A Skirt-raising event

What a Pose!

Summer 2021 is here now, and the peacocks are back in Vikaspuri in West Delhi with their amusing antics. See the photo on top.

Different Shades Of Green

Mother Nature is so generous. The color green alone has so many shades.

Twinning in 2021

Summer 2021 is here and moss roses are blooming…They look beautiful when they are together in groups.

A Peacock’s Twilight Gazing

Here’s another pic.

It Happens Only In India

India is one of those few countries where many Gods co-exist. Like in this pic. Budhas are conversing with Ganeshas under a giant tree ouside a temple.

Here are some closeup pics of the idols.

My Crazy Gardening Experiments

I have planted Moss roses in these recycled plastic containers. These plants require little care and they love the hot sun. The hotter it gets, the more they bloom. Try this out. You will love the way they grow.

Remember to perforate each cork and drop a small pebble in each bottle before putting soil. This will help in drainage of excess water and prevent waterlogging. You will have to make 2 holes on the side of each bottle for stringing them to the frame. For making holes, I used a hot screwdriver which I heated on the gas cooker.

Here is a close-up shot.

The frame on which I tied the bottles with strings was originally meant for money plant. But money plant is not my favorite, as it doesn’t produce flowers. So I have used this technique to grow lots of flowers with zero wastage of water. Below the bottles, I have planted some Vinca plants to absorb the water that comes out of plastic bottles after I water them (see the pic on top). Like Moss Roses, Vincas are also sturdy and non-fussy, requiring little attention.

Living With Heads Held High

Articles on the Indian Automobile Industry

Now that I am out of the Automobile Industry after a chequered 16-year-old career, I enjoy writing articles about it.

Here are 3 articles I wrote as part of my application for a Content Writer’s position.

Article 1

What factors should you consider while reviewing a car?

Here are the five most important factors you should consider while reviewing a car. They will help you in choosing the most appropriate vehicle as per your requirements and ensuring that you enjoy its ownership for many years after purchase.

1. Your needs: What do you need the car for? Daily commute between office and home or ferrying the entire family? How many people do you have in your family? How many kilometers do you drive daily on the average? You need to answer these questions and then only you’ll be able to choose a car that fulfills all your specific needs.
2. Price: Most people prefer to buy cars these days through bank finance. So there is a fixed budget. Some brands offer more standard features than others within a particular price range. They are the ones you should give greater priority to, as they will give you far greater value for your money.
3. Safety: Safety is an important aspect during the review of a car. Some safety features, such as dual airbags, are common in most cars, but there are many others which you may not find in all cars. Volkswagen cars are famous for their build quality. Choose the car that gives you maximum safety within your budget constraints.
4. After-sales Service: Are the spare parts of the car easily available? Is the after-sales dealer network for your car wide enough and efficient enough? Do they have any workshops close to your premises? Do they offer a pick/drop facility? What are their servicing costs? High or low? Do they offer extended warranty and special service packages? All these aspects matter and affect your overall satisfaction level as a customer. You must consider them before purchase.
5. Resale value: Cars of certain brands like Honda have a higher resale value than the others. So, if you plan to keep your car for a limited period only, you must keep this in mind while reviewing a car. We hope you find this information useful. Happy motoring!

Article 2

My Favorite Car of All Time-Honda City

The car that I love the most is Honda City. It is my all-time favorite because of its affordability; strong, reliable engine; and comfortable interiors. It allows you to go on long drives with no apprehensions. You will rarely ever find anyone stranded on a road with a Honda City. Because of its spacious interiors and boot, it can easily accommodate a lot of luggage. I love to use my Honda City to take my family out on picnics and tours in scenic locations.

Honda City came to India in 1998. Ever since then, it has been and continues to be one of the most popular sedans. Its fifth generation is now available in India in the price range of INR 10-15 lakhs.

Here are some of its positive features.

1. Low maintenance costs.
2. A wide network of Honda-authorized dealers all over India.
3. Easy availability of spare parts.
4. Reliable engine.
5. Great mileage.
6. Amazing looks.
7. Spacious interiors.
8. Superb suspensions.
9. High customer satisfaction.
10. High resale value.

And now, let’s discuss the areas that need improvement.

1. On steep bumps, it does not run smoothly.
2. The shoulder room in the rear seat needs improvement.
3. Engine torque of 145 Nm seems insufficient.
4. The glove box feels too light; the plastic doesn’t look durable enough.
5. Poor build quality.
6. Low ground clearance.
7. Basic audio system.
8. H-Connect app is slow.

In an overall sense, however, Honda City is worth owning and offers great value for your money. If you take care of certain things, you will get better fuel efficiency and it will help you save costs further.

Here are some fuel efficiency tips.

1. Regular monitoring of tyre air pressure.
2. Car service as per recommended service intervals.
3. Maintenance of proper gear to RPM ratio.
4. Avoid unnecessary acceleration.

We hope you find this information useful.

Article 3

Should Autonomous driving technology be encouraged in India?

Autonomous driving technology and the concept of self-driving cars will take time to gain popularity in India. There are far too many obstacles and surmounting them will not be easy. Here is a brief description of these challenges.

1. Loss of jobs: Way back in 2019, our Road Transport & Highways Minister Mr. Nitin Gadkari completely rejected the idea of autonomous vehicles (AVs), as it implied rendering millions of Indians working as drivers jobless.
2. Restricted access to strong internet connectivity: High speed connectivity is currently available to only a small number of people in India.
3. Insufficient infrastructure: We need good roads and traffic lights that function properly. Our roads are often filled with potholes.
4. Poor traffic sense: Our people need to be well aware of the traffic rules and that’s not always true. Stray cattle often roam around freely. This is the reason for the high incidence of accidents on Indian roads.
5. Covid-19 pandemic: The pandemic has had a severe financial impact on the ongoing research and development activities in this field. The pace at which work is going on is far too slow.
6. Loss of control: Many people simply love driving. It’s their passion and AVs will take it all away from them.

But new technology always has lots of benefits and being a developing nation, we can’t afford to say no to it. In many OEM plants like that of Honda’s at Tapukara, a combination of robots and human labor is used to transfer heavy machines from one place to another. Mahindra & Mahindra is developing automated tractors and plans to change the way farming is being done in India. Ati Motors and Intel are also making a lot of efforts in this field.

So, we can only keep our fingers crossed and see what the future holds for us.

White Stars

The sight of white flowers on a hot, blazing afternoon in Delhi feels so wonderful! I spotted these jasmines today (21 March 2021) while walking to the local market in West Delhi. Even after I reached home, their bewitching innocence and pristine beauty continued to haunt me.

Here are some more pics.