Off on Solo Drive - The Impregnable Naldurg Fort

 This fort falls on the Hyderabad and Pune route and for years I have been thinking of stopping and exploring it. But it never happens because we are midway in a tiring journey and do not feel like stopping to sight see. This time I had time - simply because I decided to go early to Pune and get the house cleaned up before the first anniversary get together of Shobha's mom and my mother in law Dr Nalini Nargundkar. I decided to start out on the 16th and check out two places I always wanted to - Naldurg and Bijapur. Naldurg was the first stop.

Entrance to the fort

Luggage room 

Narrow and low - not easy to enter by force

I started early at about 6ish and drove at a comfortable speed. I had about 250-270 kms to do before I hit Naldurg fort which looms on the highway. A cup of chai, some sandwiches and I was there before 12. One had to take a sharp turn off an already dangerous curve on the ghat into the Naldurg village and the fort. 

Upili Buruj (or something like that) - superb structure

This is how it looks from the bottom

From the top

Towards the water body that surrounds the fort

Two loose cannons

The road is so narrow that two cars can definitely not fit in. Found the fort and asked the parking lot lad if I could hire a guide and he said there were no guides. I asked if he could be one and show me around

and I'd pay 250 bucks and he said OK. Ayaz did a good job with what he knew.

Art - old and new

Boating

It's a pretty large area and will take a lot of walking so better take the electric vehicle to get to the Upili structure which is a very interesting structure - wide stairs leading straight up to a tower with cannons on top. It's a fabulous view from there all around and one gets a perspective of how big and how well it has been designed. Then I went down towards the water body and the palace there.

Superb nimbu paani

Another view

Right now the place is being managed by a private firm under the Maharashtra government's 'adopt-a -monument scheme', and they are doing a fairly good job of it.

From the highway!

 I finished my visit with some lime juice which was heavenly. Paid Ayaz his promised fee and headed out at about 1 pm. It was a visit well worth it.

   

Jivan Sandhya - Movie

 I loved this mature romance of two retired people meeting, falling in love and caring for one another despite societal pressure to not behave like love lorn youngsters. Beautiful.

I loved it.

Thought for the Day - How to Increase Trust in the Universe

 To increase trust in the Universe we need to trust ourselves. How can we increase trust in ourselves?

By little acts of ours that show we trust ourselves when we lose trust. For example I went to a store and found a nice notebook. I thought I'd pick it up and then thought it was not worth it. Actually I did not trust myself to earn back that money that I spend on myself. I caught that thought where I lost trust in myself.

I bought it. It's no big deal. But then I have turned against my deep belief that I cannot spend on myself unless absolutely necessary.We can build trust through small acts that show we can trust our capability to generate more.

It's a thought. A feeling.

Link to a Smart Investing Course

 Kiran shared this with me. Looks rather interesting.

https://www.safalniveshak.com/

Fallen Leaves

 Lovely shapes. A beauty in how they fall and lie down.

Lovely Dance Video by AVAR

 Here's another wonderful performance by ex-students of UoH, Dance Department. Heartwarming to see them enjoy what they love so much. They call themselves AVAR.

Krishna, Shilpa, Aashika, Sruthi and Lakshmi

An IPL theme dance cover. Watch and enjoy.

The Zurich Axioms - Max Gunther

 The byline is is a wealth warning - This book can make you rich! There are 12 axioms and it will help to get rich and stay rich (which is more important). Here are the 12 with their minor axioms below them.

1) Take risks. Worry is not a sickness but a sign of health. if you're not worried, you are not risking enough. Put your money at risk. Don't be afraid to lose a little.

- Always play for meaningful stakes

- Resist the allure of diversification

2) Always take your profit too soon. Don't fear regret.

- Decide what gain you want in advance from a venture and when you get it, get out.

3) When the ship starts to sink, jump. Don't pray.

- Accept small losses cheerfully. expect  several when awaiting a large gain.

4) Human behavior cannot be predicted. Distrust anyone who claims to know the future.

5) Chaos is not dangerous until it begins to look orderly

- Beware the historian's trap 

- Beware corelation and causality delusions

- Beware the chartist's illusion

- Beware the gambler's fallacy (I'm hot today)

6) Avoid putting down roots. They impede mobility.

- Do not get trapped in bad ventures because of loyalty

7) A hunch can be trusted if it can be explained 

- Never confuse a hunch with hope

8) It is unlikely that God's plan for the Universe includes making you rich

- If astrology worked, all astrologers would be rich

- A superstition need not be exercised,  it can be enjoyed provided it is kept in its place

9)  Optimism means expecting the best but confidence means you'll handle the worst. Never make a move if you are merely optimistic.

10) Disregard the majority opinion. It is probably wrong.

- Never follow speculative fads. Often the best time to buy something is when nobody else wants it.

11) If it didn't pay off the first time, forget it.

- Never average down.

12) Never take your own long range plans or other people's long range plans seriously. The future is not under our control.

More on this later. But brilliant. Thanks Vinod.