces. The beach shut-down had stopped her walks and exercises and that was worsening her mental and physical wellbeing, Neha told me.

Yesterday evening, I again checked with Neha if the beach had reopened. While I got to know it is still shut, Neha was ecstatic to share that Sheba had got a permission from the police to walk on the beach! "How??" I asked her, intrigued. "I had heard that ACP Sudhir Kudalkar is an ardent animal lover & so I approached him with Sheba's predicament. He immediately connected me to Senior Police Inspector Sudhakar Shirsat at Juhu police station who very kindly gave permission to take Sheba to the beach so she can get her exercise therapy" she added, excitedly, like a little girl who had just found her long lost favorite doll back.

While I still wait for the beach to be thrown open to the general public so that people like me can resume their daily morning routines (especially all the wonderful senior citizens who are seen doing their fitness regime daily morning), the news that one of us, Sheba ( probably the grittiest of the morning visitors at the beach) was atleast able to get back to the beach was lovely to hear. She probably is one of those who needed the beach back the most and thanks to the compassionate police officers and her mom Neha's persistence, she finally got back the access to the beach before us all.

Thank you ACP Sudhir Kudalkar, Inspector Sudhakar Shirsat and Mumbai police for your big heart and love for our animals.

With deepest gratitude from Neha & her beautiful warrior Sheba! 

P.S.: As mentioned in my previous post, Neha is not present on any social media and hence I am unable tag her.

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"Moti, thoda sharbat daalna zara..."

 

"Moti, thoda sharbat daalna zara..." ["Moti, pour some more flavored water..."]

....we'd always say, passing a request under the viel of an instruction.

Back in the 90s, the ice gola walas were a common sight, mostly in the afternoons. 25 paise for a small gola, 50 paise for a big one and a whopping 1 rupee for a glass/chammach gola! For those not well versed with the term, the image shown might help. So if we were lucky enough to get any of these amounts from the parents on a day we spot Moti ( the golawala in our area ), we'd be able to treat ourselves to a gola (pretty similar to ice candies, which were the next best, hygienic option).

In most vacations, we'd go to a playground nearby to play cricket and that was the best market for all golawalas. After some hours of cricket, dehydrated kids would invariably go to them on their way home to quench their thirst with a gola or a sharbat. But you couldn't just buy a gola, pay him and savour it on your way home! Not immediately atleast. The idea was to get a bang for your buck!

So you first take your gola and start sucking the sharbat quickly, while waiting next to his cart. After a few moments, you do the same with all your might, till the gola turns nearly white, devoid of any sharbat. And then you shove the gola in front of Moti, demanding that the sharbat be replenished (for free, obviously). Moti would graciously pour some, without protest, as if the extra pour was part of the package. Some of us sometimes pushed our luck and asked for a repour even after that and based on Moti's mood at that moment, we'd get another pour or a piece of his mind.

Few years back I again spotted Moti pushing his cart. Age had clearly caught up with him but his sharbat bottles were still as vibrant & colorful as always. I approached him and asked him if he remembered me. Unfortunately he had no memory of me. After some small talk I asked him how he felt about our requests (for extra sharbat) and how he never declined it for the first refill... all I got in response from Moti was a hearty laugh, as he continued moving his cart.

Perhaps I too could start pouring some extra sharbat while I push my cart through the journey of life, I pondered, as I heard Moti ring his bell at a distance, enticing prospective customers to suck at something that would bring them joy....

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"Papa, please don't forget to water my plant daily..."

 

"Papa, please don't forget to water my plant daily..."

...reminded my 7 yo daughter over the phone.

The school gave a project to grow a plant & report the progress. While it's been my wish to be able to grow some vegetables at home, have not been able to do it. So I was all excited too when the assignment came. On Saturday I tried to find which plant grows the quickest (we had to report progress from day 5 onwards) but was clueless. Eventually we went to the nursery to buy a pot & soil & asked the guy there. He suggested we go with mung.

Saturday night we soaked some mung & Sunday morning we did what was instructed by the teachers. 1) Fill half pot with soil 2) Sprinkle the seeds 3) Top it off with more soil 4) Water daily. Day 1 was done.

Day 2 I saw one of the mung seeds trying to escape! So I pushed it back in & we watered it.

Day 3 I saw some soil was displaced. We had patted the soil well yet some of it moved. The kid had to go to her granny's place so before going she gave me an important responsibility - "water & look after the plant till I am back."

Day 4 I could see some signs of a plant sprouting up, but I was concerned to see that that the soil was all over the place! As if someone had tried to dig the soil out! We have cats in the society. Since a month, we have seen one of them climb up & move in the grills. I was sure this was the cat's mischief! I quickly got some soil, added it to the pot & patted it. The sprouts that were trying to come out got buried but I was sure they would grow better with more soil.

Day 5 the sprouts had sprung up a bit again but once again the soil was displaced! The cat was at it again! But this time I decided to just water it. Clicked a snap & sent it to the kid to show the day 5 progress (day 5 was to be documented).

Day 6 (today) I wake up & see this wonderful sight. Cute little greenshoots have sprung up. The soil was further displaced. I quickly took a snap and proudly reported the progress to my 7 yo boss.

It was only then it struck me that it wasn't the cat after all! From the day we planted the seeds, it was the plant that was trying to find its way out. The green shoots could not shoot out unless it displaced the finely patted soil. These tiny beings that look so feeble & vulnerable, actually have so much strength to break out of the soil, displace it & take the first steps towards growth. It is really quite incredible how they find their way out, inspite of the heavy layer of soil covering them.

Such is life. Starts off with a tiny, vulnerable form. Pushes through layers of darkness only to finally witness light. This not just applies to the 9 month journey when we take birth, but probably applies everytime we start fresh with anything - a new school, new skill, new job, new project or something that needs us to start from scratch - from the seed stage, as we prepare to displace the soil covering us to grow out & prosper in the bright sunlight.

My sincere apologies to the cat.

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"Abey ladies cycle hai bey!..." ["That's a cycle for ladies buddy!"]

"Abey ladies cycle hai bey!..." ["That's a cycle for ladies buddy!"]

...exclaimed a friend, sniggering, as I got hold of a pink Lady bird to rush to the classroom.

NOV05LC1. That was the name of our training batch which joined Infosys on Nov 7, 2005. After being blown away by the mesmerizing 337 acre Mysore campus with supercalifragilisticexpialidocious [checkout @Jimjambot on Twitter on that note] facilities & 5 star level room amenities, we were subjected to a grueling classroom training program which meant (the occasional) dozing off during trainings (some of the trainers allowed it), long nights of trying to finish assignments & midnight runs to the laundromat among other things.

The learning center was near the entry gate of the campus & hostels were in the interior. There were cycle stands across the campus for use to go from one point to the another. "Not a problem, we can easily walk this up in 10 mins" we all thought. The first few days we did walk it up but eventually we realized we had to use the cycles to save some time & energy. There were limited cycles available, so if you got a bit late, you'd have to walk it up. Or run, depending on how late you were.

There were 2 types of cycles. One, which guys usually ride [for lack of a better way of explaining, not trying to be sexist] & the other, which the ladies ride. While I do not recall the brand of the guys' bikes, the one for ladies was "Lady Bird" - I guess that was the only known brand those days. Obviously, we guys took the bikes meant for boys, however, we did notice many boys preferred the lady birds instead. It was an amusing sight - boys of all shapes & sizes pedaling a lady bird. It did not take us long to understand why some blokes preferred it. The campus was windy & had a few stretches that went uphill. We realized the boys' cycles were heavy & took more effort to go uphill, especially against a breeze. So we eventually tried the ladybird & found it much quicker & easier to ride. While some picked the ladybird due to the ease of riding, some ended up picking it coz those were the only ones available when they reached the stand. After the first couple of days of awkwardness, we got very comfortable with the ladybirds & used it for most of our 4 month stay there.

Given a choice, one probably should choose what suits one best & what aids one in attaining their goal/happiness/joy. There is no point enduring a struggle to avoid possible societal stigma or to avoid being judged by the onlookers. Pick that ladybird in your life that you've been looking at, wanting to try but have been shying away from trying due to "log/rishtedaar/dost/colleagues kya sochenge". Who knows, you might enjoy the ride. And if you do, you won't even have the time to look at those looking at you in bewilderment.

Yes, the snap is a bit embarrassing 🙈. There were no smart phones then, most of us had bar/basic Nokia (running on Symbian OS) so snaps were clicked with digicams/roll film cams.

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"So we are not renting a TV?"

 "So we are not renting a TV?"

...I asked them both in disbelief.

It was March 2006 & after the experience of a lifetime at the Infosys Mysore training campus, I & the 3 others (let's call them A, B & C) from my engineering college in Mumbai, managed to get a posting at Pune after swapping locations with other trainees. As soon as we found a flat in Pune, we started buying/renting stuff. While many things got discussed, no one spoke about a TV!

"Who has time for TV? We need to prepare for CAT!" announced one of them, for the two (A & B) of them. I & the other bloke (C), who had no plans for further studies tried to protest, but in vain.

I'd see these two blokes come back daily after office & start studying. For the first month, I managed to kill time, but then after some thought I decided to take a shot at CAT too. We used to come down to Mumbai every Friday evening & back Monday morning, so I enrolled in a coaching institute to get coached over the weekends.

Both A & B had clear goals - "get thru one of the top 5 MBA institutes or not do an MBA". For me, my goal was one, to get an institute in Mumbai (due to family constraints) & two, get into a good institute (that was better than not doing an MBA at all). So all 3 of us prepared, working as software engineers by the day & MBA aspirants by the night.

Cutting short to the results, A & B scored better than me. However, the score did not augur well for their targeted institutes. Luckily for me, I was able to get through one of the respectable institutes in Mumbai. "A" decided to continue working & subsequently enrolled for an MBA from a good school abroad. After another attempt, B decided he was going to stick to plan B (MBA from the institute of his choice or no MBA). C - the jolliest of us all, never had to stress about any of this as MBA was never an aspiration for him.

As I look back about 15 years later, A, B & C have settled in the US since a decade. Are any of us more "Successful", "Happy", "Wealthy", "Famous" than the other? None of us probably knows or cares, coz these are scales set up by society to measure human emotions & mental state and while they do serve their utility to some extent, beyond a point one realizes that one only needs a very basic amount of wealth, health & mental peace to survive (or thrive) & get through the 365 rotations of the planet year after year.

One of us did an MBA from a top school, one from a school that wasn't in the top 5, one gave it a shot & refused to compromise on his plan & one still works at Infosys today. I believe each one is happy & successful if they view themselves from the other's perspective, yet in the dark moments each might be laden with self doubt about the efforts/choices they made in their journey so far.

Ironically, one of the biggest RAT races that students face early on is called a CAT and the recent talks about the results got me thinking about our CAT days.

By the way, we did rent a TV once we took our CAT.

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"Office madhun nighaaloy, gaadi chalavtoy..."

 "Office madhun nighaaloy, gaadi chalavtoy..."

..said the Uber driver over the call to someone in Marathi. ["I've left from office, driving right now"].

On 17th of the last month I was trying to book a cab to visit a few friends. As usual, the first cabbie called and asked my destination and cancelled the trip. Luckily, the next cabbie did not cancel. I had read in the news then that OLA and UBER now show the destination to the drivers so that they need not call to ask for it and then cancel if they do not want to go there.

As soon as I sat in the cab, I asked the driver if the feature was enabled for them as I was surprised at the prior cancelation. "Sir its only enabled for drivers with a good rating. I could see your destination, maybe the prior cabbie could not" he guessed.

I could see the cabbie was well dressed and looked well educated. Around half way thru the journey, he got a call. It was probably from his wife or mother and I heard him say what I quoted above. I was a bit intrigued. "Do you also work somewhere?" I enquired. "Yes sir, I work at a chemical firm. Throughout the pandemic I went to work daily. In my profile one cannot work from home. We supply chemicals to many government firms too. I had taken this car on a loan and given it to a cab driver for some extra income but then the driver was taking too much money and was causing damages to the car so eventually I let him go. Then the pandemic struck & the car was lying idle and had to be used. So instead of going to work on my bike, I started taking this car and started taking passengers via OLA/UBER on my way to work and back. A year back my wife lost her job. We have a kid whose education is to be planned and we already have some liabilities. So I started driving the car as a cab 2 hours before office and 2 hours after office on weekdays and then I drive a bit on weekends. It's better than getting up late in the morning or going home and wasting time watching TV. This way my car gets used and I am able to pay off my liabilities and save for my kid's education as well." he said.

At that moment, this scene and line (shown in the image) from a show ( Fargo S02E10 ) I had seen exactly 6 years back on Dec 18th 2015 came flashing to my mind like an outcome of a successful =vlookup() function. The lines on the image have nothing to do with my viewpoint about men v/s women, so please do not read too much into the word "men". It's just a line that had stayed with me since I heard it and it's so apt for so many men and women out there. While some of us may be trying to cater to our needs from the upper half of Maslow's hierarchy, most people around us are probably still struggling to cater to their basic family needs and yet trying their best to move up the pyramid graciously.... and am sure they all see it as a privilege and not a burden.

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