Force, Acceleration and Physicists Vs Engineers

Isaac Newton - the greatest scientist of all time

Most of us are familiar with Newton’s laws of motion. The three fundamental laws which govern all aspects of movement in the universe, but lay hidden in darkness until god said ‘Let Newton Be’ and all was light (a famous quote by Alexander Pope). Even people who haven’t studied any science is familiar with the third law (for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction), but we are looking into the second law here, which, in Newton’s own words when he published it in the Principia Mathematica in 1687 ran thus – “The alteration of motion is ever proportional to the motive force impress'd; and is made in the direction of the right line in which that force is impress'd”. Or, in modern terms, change to “The acceleration a of a body is parallel and directly proportional to the net force F acting on the body, is in the direction of the net force, and is inversely proportional to the mass m of the body, i.e., F = ma”. Yes, the magic equation jumps out at the end, F = ma.

Every school child knows that the force (F) applied on a body is equal to the product of its mass (m) and the acceleration (a) induced by the force. So much is simple. I was so inured to the formula when Hans C Ohanian, the author of Einstein’s Mistakes shook me to the core with the following pronouncement. “You may have been taught in some high school or college physics course that Newton’s second law is F=ma. If so, you were taught by an engineer, not by a real physicist. Newton himself stated that the acceleration (or what he termed ‘the change of motion’) is proportional to the force, not that the force is proportional to the acceleration. Of course, both statements are true, but they differ in emphasis. For Newton, and for most physicists, the second law expresses how the force causes an acceleration, that is, the force is the known quantity and the acceleration is the unknown quantity. Accordingly, physicists prefer to write ma=F. Engineers prefer the opposite way of writing the second law, F=ma, because for them the force is often the unknown quantity, whereas the acceleration is the known quantity (for instance, an engineer may want to calculate what force will be exerted on the wheels of a car when it is racing around a curve at a known, high speed)”. (p.66 in the 2009 Norton paperback edition). Well, it’s a lengthy tirade against engineers since we know that engineers don’t teach school or college physics. The scale of the attack becomes evident when we see his remarks about a prominent magazine which praised Einstein as the engineer of the universe, in salutation to his General Theory of Relativity which forms the basis of gravitation and the fundamentals of space-time. Ohanian don’t let the comment go scot-free. He immediately states that calling a physicist an engineer is no compliment!

Forgetting about the finer shades of distinction between the two classes of professionals, if we take Ohanian’s suggested equation ma=F for a deeper inspection, we wonder whether his arguments would hold against common sense. To solve an algebraic equation, you need to have the unknown quantity alone on the left-hand-side, which is not true in this case. So, to make it ready for calculations, we have to rephrase it as a=F/m or in a more general form as a=kF where k=1/m, the inverse of mass – which is a meaningless physical quantity.

So what point does Ohanian try to establish by this little trick of erudition?

Divine Duty of Judges

Attended a training program on 'Disciplinary Procedures' by Mr. Benny P Thomas, a leading lawyer practicing at the High Court of Kerala, today. The presentation was somewhat okay, if you factor in considerations like this was not his principal job. True to the custom followed by judges and leading lawyers of the High Court, he came dressed in a three-piece suit and was quite an object to behold behind our simple lectern.

While going on with the program, which was aimed at imparting some knowledge about conducting internal enquiries as part of imposing disciplinary proceedings against delinquent employees of our organisation, Mr. Thomas suddenly turned excited and exhorted the participants to think hard about the divine duty they're going to perform while deciding whether the person was guilty or not. In a tremulous voice he declared that judgment is not an easy matter and he personally knew many judges who couldn't eat or sleep well before pronouncing verdicts in some cases involving murder. We didn't understand what piqued our gentle instructor to suddenly come down so heavily against the hapless trainees. 

While at it, it struck me as odd that whether jurisprudence can indeed be termed divine. Judging (no pun intended) from past experiences, we see many instances where the presiding judges turned out verdicts challenging common sense. A recent one is the decree outlawing application of sun-control films on car windscreens. In a literal interpretation of the relevant law, the court decided the practice which actually saved fuel by reflecting some of the heat back. At the same time, it allowed the use of curtains which would ensure privacy but no fuel efficiency. India, which imports most of the oil it burns in its cars, is the net sufferer in the form of fuel wastage incurred due to the additional load on car air-conditioners. So what did the court gain in banning sun-control film and allowing curtains in its place? So much for divine duty.

If you look at the huge number of verdicts set aside by a higher court on appeal, you'd wonder whether some kind of accountability measures need to be implemented for judges in lower courts. There can be no argument if the higher court tones down or up the sentence a bit. Every judge may be swayed a little by human emotions which is quite understandable. But in many of the cases, even the findings are totally reversed leaving the public doubtful about the prudence of the trial judge. Once again, we doubt whether he has discharged his divine duty in a responsible way.

So, before boasting about the godly duty they have to perform, the judicial officers may think twice about the impact of their pronouncements on the society and common man.

Sukumaran Nair on Mission Resuscitation

Social transformation has a curious history in Kerala. The state had practised some of the meanest and most barbaric traditions in the form of untouchability which quickly degenerated into unapproachability, where people of lower castes were grouped into hierarchical levels according to the distance they had had to keep themselves away from people of upper castes. Any breach of the rule resulted in ceremonial impurity, so the lower castes were not even allowed to walk on public roads for fear of polluting people of higher status. The rules were so elaborate and so brutally enforced that Swami Vivekananda once remarked that Kerala resembled a lunatic asylum. The darkest hour was probably early 19^th century, and it was the moment at which a switchover from feudal economy founded on barter system began to give way to a financial system founded on money introduced by the British. This helped a few lower caste people to amass a fortune by diligent use of the means of production at their disposal. When that century was drawing to a close, we find social reformers, most notably Sree Narayana Guru, emerging from the depressed classes, supported by the numerical strength of the poor majority and financial muscle of the affluent minority of those communities. The uprising came at the right moment since all parts of Kerala were under British dominance for at least a half-century before. Malabar directly under them after Tipu’s defeat in 1799, with Travancore and Cochin under their sphere of influence soon after.

The demands of the downtrodden were just, timely and pragmatic. No enlightened individual could have ignored them. So we find most of their requests being met with surprisingly little opposition. They were given representation in legislative assemblies, reservation in government jobs and the right to temple entry. However imperfect, land reform measures redistributed surplus land among the landless. The backward castes undoubtedly benefited the most from this reform. With the rapid spread of education and socialist ideals emulated from the erstwhile Soviet Union, interdining made a quick entry in the social milieu. Intermarriage was the only thing not practised, which continues still.

Perhaps because of the ease and peace with which revolutionary transformations such as the above materialized with so little effort must have caused a sense of complacency among the lower castes and a feeling of resignation to the inevitable in the upper castes. The reform process lost steam around the middle of 20^th century, after running full throttle for about five decades. After a cooling off period of 20-25 years, we find retrograde practises raising their ugly heads again in society. By 1980, almost all sections of society eagerly sought astrologers for fixing such innocuous moments like the time of marriage, house-warming and other auspicious times. Horoscopes began to be cast as soon as a child is born. In extreme cases, child birth was delayed or preponed by medical means so that it is born at the most propitious instant. Such practises which were common among the higher castes were imitated slavishly by the lower castes in a vain bid to upward social mobility. Offerings to temples and costly symbols of belonging to the temple multiplied many times among the backward communities. Often they cheerfully sunk to the depths of ridiculousness in proclaiming their devotion to Hindu deities, in a curious case of being more loyal than the king.

Kerala relapsed into a great slumber as far as social reforms were concerned. Muslims and Christians didn’t lag behind at all – with introduction of purdah with a vengeance, charismatic renewals and meditational healing. The state seemed to be limping back to be worthy of Swami Vivekananda’s depreciatory epithet again.

Enter Shri. G Sukumaran Nair, General Secretary of the Nair Service Society (NSS) with his proclamation that people of his own caste will be employed as officiating priests in temples run by their own organisation. In fact, there was nothing fundamentally new in this – the temples instituted by SNDP Yogam, the leading lower caste organisation had routinely employed people of all castes as priests right from the beginning. But the idea hadn’t gained momentum since Nairs, the most populous and influential upper caste didn’t support it and stoutly held on to the age old custom of availing the services of Brahmin priests only. It is the last ramparts of orthodoxy that is cracking under the thunderous declaration by Sukumaran Nair. Though sure to be opposed with tooth and nail by Brahmin sympathisers, the move is assured of wholehearted support from the lower castes. The only thing we eagerly look forward to is whether Shri. Nair would hold fast or buckle under pressure from regressive circles in his own society and from the uppermost castes like Brahmins. We also hope that Sukumaran Nair would not renege on his historic opportunity to resuscitate Kerala’s reform movement which is in limbo and is bringing out laboured breaths as the first symptoms of imminent death.

A Saving Face for All

She finally succumbed to injuries in Singapore. The woman who was gang raped in Delhi and hogged the national media's attention the entire last week just couldn’t step back to dear life she clinged so hopefully for. We thought she would make it and be an icon of resistance and will power, but it was not to be.

But this outcome is the least troublesome for the time being for all concerned. The government and agitators who held the national capital in an orgy of protests can now save breath for the while. Ever since the girl’s condition grew worse, the government was determined not to take the blame of death on its shoulders. Not a moment later when it was clear that she is going to die, the administration flew her to Singapore ostensibly to seek better medical care, but in fact, with hindsight, it becomes clear that it was a desperate attempt to escape the fingers of accusation on the medical establishment which failed to rescue the girl from the pitiable condition she was in.

The protesters also need to feel vindicated now. The courts can prescribe capital punishment for the accused now, as the victim has died. The demands of death warrant for rape was simply outrageous which no society could accept at face value. If the assaulter knew that he would be punished with the gallows, will any of them let go of their victims alive? When the country has started the debate on whether to scrap the death penalty itself, setting it down afresh for another crime is simply blowing the issue out of all proportion.

At the end of the day, the episode should serve as a lesson for the whole country. Even after 65 years of independence and millenia of cultural heritage later, we are still unable to guarantee freedom of movement to half of the population at night. We accept the notion as taken for granted that it is not safe for women to venture out after dark, when the powers of evil are exalted (as in Baskervilles!). However, this is not an issue that will be addressed by legislation alone – however, draconian you can make them out. The society need to allow greater freedom to a new generation which is more than they are willing to grant them at present. And also, the old generation need to move out of the theatre in its entirety. So, for at least three more decades, nothing fundamental is going to change, even if the seeds of change are sown today.

So, for the time being, let’s pay heed to what the Andhra transport minister advised women. The country obtained its freedom from the British at midnight, but it doesn’t mean that its okay to roam around at midnight in skimpy cloths.

Voluntary Cessation of Life - An Idea

It took a pretty, young Indian dentist’s life to reveal the ridiculousness of allowing religion to dictate terms to a modern, civilized society. Savita Halappanavar would still have been alive, had she stayed back in India or emigrated to some other place than nutty Ireland. Such gruesome incidents bring to focus the incompatibility of false beliefs which should have been exorcised long ago, clinging on to social fabric with such a tenacity characteristic to religion alone. What difference is there, we may ask, between Iran and Ireland? The West demonizes the former, heaping choicest abuses on her, for the inflexibility of its ruling elite's religious dogma. True, but what can we make of Ireland? Just because it is in Europe, won’t make it progressive as compared to Iran. If the clerics or mullahs don the mantle of a doctor and takes decisions on his behalf, as it so happened in Savita’s case, there is not an iota of gap which separates the supposedly ‘modern’ European nation with Bush’s infamous ‘Axis of Evil’. On the other hand, Iran has millennia of civilization behind its back while Ireland has nothing but potato peels, and that too, only for the last two centuries.

While on the subject, it is high time to ask whether a person should be allowed to die of his own volition. At present, the only option available to him is suicide, which is messy, illegal if you failed in the attempt and attaches stigma to the person’s memory and to his relatives and/or friends. It is incomprehensible why the society do not allow an individual to quietly retire from life, when he decides he can no longer endure? The argument most often raised is the exact same one which countries like Ireland raise in favour of ban on abortion, that life is precious, it is a gift from god, we should not extinguish it, blah, blah, blah…But, on sanguine analysis, we understand that while performing abortion, you are killing a human being against his/her wish, while if you allow a person to die, you have the conscience clear, in the full knowledge that he had a choice but preferred to end his own life.

So, I think the argument for Voluntary Cessation of Life, VCL in short (anything noteworthy must have an impressive title and an acronym!) is unassailable. In a nutshell, if you permit abortion to kill a child against its wish, you have no moral high ground not to allow a mentally healthy adult to die of his own choice. Sooner or later, society has to accede to this perfectly justifiable demand. When that time comes, I recommend the following mechanism to regulate its administration.

1. A person aspiring to end his life notifies a magistrate designated for the purpose through a lawyer. The magistrate checks whether he is of legal age as the first step.

2. The magistrate assigns the person to psychiatric counseling to determine whether he is mentally sound and asks to report back after a cooling off period (preferably a month) to see that he is determined.

3. Even after one month, if the person is desirous of ending his life, he approaches the magistrate again with the counseling report and proof that he has properly relinquished his duties and responsibilities in the case of a public servant.

4. The magistrate then issues a decree directing the administrator of a designated hospital to end the petitioner’s life by palliative sedation.

5. The person approaches the hospital and submits consent for donating his organs such as eyes, kidneys and liver to needy patients in a public-administered waiting list and his body for medical research. This should be mandatory.

6. The hospital authorities then put him to eternal sleep by palliative sedation, taking care that internal organs are not damaged.

Sounds cruel, right? But think about what’s happening now. What do we expect of soldiers marching on to the battle field? We hope and sometimes demand that they lay down their lives (a convenient euphemism for asking them to die) for the society’s sake, confronting the enemy. And, the expectations are not much different when coal workers are sent underground in mines having shafts running several kilometers long, which may cave in or may be flooded with water, turning the mine into a mass grave in a matter of minutes. Coal is a precious commodity essential to the well being of a society, so we don’t mind risking the lives of a few individuals. These two examples, which are not exclusive illustrations of such occurrences illuminatingly convey the idea that we are willing to let some of us die or be killed (to make it more precise) if that act is going to accrue some benefit to the society as a whole. Then why should we shy away from the demand that a person’s genuine wish to die should not be satisfied in a legal framework? Remember the advantages – his body and organs will be donated! One who thinks rationally does not find even a single point to be raised against it.

Some minor issues which may be postulated against the notion of voluntary death is the plight of that person’s dependents. True, after their breadwinner’s demise, they are left to fend for themselves, which might not be easy, always. If they are to become beneficiaries of the state’s welfare measures, the whole purpose of benefit to society is defeated. There is some reality here and it must be addressed. When the person who is trying to die appears before the court for the second and final time, the magistrate can demand that he furnish satisfactory proof of providing for his dependents in the event of his death. This measure will turn out to be a deterrent for people who want to die in order to escape financial problems. If you have no money to care for your dependents, you will not be allowed to die – as simple as that. This helps to filter out unwanted flotsam and end up with people who have done their duties well, are content with the life they lived and only want to end it in a smooth way, without bothering anyone. The satisfaction of knowing that their organs live on is an added sweetener.

We may conclude that it is time to think about voluntary cessation of life in a serious way. Life is a complex process with two definite points – the beginning and the end. The former is not under our control, so let the latter is!

A New Dawn for the Poet

As a rule, bureaucrats are the unlikeliest class of people who are able to impart inspiration to young ones and be a role model to them. With tales of corruption, whose corrosive tentacles threatening to weaken the national edifice itself, coming out day by day in which bureaucrats go in cahoots with unscrupulous politicians, it is no wonder that the public servants have denigrated themselves to the status of a ‘necessary evil’. Rarely do we find a gem sparkling among the litter that pass for administrators nowadays. Meet K Jayakumar, IAS, the Chief Secretary to the state of Kerala, superannuating today after decades of scintillating service. Though he is the topmost bureaucrat in the state as of today, anyone living here know that posterity is going to remember him not for his meritorious service, which would surely make only a footnote in the descriptions about this man.

Jayakumar is a great lyricist, poet, painter, translator and what not! The sweetness of his film songs excel all the present day lyricists of Malayalam film industry so conspicuously that not even with a  very large pole they could reach anywhere near him in caliber. (An exceptional talent may be budding in the form of Rafiq Ahmed, but it is too early to say anything for the time being). Being the son of Shri M Krishnan Nair, a noted film director, it is no wonder that Jayakumar naturally gravitated to film industry. His earliest songs were whetted by the great Vayalar Ramavarma himself and shows glimpses of poetic talent that lay hidden beneath his inexpressive visage which usually presented a stoic detachment from worldly pursuits. Hardly fitting for a rough-and-tumble bureaucrat, but adorably impressive for a poet.

How Jayakumar becomes a role model for us is the canny dexterity with which he managed to merge the gifts of higher education, poetic talent, painting and a high flying career in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) so effortlessly, without pomp and ceremony. Even when busy untying the knots of red tape which is a curse of administration, he found time to pen the forever mesmerizing ‘Chandanalepa sugandham…’. When he steps down from officialdom to begin a new lease of life as a creative artist finally freed from the shackles of official responsibilities, Malayalam expects a lot more from his pen, and may be also from his brush. For his fans, the anticipation is impatient as well as exhilarating.

Though he steps down from official duties today, he would continue as the special officer for Sabarimala and is slated to become the first vice-chancellor of the about-to-be-constituted Malayalam University. Though the academy is definitely poised to be served by a worthy intellectual, his literary fans could only hope that these assignments don’t unduly deter him from creative pursuits. It would also be prudent for him to clearly identify friends from foes, or else the new responsibilities might end up miserably in a few months’ time. This apprehension takes substance from the unsubstantiated allegations levelled against just a week ago for his alleged failure to award a work in time while in charge of administration of Veterinary University. Even a cursory glance at the charges prove that the allegations are motivated by nothing but personal animosity, and its real intention was to hinder his appointment as Vice Chancellor to the new Malayalam university.

To sum up, I wish the noted lyricist every success in his all endeavours in the future and request him not to divert his precious, but short time unnecessarily to other ventures. It would be definitely worthwhile here to remember his unforgettable lines for the film Ozhivukalam (1985) reproduced below, which also implies undiminished talent even after the lapse of considerable time. Incidentally, these are the poet’s favourite lines too!

സായന്തനം നിഴല്‍ വീശിയില്ല,

ശ്രാവണപ്പൂക്കളുറങ്ങിയില്ല,

പൊയ്പ്പോയ നാളിന്‍ മയില്‍‌പീലിമിഴികളില്‍ 

നീലാഞ്ജനദ്യുതി മങ്ങിയില്ല.

Yercaud-Mettur Dam 2012 (Self drive)

Yercaud is a little known hill station on the backyards of Salem, nestled in Shevaroy Hills, an outcrop of the Eastern Ghats. This trip has several firsts to its credit. It happened to be a self-drive. Also, it was the first time without companions. We planned to stay two nights at Yercaud, which was a bit overkill as the place does not offer many attractions.

DAY 1 (Sep 29, 2012, Saturday)

Doing a road trip is always a chore considering the poor condition of roads. We started at 6.30 am. The road between Thrissur and Palakkad was in such a messy state that we decided to take a detour through Shoranur. The new MapMyIndia navigator misguided us right in the centre of Palakkad town where it showed us a way through the market which was closed. Apart from that, it worked well. It may be remarked that the road between Coimbatore and Avinashi is also very difficult to drive due to construction work of a new 4-lane road. Where the road is good, heavy toll had to be paid. The route from Salem to Yercaud is in good condition and picturesque, with 20 hairpin bends. We reached Yercaud by 2.45 pm after driving 378 km.

The central feature of the town is the lake, which gives Yercaud its name. In Tamil, eri means lake. We visited the boat house and had a stroll along the main avenue in the evening. As it was nearing closing time, very few people were on the lake, and were aimlessly rowing here and there since they had in their hands all the time in the world. The shops overlooking the main avenue selling food and souvenirs were shanty which gave the town a run-down feel. Lying only 1450 m above sea level, the place is not known for very cold climate, but as the evening sun slowly made its descent behind the mountains, I eagerly longed for the warm clothes tucked neatly away in the hotel room. A short drive to the hotel along a dark, heavily wooded road wading through foggy mist gave a surrealistic feel.

DAY 2 (Sep 30, 2012, Sunday)

The morning broke with a slight, chilly breeze. The window sills bore signs of heavy rain in the night and a weak sun shone its spectral colours through the suspended water drops. We first drove to Pagoda Point, which was 3 km away from the hotel. This is a scenic viewpoint on a hill, having a temple (pagoda) at the top and hence the name. Though great clouds of white fog was wafting in from the valley, the place commanded a great view of a small village somewhere down below. The hamlet appeared to be still in sleep and the gopuram of a local temple rose above the huts as if to keep vigil over its sleeping disciples. Tourists were just beginning to flock in large numbers and we moved on to Lady’s Seat.

The journey took us along Montfort School, which is a prestigious one in Yercaud comparable in fame to great residential schools in Ooty, but open only to the privileged few. The heavily built stone buildings and neatly manicured lawns carpeted in spotless green were silently announcing to the world that its doors open only for those with deep pockets. Driving quickly past the school, we reached Lady’s Seat, which is yet another viewpoint, offering a distant view of the winding road to Salem, which we had traversed yesterday. The place was literally swarming with small monkeys, feeding on tidbits offered by the visitors and included mischievous young ones fighting with each other to mothers clutching infants looking disapprovingly at the whole scene. A short walk took us to Gents’ Seat, which is yet another viewpoint. Where there is a Lady’s Seat, you can be sure of a Gents’ Seat, or is it the other way round?

Absolutely nothing could be seen from here, as the place was full of mist by that time. The terraced walkway engulfed in slow moving mist and the people treading gently uphill as if in a dream met the eye like a scene from a tragic movie. I had to buy a scoop of fresh nuts liberally spread with masala to cast off the gloom!

There is also a rose garden nearby, but was not in bloom during this time of the year. It is quite a large one, and would definitely be very attractive in the peak season. We had lunch at the town centre near the lake and went back to the hotel for afternoon rest.

Nothing particular was on our agenda for the evening. We again strolled through the main avenue, visiting Anna Park nearby and sitting on the lawn next to the lake, watching the happy faces furiously paddling the little contraptions that pass for boats here. Nearby, a young couple huddled close together in a bench was weaving castles in the air, clearly enjoying every minute of it. Peels of laughter floated to us from the children’s section where the slides and turntables never got a moment of rest. Perhaps they carry a lesson for all of us, to strive for the happiness of others, without allowing considerations of oneself to cloud the picture?

The only remaining thing to do in Yercaud was to have a glimpse of Salem city at night, washed in a million electric lights. This sight was reported to be available from somewhere in between the 16^th and 17^th hairpin bends, at a distance of about 7 km from the town. It was already dark when we started and the sky was overcast with dark rain clouds. Just a short distance away, thick incoming fog began to obstruct vision to a few meters, where you can’t even see the tail lamps of the vehicle immediately going in front. Traffic quickly came to a snarl. It was not possible to continue without special fog-lights. We returned to the hotel, sadly missing a grand sight. As soon as we reached, a heavy downpour started which might have washed away the accumulated grime of Yercaud for many months.

DAY 3 (Oct 1, 2012, Monday)

Nothing particular was scheduled at Yercaud for the last day of the tour. So we vacated the room after breakfast and started the journey at 8.50 am to Mettur Dam. The GPS navigator surprisingly suggested a longer route, but without paying toll. It was a drive which obtained an additional 20 km, but the trip was worth it, passing through some remote villages of Tamil Nadu. The paddy fields ran all the way up to the remote hills and a contented people laboured on the fields under the watchful gaze of local gods who cast a fierce look from their stone-walled enclosures close to the road. A husband and wife working on a nearby sugarcane field looked curiously at us as we took some snaps about the local temple. The couple’s thatched hut was standing on the edge of the field where time appeared to stand still.

We reached Mettur Dam at 11.40 am. This great dam was built in 1934 across the river Kaveri and is called the Stanley reservoir. This huge marvel of engineering quenches the thirst of a large part of Tamil Nadu. We later came to know that violent protests were being staged on the same day in Karnataka against its decision to release the stipulated quantity of water to Tamil Nadu. The protestors demanded that since it is going to be a year of drought, excess water need not be given to their neighbour. But Mettur was calm and the garden below the dam is very attractive if you have small children in your midst. Dire warnings were pasted on the entrance that photography was strictly prohibited in the garden. The logic behind the decision is incomprehensible, but the rule was observed more in its violation. People clicked away happily all the time and the guards good-humouredly turned a blind eye.

After lunch, the return journey commenced at 1.30 pm. After an eventless travel of 327 km, we reached home at 8.40 pm clocking a total distance of 839.4 km. Altogether, the trip was satisfactory, but nothing even remotely as memorable as compared to the ones reviewed earlier in this blog. Traveling with companions is always best, but we can only hope for the best, isn’t it?

ACCOMMODATION

We stayed at Sri Durga Residency, Pagoda Point Road, Yercaud, with previous booking. We won’t recommend the hotel to anyone. The pros and cons are as given below.

Pros

1. The hotel is very calm and quiet, situated at a distance of 2 km from the town centre (lake area).
2. The room is very good, spacious, clean and new (at the time we stayed). There was a 32” LCD TV also.

Cons

1. The hotel is situated 2 km from town. No restaurants are nearby. Hotel doesn’t have a restaurant, but food could be arranged by reception.
2. It looks and feels like a 2-storey apartment, with very few rooms overall.
3. It is hugely overpriced for the facilities it provides. Hot water is only available in the morning. But, due to load shedding stretching for hours together, the reception told us that hot water could be obtained only from 5 am to 6 am and suggested that we wake up early to get hot water! Also, there is no intercom in the room. The hotel doesn’t have a generator. During hours of load shedding, a UPS supplies power to rooms, but for long durations of blackout, it fails. TV also doesn’t work when there is no mains power.
4. There is no car parking facility. They showed a steeply inclined gated road to park the vehicle, which will be locked at night. The hotel only offers a stone as the tyre stopper.
5. The hotel charges 12% tax on the base rate, but no bill was issued at the time of checkout.
6. Though it is away from town centre, there is no scenic view. You can only see the backyard of a neighbouring house from where people sitting on the terrace can see inside your room.
7. And, can you imagine? There is no mirror in the bathroom!