INDUSTRIAL VISIT TO JAIPUR……………………………………… (25th -31st Oct. 2012)

After the highly successful Bandhavgarh tour in summer and a few monsoon treks there after, we geared up ourselves to venture into a completely new territory for us-INDUSTRIAL VISITS. Our proposal for Industrial Visit to Jaipur was gladly accepted by the Dept. of Biotechnology, Ramnarain Ruia College, and in turn we were more than happy to serve the institution where we had studied not so long ago. Preparations for the tour began well in advance and the pre tour to Jaipur in September last week proved very much essential. Finally with some butterflies in our stomach and with a whole lot of self confidence under our belt, we boarded our train (BCT-JP Superfast) to Sawai Madhopur, a day after Dussehra.

Day 1:- 26^th Oct. ’12, we reached our hotel, ‘The Hammir, Wild Life Resort’ in the morning and got ourselves settled in. A first look at the hotel ambience, and we all were delighted to see the gardens, the flowers, the pool and the mughal architecture which gave that heritage feel to our stay here. Post lunch we were supposed to leave for Safari in the Ranthambore National Park. But to everyone’s dismay, due to some untoward mishap that took place in the jungle a day before, the safari had to be cancelled. No doubt the faces made for a dejected look. But soon the mood seemed to have changed as we boarded the canter to visit the ‘Ranthambore Fort’. The excitement had just begun. It was nice to spend an evening in the historical fort with numerous tree pies flying around. The return journey to the resort was also equally enjoyable. As it darkened, the temperature gradually decreased and we experienced the first rushes of winter. A small shopping session followed by a folk dance performance by the localities and a delightful dinner brought end to what, just was the beginning.

Day 2:- 27^th Oct’12. This was going to be the most hectic day of our schedule and we were up for it. The safari that was cancelled yesterday was scheduled this morning and frankly speaking, it was pretty early. We boarded the gypsies at around 5.30 a.m. and day 2 began on a promising note. Looking back now, those moments spent in the safari were indeed some of the most unforgettable ones for all of us. Observing the wild animals in their own backyard really makes you feel special. And for some lucky ones who could see ‘the Maharaja’ itself, it makes them feel a little extra special. Meanwhile, some of us had already returned back to the resort and had left for Jaipur, while others got delayed a bit long and had to quickly pack their bags and get ready. It was a fairly long journey from Sawai Madhopur to Jaipur and most of us decided to take that much needed nap. On our way to Jaipur, we visited our first industry on the tour, ‘Jaipur Dudh Dairy’. The concerned person at the dairy gave a short detour of how pasteurization and various other processes were carried out at their unit. At the end of it, a small scoop of vanilla ice cream indeed brought a smile on everyone’s face. A slight rescheduling in the itinerary meant that we were late for our lunch at ‘The Mapple Empire Regency’. But the evening was going to be special, as a surprise was in store for all the students. We visited a Rajasthani Theme Village named ‘Kanchan Kesari’, located within half n hour from the hotel. Here, a welcome drink was followed by few hours of sheer entertainment and relaxation. Camel ride, horse ride, boat ride, magic show along with some daredevilry skills of some of the artists enthralled one and all. To add to it, they even had a small DJ session. All the students had a ball of time that evening. But the climax was remaining and the Rajasthani thali served in the traditional manner indeed had all of us lip smacking each variety. With that we summed it up for the day, which no doubt was the most hectic one on the tour but at the same time equaling satisfying and a memorable one.

Day 3:- 28^th Oct’12. A Sunday- and it obviously meant no work and only play. That’s right; it was time for some sightseeing and, to experience the rich cultural and historical heritage of Rajasthan. After a nice heavy breakfast, we straight away headed to our first destination- Hawa Mahal. The sun was shining, the architecture was superb and the tourists were having a nice outing- what else would the budding photographers ask for. The clicks continued all the way to Jantar Mantar, which was our next spot. We were ably guided by a local guide who explained us the intriguing details of the different innovative creations at Jantar Mantar. It was indeed very fascinating. Further, we reached back hotel for lunch and a little bit of rest. Post lunch our next destination was going to be Amer Fort. The fort itself was huge and the guide did his best to explain the minor nuances of its history. On our way back, we halted to see the amazing ‘Jal Mahal’ lit up to its magnificent beauty in the evening darkness. Shopping was next on the cards and with those filled bags and empty pockets; we headed back to our hotel. A satisfying dinner brought end to a slightly tiring Sunday. But I guess a look back at all the clicks of the day must have indeed given everyone, a sound sleep.

Day 4:- 29^th Oct’12. It was again time for some studies in the midst of all the fun. After breakfast, we visited our 1^st institution for the day, Birla Institute for Scientific Research (BISR). Under the guidance of Dr. Krishna Mohan, HOD of Biotechnology, the students were introduced to the institute, its activities and the research currently going on at their helm. A look into their labs and the instruments really helped the students from their academics point of view.  Further, we moved a little down of Jaipur to visit the Morarka Research Foundation. It was their food processing unit where production of different food items was shown to us and we even got to taste few cookies out there. Ahead we were also supposed to visit their Vermi Compost unit, but time being a crucial factor; we had to rush back to the hotel for timely lunch. The evening time was spent at the Birla temple. The silence and the calmness in the atmosphere rejuvenated all of us and gave us a time to recall all the good time that we had for the past four days. The tour was approaching its final leg and we so wished it to continue for some days more. But for now it was party time folks. The DJ floor at the hotel basement just set the mood right to set oneself free of all the worries and dance like there was no tomorrow. The "OOH LA LA………." continued all the way and made it a night to remember forever.

Day 5:- 30^th Oct’12. It was our last official day in Jaipur and we decided to make the most of it. The daily ritual followed in the bus at the start of every day was done for the last time and off we went to see the historical Albert Hall. It was a museum that took us back to the ages of the Maharajas and the Maharanis. This was followed by a shopping session which I guess definitely fulfilled all the unsatisfied souls. The lunch had to be finished quickly since we had to catch our JP-BCT superfast train at 2.00 pm. And now sadly but surely the return journey had begun. No body wanted to leave Jaipur so easily but eventually we had to. We loaded the packed dinner at Kota Railway Station and with that a sense of relief had gripped us. Although we were yet to reach back home, the delightful faces of the students declared that the tour was nothing short of a success. To add to that, thumbs up from our HOD and few words of encouragement, surely enhanced our confidence level.

Finally on the morning of 31^st Oct.’12, we reached back home to aamchi Mumbai. We congratulated each other on successfully completing our 1^st Industrial Tour on our own. The memories of this tour will be indeed precious for us at HYBRID TREKKERS. Memories that will definitely last long and shall not be forgotten so easily. At the end, a vote of thanks from our side, to all those behind the scene people, who were actively involved in making this tour, what it eventually turned out to be.

Mahendra Singh Gehlot and Hemant Chauhan, our Jaipur co-ordinators.

Dr. Krishna Mohan, HOD, Biotechnology, BISR.

Chhavi Saxena, Deputy Manager, HR, Morarka Research Foundation.

Anurag Batra, GM, Mapple Empire Regency.

Satyendra Singh, GM, The Hammir, Wild Life Resort.

Subhash Gautam, Our safari organizer.

Mr. Rishi, Kota breakfast and packed dinner.

Mithileshbhai, Parle Travels, for advance ticket booking.

And last but not the least, the Dept. of Biotechnology, for having that faith and belief in us, that we could organize the Industrial Visit so convincingly and satisfactorily.

New horizons now calling us in 2013.