Buddhist travels

I am on my way back from a conference. In addition to conference'ing' , I visited the following-
Lumbini
Gotihawa
Niglihawa
Sagarhawa
Tilaurakot
Kudan
Tilaurakot
Ramagrama

Kushinagar

Piprahwa

Feeling satisfied

Sector 15

I am waiting in a car. And around me sector 15 has changed from quiet to chaotic.

Samyang 35mm 1.4

After many months of frustration with this lens, I finally decided to try zone focusing or if not successful, hyperfocal focusing. As it turned out, zone did not work as yet. But hyperfocal seems to be giving some joy. The trick for me at least is to find out where infinity is (it is generally not where it should be ). Mark it or remember it's position. Keep an aperture of f8 or so and then for everything beyond 20 feet or is mostly on focus. A slight adjustment gives better results. At larger apertures, o am still struggling.

Sankisa Again

The Lord is calling. I got the chance to visit Sankisa again in August 2014 after a wonderful visit in Dec 2013.

This time around the direction was different. Whereas the first time, I went from Sitapur/Farrukhabad, this time I traveled to Sankisa from Agra. Of the two routes, the one from Agra seems to be easier. I reached Agra very early in the morning and waited for the Agra Ljn intercity train. I had thought I would get of at Shikohabad and get a taxi from there. The reason was that I thought I should avoid UP roads as much as possible. As it turned out, it was false economy as the road from Shikohabad to Agra is very good an hardly something to worry about. The road from Shikohabad to Sankisa is bad in stretches especially around Mainpuri. It is probably much easier and cheaper to get a taxi from Agra as well. 

I reached Shikohabad at about 7.30 AM and the taxi was waiting for me ( please message if you want the number). It took a little more than two hours to get to Sankisa. As it was not tourist season, most of the monasteries were closed. I visited a clinic and a school being run by the Youth Buddhist Society. They are doing a great job. The pillar with the elephant pillar is almost ready for installation. 

This time around I was able to explore the places around as well. I had carried an old book by Alexander Cunningham and was able to identify some places he has written about. I was also able to visit the site of Pakhna Bihar which was once an important monastery. Lots of coins and seals are still dug up every year from the mound. The locals make some money selling them off to tourists who get there. I was offered some but I did not buy. 

I was dropped back at the bus stop at Shikohabad. I got on the bus and was back in Agra by the evening.

An Update to Nikon D600

I got my D600 sensor cleaned. At that time I thought that I had got it back only cleaned''and not with"the  shutter replaced.
Asked the techgnician at the Nikon service centre who assured me that the shutter had been replaced. I was not very convinced. Now after a few months of shooting, the sensor remains clean and pristine ( lets hope it lasts!)
I think it did get replaced. 

Rain

Enjoying a slightly tipsy rainy evening.

Nikon D600

I finally got back my nikon D600 from servicing for a dirty sensor. Unlike other reports of replaced shutter mechanisms and even replaced bodies with nikon d610, l got my camera back with a sensor cleaning and a firmware update. I would be interested in other experiences from India.

Blog search on google

Where has the blog search on Google gone. Can't seem to find it.

A response

Today morning., with some gratification I noticed that some three comments were awaiting moderation on my humble blog. Now this is an extremely rare occurrence and I justifiably believed that I was getting back some readership. Little did I know that my innocuous post on Rahul Gandhi had invited the ire of some one. And that someone had posted the same comments thrice before realizing that comments are moderated. Made me realize that there seems to be this group of people who have nothing but trawling the internet to do. I am sure that a lot of money is being spent as well.

Rahul Gandhi interview

I saw the interview on TV and must say that I was disappointed at his performance. I don't know if that is because he is just not very bright or because he had been tutored to get away in typical fashion by simply not answering a question and going on with something else. I want to believe the former.
My advise is very simple. Stop trying to defend the indefensible. Be a true politically correct liberal like Nehru rather than trying to pay only lip service. Be truthful and admit that you and your party made mistakes and go to the people with humility. India values it.

New year Resolution

My new year resolution is to try to keep at least one resolution.