A Date With Ramoji Film City

13th November, a new morning, a new day, but it was our last at Hyderabad, as we were to leave the city back to Mumbai in the night. But not without visiting Ramoji Film City - the largest film city in the world. It is just 25km from Hyderabad; it is an enchanting blend of man-made wonders and nature’s pristine beauty. Sources of extraordinary gardens, authentic sets, lavish locales, rides, thrills, adventure and excitement combine to offer an amazing experience. Its said if you have the script, the talent and the money, you can make a movie within the film city. It is said to be a 22 thousand acre land, some part of is still to be developed. It is an amazing experience to be there its worth the money you have to pay. Being huge it has a lot to offer and still can offer plenty as there are some barren areas. Lush green gardens, fountains, film locations, epic monuments and structures, it was like a small world within these 22 thousand acre. We were given a brief tour of the place via bus in the beginning. We were shown film sets that covered locations from India as well many other parts of the world. There were housed which could easily converted into something else like Hospital, Jails, Courts, etc. in no time. There were different sets for different purposes like a village area, an urban aria, some town in England or America or any other place in the world, an airport, parts and bits for around India, there was a whole lot of stuff in this mega plot, Hotels, Restaurants, Drive Inns, Merchandises, Rides, etc. After the bus ride we went to see the Hawa Mahal, Caves, and many other fascinating places at Ramoji. There were many rides there, but the most that fascinated me was the Bumping Car ride, I and my friends went in as many as 3 times before we could leave the place (just 3 times because it was always crowded). We had our lunch at a restaurant called Chanakya where they serve vegetarian cuisine. The whole day was filled just marveling at the film city and looking around, yet we could not completely see the complete place due to the shortage of time. Many things amazed us as we had never imagined a dream could be this big. One needed a lot of money to fulfill such kind of dreams, especially a dream this big that took so many corers of rupees to be built. The Film City was so huge and such a lot of work had been put up for its proper working, and maintaining it everyday. Having seen Ramoji Film City was an experience of a lifetime, an experience that will stay fresh in my mind now for many years to come. Hyderabad is surely blessed with a lot of wonderful things, the heritage, the food, the locations, the life, and not to forget Ramoji Film City and of course, the Snow World. It was nice to visit the Ramoji Film City in the end because it was an incredible experience... as they say, save the best for the last...

My Hyderabad Trip

It was on the 21st of November when we completed our board exams, and now needed a much needed break and I knew our Industrial Trip (to Bangalore) was what would do just that. It was roughly decided, the trip was to take place on the 28th of November, and our return would be somewhere on the 3rd-4th of December. Everyone was pretty excited about the trip and wanted to have a very good time there, forget the last trip (to Pune) which was an easily forgettable one.
On the 22nd we got to know that our trip had to be postponed, now to be taken place on the 10th of December (10th to 14th) due to problems in the ticket reservation. There was another twist in the plans (no not again); our trip now was not going to Bangalore but now at Hyderabad. The best part was that the date had not changed but the previous of our stay had been reduced (to just about four days). But we knew we would make the best of it and have a blast...and we did.
It was 10th of December; I got up as earlier as 4 in the morning. I had to leave earlier as there was a boycott of the local trains on the very day. Buses had been hired from our college to CST. Reaching there we took a Mumbai-Hyderabad Express which was to leave at about 12:40pm. Our seats were not properly registered as many of us were separated, but we still found ways to come together and have some fun. We were told to bring our own lunch so we had fun eating and sharing it. One of my class-mated had brought 2 packs of cards and most of us just played cards. There was not a lot to do in the train, so at times we had to patiently wait for out destination to arrive. We had to sleep in the train itself as we were to reach Hyderabad next morning at about 7 in the morning.
Reaching Hyderabad, we were pretty much excited about the trip, the sight seeing and the industrial visits. Not too far away from the station there were buses waiting for us to take us to our hotel. Hotel Woodbridge it was called, looked good, and it was the same in the interior - lavishing. After reaching out hotels and getting our respective rooms, we were asked to immediately get fresh, come for breakfast and we were to quickly leave for our first Industrial Visit. It was a place where cloths dying process, and some regional cloths were made, next was a thread making industry, threads made of syntactic material, not cotton.
Sadly, our other industrial visits were cancelled as we did not get the permition of the respective officials, so we went sight-seeing (thanks to that, we got a lot of time for sight-seeing). Our first stop was at the Salarjung Museum, it was said to have the collections of one single person. Honestly, watching such a huge collection one can only wonder how and what it really took for that person to collect such a huge collection of antics, paintings, crockery, mirrors, watches, furniture, etc. and all this collection was not only featured antics from India but also from many other parts of the world, like Japan, Chine, UK, France, etc. We later went to the Hussain-Sagar Lake; we also took a boat ride there. It took us all around the lake. In the middle of the lake they have constructed a big statue of Buddha which looked stunning in the night. After that wonderful experience we returned to our hotel for our dinner, then for some sleep.
The next day we went sight seeing as there were no more industrial visits planned. We went to the interior of the city to see one of the greatest heritages of Hyderabad, the Char Minar. It looked amazing but, locked in the crowded streets its slowly loosing its charm, thought the workers there are trying their best to restore it original glory, its still loosing its charm. Later we were asked to go shopping, there was not a lot in the place for me to shop so I just hung around with my friends viewing the place. We were taken to our hotel for lunch later where we spent some time and then were off to another place called Snow World. It was like an amusement park inside a building. It was not all of snow, it had a Horror House, place for games, a few rides, a small place for shopping, etc. The best was the floor where they created artificial ice, a complete snow world with temperatures of about 2° C. We had a lot fun in the snow, throwing snow balls, playing football (not really, but just kicking the ball). We also danced which was very tough in the kind of clothing we were provided there. But the best part there was playing Volleyball in ice. After that experience (my first experience in snow), we took a small tour of the building, watching everything they had over there. I also took my very first dashing car ride there, with a little less fun as the controls there were not very easy.
We went back to the hotel for the night eagerly awaiting for the dawn as it was our last as well as we were to be taken to the Ramoji Film City - the largest film city in the world. It has been acknowledged by the renowned Guinness World Records as the World’s Largest Film Studio Complex. Its said that if you visit Hyderabad and fail to go to the Ramoji Film City it was really unfair to your visit. It was quiet an experience there at the Ramoji Film City where we were for almost for the whole day.
The day was almost done, we head back to the Hyderabad Station to come back home to Mumbai, via the Hyderabad-Mumbai Express. The trip was long, and we had the same pass-time as we did while arriving here at Hyderabad, i.e. playing cards, pranks, singing songs, etc.
All in all it was a wonderful experience, a trip to remember. Everything just went a well as one would love. This one’s going down in memory lain... maybe to last for ever.

In Any Other World

“Those who want to live will leave this Earth and those who know how to live will stay.”

We belong to a planet, and that planet is Earth, here we lived, grew and evolved, how can we ever think about leaving it and not saving it. Today, we know our world is slowly dying, but it can be saved, still there is life in it and we need to act quickly in order to restore it. We cannot just give up and try to find any other world. Even if there's a world like ours out there and one decides to invade it, will we be welcomed there? Will we be able to live amongst those not like us and even if we do, who's the superior one? Us or Them?

Today, like we are trying to search for life in the space, maybe there is some other who's trying to do the same, i.e. trying to find life in this vast space of ours in various Galaxies and Milky ways. Maybe they've seen us but not bothered to invade us. Beware! Someone's watching over you, maybe! We don't kow, maybe they've been here earlier, or maybe they've set off from their world to ours...

And what if the other planet is suitable for life but the life there is not as vibrant as Human life, then maybe we can live upon there and make it a world of our own. We'll have to be very careful there and not repeat the same mistakes that we made on Earth. Life will be the same but the moon the stars and our sun would not be the same. For us who stayed on the Earth for long would go down memory lain and recollect those sweet days on the planet that we helped to built then destroyed it with our own hands.

Maybe it's not too late, we still can save this planet. But only if we join our hands and be together we can bring that change. All we need is understanding amongst each other, we don't need wars, no fighting. And then we need to give up on certain things that affect our Earth. It is easy on as one can put it but it is practically very heart to follow. But can't we do some bit to save Our Planet, or maybe a little bit more for the planet that brings life to us now for so many years.

Life's Been Tricky

It's been many days since my last post, but I don't mind as I got to have something to write on. I had a lot, but could not put that down in words, tried but failed. And I was never going to just write some posts for the sake of writing something. So I think this one is for the days left behind, since I wrote the last post. And yes life has been tricky, nothing seems to go according to my way. There are testing and trying times to which I have failed again and again. And still there are so many questions in my mind, and I'm still trying to find a way to answer all of them.

"Where is this life taking me?" I really don't know, for some time it seems going grate and then there are times when it all seems to be lost. Sometimes I'm just scared to know where this life will take me to. Everyday I wake up with a sense of hope but many times this hope is buried in the nothingness inside of me. As and when I try to start a new there are huddles in my way, trying to put me down and out (though that's part of life) I can't seem to find a way out of this (maybe I am not trying and going in with the tide – need to go against it). I don't know what the future holds for me but somewhere in me I have a hope that it's bright. Just like everyone else I like to live life in peace, and after graduation get a good job, settle down and try to make this a much better life. Now, though it seems to be hard, I know I have to try.

"To taste success, one has to ride against the tide and not with it..."

Power Needed...Anybody There?

They made a promise, assuring that electricity would reach in every corner of the stare/country. But all they could manage was, fail to even supply regular electricity to the main cities...then forget the villages doing without electricity all these years.
We have tried and did all our best to save maximum amount of electricity on our part but the sad inside story was that the Government officials utilise a lot of electricity themselves, out of which about 50% is used when not really required. The electricity that is supposed to be given to the common man is sometimes even sold to other states/hi-class officials/top industries...and in all this the common man has to suffer. We get nothing but blackouts at night, and then there is no electricity when needed the most.
Hardly they understand or try to understand that the peak hours is when electricity is needed the most, but then at that time electricity is not provided, resulting into delays, incomplete work...

Illustration: (Our very example...)
At first the load-shedding was only for about two hours, twice in a day (i.e. 4hrs. in a day), but that was fairly okay. But that increased by another half-an-hour (now 5hrs. in a day). But they showed us a hope that this problem will soon get over and that they were coming out with an solution. And did the solution come, Yes! another hour was increased this time. Then people got angry they even tried to speak to the officials but there was no effect. They even said that sufficient power is not available with them - where does all the power go? And now the situation here is even more worsened...the power cuts are irregular and may go at anytime of day or night - damn life is so sick here!

When can we live and breathe in a true independent country? We still have to depend upon the Government officials for certain basic requirements (which we never get easily). What else can one do, only they hold the key to all this mess. Can we ever expect our Government to fulfill their so-called promises?

Does the answer to all these questions still remain NO!

F1 Without Michael Schumacher

When the engine blew up in the last season, it broke the hearts of a million fans for now there was no way he could turn the tables round and win for the final time - of what would have been his eight. He knew it was over so all he played for was the constructions points but all his fans were hoping for was a miracle in the last race.

Yes, the F1 Season has finally begun but it will never be the same without Michael Schumacher. The F1 scene is gong to miss him this year, his excellence, his dominance, his presence set the crowd on their feet always. The 'Michael Magic' is going to be missed.

The seven time World Champion nearly clinched his eighth title but the end went similar to the start - but Schumacher left his mark in his own style. He did not mind the loss and went away being a much satisfied man who had achieved so much on the Formulae One.
The question now haunts the minds - can anyone break the records that Michael Schumacher had set?

My Very First Website

It was now or never, my brother already had his own website on the web (malcolm.net.ms) and I thought to myself why not I..? So I began to do it myself (making a webpage template myself), with a little help from my brother at the beginning I finally created the first template for my site, but I had to wait for it to really hit the web-world as my brother did not have the time and I never knew how to really upload not knew a proper source where I could freely upload the pages. For me it was only possible when we would get a net connection at our home, but that was at that time next to impossible.

Finally my brother thought to upload my web-pages at his friends house which he did, but in his own space provided by 1asphost - as he had no time to create a log-in for me. Later he gave it a pure domain name thanks to freedomain where he registered my 1asphost address - so melvin.co.nr came into existence.

I do not however know the date but it was somewhere around May end, but I wished that the official beginning should be - 6th of June - my birthday.

Then it was only when we got the net connection at our home I created my own space at 1asphost and redirected freedomain to that address.

Later on due to some technically issues I had to discard the domain name - "www.melvin.co.nr" and move on to - "melzscape.xphost.org". But now xphost.org does not exist so I had to make some changes, for temporary basis I have got a domain, which is "melz[dot]tk or melzscape[dot]0catch[dot]com".

The Village Called - "Bobipada"

On the 26^th October, 2006: Thursday, around at 7:00am, we (Thomson, Seion, Roshan, Vivian and Melvin) started our journey from Vasai to Vadoli with Sr. Sheila. Violet Aunty took us all the way from Manickpur to Vasai Fata (Highway) in her car. Then from the highway, we had to ask for a lift in a truck then off to Vadoli.
We reached Vadoli in about two hours, then we went into the Sisters Convent there. There we got a little refreshment, relaxed for few minutes and then Sr. Sheila showed us the place, there was a hospital run by the sisters. There in the hospital there was a Leprosy Center as well.
After some time Sr. Sheila took us to a village where we had to stay, this village was called Bobipada (here, we had to teach basic English to the children). We then had a small meet along with Sr. Sheila in the Church (the village had its own Church) there and then to a house where there was food prepared for all of us - the best dal and rice that I had ever eaten.
We were five in number, so five village people had to select any one of us to stay with them, but Seion and Roshan decided to stay in the same house as that lady requested them so. I got the poorest house of the lot but they were rich at heart. After settling down at our respective houses we decided to meet our students to be, at the Church. A huge number showed up and for a moment we were confused as to how do we handle them all. Then came the simplest idea - devide them into groups according to their respective ages. Five groups were made for the five of us.
The first day was certainly not meant for studies, this was the time we really got to know each and every kid we were supposed to teach. So the first day was fun. In the evening, we had to go to a nearby cannel for a bath (We had to do this everyday). At night it was not possible to take any session as there was no light system in the church. So we used to either be somewhere else together ot at our respective houses just sitting around.
It was day two and when we woke up in the morning we were surprised to know that we had to go to a nearby river to brush our teeth!!! - Whereas Thomson got everything at home itself. Well this was just for the first 2-3 days then when we randomly shifted to other housed (on demand) we got those facilities there.
We decided to teach them on that day, and so the very first thing was to find out - how many of them were familiar with a b c... the answer that we got was that not ever 50% of them knew it - some knew it but were not opening up. The second day went out with a lot of new things on their as well as our ways.
Following Sr. Sheila’s instructions we decided to do Rosary every evening at the Church, well we lit candles for light - Maybe doing the Rosary everyday gave me the strength and the willingness to stay there.
From then on everyday went like a new experience and a challenge which was rather easily achievable. But slowly by slowly the five of us were parting away, Roshan and Seion had to leave home due to their personal reasons, even the number of kids we got were decreasing - maybe due to their personal reasons?
We really were enjoying the stay the days spent with families, students and other people. They were like - wanting to keep us there forever, but we had to realise along with them that we had a different life - which was not a part of theirs’. So many things to do, so many things to learn - just the experience of one village was not enough
Then, one fine day Vivian had to leave too, leaving only Thomson and me there, later we were accompanied by a Novitiate who was sent by Sr. Sheila to help us out. She took the smaller ones and we took the bigger ones, we taught them, we enjoyed with them, and we even learnt a lot from them.
We made a place fro us in some families but could not promise them this place forever. They also invited us for a fair that was to be held at Talasari. 12 days in the village with the villagers was a certain experience. That night was out last at the village. The next day on we would not be here, but there was an invitation we got by the villagers for their Church Feast that was to be held on the 30th December, 2006.
That night we all lit up a camp fire of a sort-of, we sang songs, we danced and enjoyed the night. The next day we did leave promising a return on the thirtieth for their feast. We, then went to Vadoli, back to the sisters convent, staying one night and thereafter experiencing a fair - well it was a 3 day fair but we could only stay for a day. We missed their local dance - ‘The Tarpa’ which we really wanted to see.
At last it was time to say goodbye - we would miss them and would always cherish those days, but also feel good about the days we had spent, the life we had seen, lived in, the families and the people we met. These things are certainly not easy to forget - well who ever would want good memories to vanish out of the mind??

First Publish

Hey world, this is Melvin Peter Almeida from a small time place called Manickpur. I won't like to already start - this being my first publish, so I'd like you to know me first.

I was born on the 6th of June 1987 and currently live with my family (my mom: Mary - my dad: Peter and my elder brother Malcolm).

Me, as a person, I like to go my own way only doing what my heart says. I’m generally a shy kind of a person who’d very rarely speaks to people (even with some relatives), I tend to talk less, but I talk a lot when I’m in my friends circle. I'm naturally quiet friendly to those who I come across with. I never really like to talk about myself, nor share some of my personal problems nor secrets with any of my friends or even relatives to an extent. Well, I had a good childhood, my parents did everything that was possible for them and I’m thankful to them for that.

I am a graduation from VIVA College that's at Virar - in "Banking & Insurance". And now I am currently working with HDFC Bank.

Hey, you can also find me on Orkut & on Facebook too or just log on to melz[dot]tk or melzscape[dot]0catch[dot]com or just wright in to me at melvin[dot]almeida@gmail[dot]com.