Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

When were you last in Ponda?i`d guess at least 12 yrs ago!!!!

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

The packs of dogs which roam Goa are horrible. They are vicious and dangerous.
I personally see no real point in how Animal Rescue deal with these dogs - take them in, neuter them, give them food and love for a week then turn them back on the streets.
They are in poor condition, left to ravage on garbage, so they are not happy creatures.
Surely it would be kinder - and safer - to euthanase them?

Dread - x

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

Absolutely right. I am a HUGE animal lover, my dogs are my family. But this is heartbreaking and the most negative about Goa, for me at least.

These dogs need care and love and if there's no-one to provide that then their suffering will continue.

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

I`m not so sure that IAR do all this collecting and neutering anymore.

They`ve doubled their prices for the general public for sterilisation.

I believe if they get called up about dogs and bitches that need sterilising they will try and catch said animals but no longer go out looking for strays which is how the original girls from the UK started up the place.

The guy in charge of the place at present offers afternoon teas at his mansion with his tame menagerie !!!I wonder how he affords such a mansion and gardeners to maintain it!

A little bit(or a lot) like El Shaddai!!!!!

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

I don't know if this has been posted before, but came across it on an internet search and found it amusing, sad and true

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/ti...hink-about-it/

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

More sad that you take this as true. This man is earning some retirement money writing a newspaper column.
Kingfisher-- "small airline", he changed his schedule, did he not think of asking timings? As an ex-diplomat he would well know why a visa was necessary when leaving the airport. Many other countries need visas.
Again he should know rules about carrying liquids.
"Mumbai" the "Indian name for the consumption of foreigners and swivel-eyed Hindu fascists" ---what on earth does this mean. All big city names have been changed back to the pre-British names.
On the strength of 2 stopovers he makes a decision on the entire country and its economy.

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

Most of the new names have never been used in the past, as most of the cities did not exist before the British time, unless your definition of a city has now expanded to include a Maharaja's palace surrounded by a mass of hovels.......
Especially your example of Bombay, a group of muddy islands inhabited by tribes of fishermen!

.

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

In Shivaji's time the 'area' or whatever you want to call it was known as 'Mumbai'. Other names have been changed to local language versions.
Some are used in general now, some are mainly used officially. It often depends on the ease of pronounciation by those who actually live there. Calcutta is still often known as "Cal" in general speech. Whereas Pune has always been that, locals never called it "Poona". Just examples.

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

sorry Bipat but you seem to have drunk the BJP Cool-aid on that one - J5 has it about right for Bombay; that there was nothing there to have a name before the Europeans arrived. Vowel sounds change over time in all languages (and the sound - if any - given to the final 'e' in Indian names seems to be particularly variable). The British did not invent the names for Poona or Calcutta** or Bombay*** for that matter, they adopted their best approximation of the pronunciation they heard from the upper-class locals that they spoke to.
The original article may have been a bit 'precious' but it did reflect a perceived problem - which, like many problems in the Indian economy, will never be solved as long as the knee-jerk response (as from you and the comments after the article) remains a petty ad-hominem attack on the author and a rush into Indian chauvinism, rather than an attempt to evaluate the problem.

** Try saying the name with an exaggerated upper class Edwardian/ Victorian accent and the result can be transliterated as Kolkatta as easily as Calcutta.

*** What did the British do for Bombay? - They built the place!

AndyD 8-)#

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

I must say that you are really quite tiresome Bipat. Why do you have to jump on anything said which is even marginally anti India or indian. You seem to embody the PC brigade in one. :banghead:

If you read it, it is a tongue in cheek story and makes fun of the stupidity of some of the rules in place at the indian airports. Until recently there was a notice up at Bombay (and Goa) airport which clearly stated that lighters were allowed to be carried on your person. This was totally ignored by security who obviously have a thriving business in selling used lighters - any other airport I have ever been through allows a lighter carried on the person but not India.

Most countries give a temporary Visa on arrival in cases where a transit flight is delayed / rescheduled.without any problem .

In most airports transit changes are relatively plain sailing and the airline will assist. If duty free cannot be carried in hand luggage then you can put an extra bag in the hold etc.etc..

Fifteen hours without food or drink? I suppose that is civilised is it?

India is a great country stifled by it's bureaucracy and regulations where a typical government servant tries to be as unhelpful as he can be (to Indians as well it must be said) especially to foreigners.I love India and would love to see it prosper and integrate better into the wider world, it is after all in all of our (and yes I include myself an an honorary Indian here) interests. The main factors which unfortunately will hold it back are endemic corruption and racism, dynastic politics, insularity, restrictive market practices and the caste system.

As such the writer was telling a few home truths and giving advise to others who were transiting India. India has finally come out against corruption but even that is being stifled It certainly doesn't have the will to tackle the inherent and institutionalised racism and caste system

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

I doubt very much that people traveling as Diplomats have anything to do with booking flights for themselves and as a Diplomat would he have to go through airport security in the same way that we do? Perhaps his problem is that he is only now finding out what the rest of us have to go through to travel.

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

Andy the area was known as "Mumbai" named after a Goddess with similar name. I haven't time to look up references as about to catch a train to Londinium. I will find some later. Obviously the place has gradually evolved over the centuries, it wasn't suddenly built.
As to other names the British would have done their best, but is changing them back to local language "Hindu facism"? At the time of change there was much discussion and disagreement amongst local people. I have not heard rels. who live there calling Bangalore anything other than that, although Chennai was immediately used.
As to the article would you really judge a country on two transit stopovers??

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

Perhaps I find it very tiresome to read so many posts stating gross generalisations often not based on actual knowledge. This column was judging a country on the basis of not getting an immediate visa and losing his duty free. Tongue in cheek or not, this was just one experience and I have had similar bad experience with British Airways and Heathrow (was that a reason to blame the UK in general).
The Indian Government (not India ) yes is a disgrace (in my opinion).
What may I politely ask do you actually know about the caste system other than what you have read?
Finally as I have asked before; why is it OK to put post after post of negative views regarding India but not OK to put a different view.

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

What may I politely ask do you actually know about the caste system other than what you have read?
[/QUOTE]

I for one know very little about the caste system and I do not really want to know anything about it as I feel that it should not exist but I do recall a respectably dressed young Indian male saying to me that he likes the British because they will shake his hand and treat him politely when Indians treat him like dirt because of his caste.

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

I for one know very little about the caste system and I do not really want to know anything about it as I feel that it should not exist but I do recall a respectably dressed young Indian male saying to me that he likes the British because they will shake his hand and treat him politely when Indians treat him like dirt because of his caste.[/QUOTE]

You are right that such treatment should no longer exist. The system arose out of 'job description' and because the lowest castes did such jobs as emptying sewage to shake their hand would not be safe. (Also you will have noticed that the system of shaking hands is a relatively modern habit in India).
I know nothing of treatment in general of 'lower castes' in North India but I do know that in South India it is mostly not an issue. Many wedding caterers are low caste and people praise their food, (and I include Goa). Unfortunately names indicate caste/class origins, and as elsewhere 'class' is still very much used to discriminate socially.