Articles by Deepa Mohan

Day before yesterday (22nd June, 2016) my driving licence (along with many other cards and quite a lot of cash, but that's another story) was stolen. The website told me, I needed to get a notarised statement to the effect that I'd lost the licence, along with three photographs, and go to the Regional Transport Office (RTO) where it had been issued, and submit my application. Part 1.I started off with a visit to the photo shop (not Photoshop!) to get my passport photos. It took about half an hour and some extra charges, but I got 16 photos (Rs.120)…

Day before yesterday (22nd June, 2016) my driving licence (along with many other cards and quite a lot of cash, but that's another story) was stolen. The website told me, I needed to get a notarised statement to the effect that I'd lost the licence, along with three photographs, and go to the Regional Transport Office (RTO) where it had been issued, and submit my application. Part 1.I started off with a visit to the photo shop (not Photoshop!) to get my passport photos. It took about half an hour and some extra charges, but I got 16 photos (Rs.120)…

On the 15th of October, 2016, as my friends and I were returning from a nature and birding trip to Nandi Hills, we saw these Yakshagana artistes on the road back (which is also the road from the airport into the city.) That was the goddess of power, Shakti, herself, stepping out into a city, state and country that had just finished celebrating Her in the form of Navaratri or Dashera.   I realized that I would never know why these people were dressed up, and where they were going...was it for a performance, or something else? Yakshagana is a…

On the 15th of October, 2016, as my friends and I were returning from a nature and birding trip to Nandi Hills, we saw these Yakshagana artistes on the road back (which is also the road from the airport into the city.) That was the goddess of power, Shakti, herself, stepping out into a city, state and country that had just finished celebrating Her in the form of Navaratri or Dashera.   I realized that I would never know why these people were dressed up, and where they were going...was it for a performance, or something else? Yakshagana is a…

Earlier this year, in February, a group of friends and I had conducted a bird survey in the campus of IIM-Bangalore. At that time, the Dean of Administration, Prof. G Shainesh, and his famkily, keenly followed us througout the morning of birding and documentation. This morning, I received a message from him asking about a bird that had fallen from a tree in his garden. He asked whether it could be a kingfisher or a barbet, as the appearance seemed different to him. I viewed his excellent photo-documentation of the bird...here it is:   Indian Pitta,IIM-Bangalore campus, 15 Oct 2016.…

Earlier this year, in February, a group of friends and I had conducted a bird survey in the campus of IIM-Bangalore. At that time, the Dean of Administration, Prof. G Shainesh, and his famkily, keenly followed us througout the morning of birding and documentation. This morning, I received a message from him asking about a bird that had fallen from a tree in his garden. He asked whether it could be a kingfisher or a barbet, as the appearance seemed different to him. I viewed his excellent photo-documentation of the bird...here it is:   Indian Pitta,IIM-Bangalore campus, 15 Oct 2016.…

I am told that I can pay my BESCOM bill online, if I know my Customer ID or the Account ID, which, according to BESCOM, is printed on my bill.   <a href="http://bescom.org/en/know-your-customer-id-or-account-id/"> here </a>   is their snapshot of a sample bill, from which one can get the Account or Customer ID.   Alas...that sample is not close to reality.   Month after month, I get a bill where the figures are nowhere in alignment with the lines describing the various details. In fact, for the month of October, I have this bill which is actually half of two bills,…

I am told that I can pay my BESCOM bill online, if I know my Customer ID or the Account ID, which, according to BESCOM, is printed on my bill.   <a href="http://bescom.org/en/know-your-customer-id-or-account-id/"> here </a>   is their snapshot of a sample bill, from which one can get the Account or Customer ID.   Alas...that sample is not close to reality.   Month after month, I get a bill where the figures are nowhere in alignment with the lines describing the various details. In fact, for the month of October, I have this bill which is actually half of two bills,…

On the 30th of September, 2016, a few friends and I visited Hennagara lake, and this was the condition of the water on the lake...it actually looked like an abstract painting, with light refracted from the pollutants floating on the water surface.   We were quite shocked, therefore, to see quite a few tankers filling water from this lake. Here's a photo of one of them:   When many of us get water from water tankers, are we aware from where the water is being sourced, and what the quality of the water is? Do Residents' Associations check on this…

On the 30th of September, 2016, a few friends and I visited Hennagara lake, and this was the condition of the water on the lake...it actually looked like an abstract painting, with light refracted from the pollutants floating on the water surface.   We were quite shocked, therefore, to see quite a few tankers filling water from this lake. Here's a photo of one of them:   When many of us get water from water tankers, are we aware from where the water is being sourced, and what the quality of the water is? Do Residents' Associations check on this…