Meeting Mr KrishnaKumar, Vice Chairman

This was a great moment for me . Mr Karambir Kang arranged a meeting with Mr Krishna Kumar, Vice Chairman so that i could share my experiences with him. We were touched when he called us home at 8 even though he was not keeping well. But trust me i don't know how that 1 hour went by...He and his wife heard every experience of mine with so much passion that i felt so comfortable. It was great talking and sharing my thoughts on The Spirit of India and The Spirit of Taj which I got while driving around India His thoughts on the same were so valuable for me that i will cherish and remember some of the lines which he said.

I shared all the media articles and newspaper clippings with him He wrote his thoughts on the poster and wished me good luck for the drive back home. An enriching evening with a noble man!!

ITS DONE ...THE JOURNEY ENDS BUT THE "SPIRIT" CONTINUES

ITS DONE ..
60 TAJ HOTELS
MORE THAN 42 CITIES
13150 KMS
33 DAYS
265 DRIVING MAN HOURS
NO BREAK DOWNS WITH CAR
DROVE THROUGH ALL TERRAINS -
Deserts of Rajasthan
Jungles of Madhya Pradesh
Villages of Uttar pradesh and Bihar
National highways all around India
crossed and covered more than 6 Ghats
all along the western coast and eastern coast roads
WEATHERED HEAT WAVE, HEAVY MONSOON RAINS AND HUMIDITY.
But more important
THE PURPOSE OF THE JOURNEY HAS BEEN MET !!!- TO FOSTER HARMONY AND PEACE
ITS BEEN AN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFE TIME ...


I drive back tomorrow to Delhi, another 1600 kms more..

AT TAJ MAHAL HOTEL- sharing experiences

The Memorial at the Taj Lobby..this one is really an inspiration to bring back the Taj to its glory The Dome of the Taj Mahal is a symbol of Strength, Courage, Unity with a message loud and clear "We Stand Together"

These bullet marks are still there in the back areas. You go on a round of these places and your heart starts pumping fast. people will tell you heroic stories of our colleagues at every corner how they actually fought a war and gave their lives for the guests. You just want to salute them .

Its still as beautiful as it was earlier..

I went around the hotel meeting people in various departments. You listen to them and you are with them. I shared my experiences with the staff about the journey and how every person in India salute to their courage and supports them.

TAJ MAHAL PALACE AND TOWERS MUMBAI 21ST JULY 4 30 PM

this was indeed an emotional moment; meeting Mr Karambir Kang..i didn't know what to say..just said this was for you , your hotel and for your employees for what this hotel has gone through. WE SALUTE YOU..!!

As i stepped into the lobby, i felt like crying with strong emotions running i looked around to see staff welcoming me

Mr H N Shrinivas started the evening by giving us some words of wisdom and how we need to stand together for the cause to spread the message of harmony and peace. Thanks so much for your support and kind words.

Very proudly, I presented the poster signed by each and every general manager of the Taj hotel on behalf of all the employees of those hotels to Mr Karambir Kang saying that YES we all are there and we support this hotel in every way. "WE STAND TOGETHER"

I presented those message books which has all the messages of best wishes, support, emotions from staff all over India. "We are there with you all "

a hug which said it all..

As you walk up the Grand Staircase and see that magnificent Dome, you wonder WHY DID IT HAPPEN? But yes its back and back so beautiful that you get this feeling, "No one can shake us.."

I met staff as i walked into those corridors and you could feel and see the pain behind that smile..

and again you wonder WHY?

More on my time here tomorrow. I would be meeting staff here to share my experiences..

You hear so many courageous stories of your colleagues here at every corner that you get goose pimples ..

TAJ PRESIDENT 21ST JULY 2 PM

At 1 30 pm and I was on my last leg of journey to get the support of Taj President.It was great to meet old friends as a traditional Maharashtrian welcome was given. Mr Pankaj Sampat the general manager,started the interactive session by stating his hotel's support and wishes to bring Taj back to its glory.

a great time with fellow associates as they asked me about my experiences.

Excited, nervous, happy, a feeling of satisfaction, anxious there were all kinds of emotions as i waited for 4 15 pm in my watch so that I can finally leave for Taj Mahal Hotel Mumbai.

The journey was about to get over..

13150 kms of drive and fostering harmony and peace would come to an end in next 15 minutes and I was sad !!

TAJ WELLINGTON MEWS 21ST JULY

Driving through the new Worli sea link we reached South Mumbai in 40 minutes . Our next stop Taj Wellington Mews and as we started coming closer to Taj mahal hotel my heart started beating faster !!! I was happy to meet staff to tell them the purpose of this drive. Enthused,everyone wanted to part of it so that they all can support this solidarity drive and spread the message of peace..

TAJ LANDS END MUMBAI 22ND JULY 10 AM

We started early at 6 in the morning in heavy rains from Nashik to leave for Mumbai. The eagerness to reach to my last destination Mumbai weathered the bad rainy stormy weather and yes we were finally in Mumbai at 9 am.

Our first hotel Taj Lands End and we were welcomed by huge banners of We Stand Together at the gate. As we approached I could see all the staff waiting with smiles on there faces and glitter in there eyes with Mr Khosla the general manager of the hotel giving me a warm hug.a great feeling as I touched the first hotel in Mumbai.

Banners of messages of Peace, Taj Mahal Hotel, The spirit of Taj song and AV playing on the screen, staff gathered in huge numbers at the banquet hall, aminute silence for to give strength to us, speeches, interaction with staff, cake cutting, it was all there for the support of this "drive for peace"

Mr Khosla encouraged staff to speak about there feelings, took center stage in supporting this in a big way . Thank you very much, I was touched !

This is what you see from this beautiful hotel's top floor mew rooms. Just amazing view...

THE JOURNEY ALMOST OVER- 1 MORE DAY..

32 DAYS ARE OVER , 12 800 KMS ALREADY TRAVELLED, MESSAGES AND WISHES FROM 56 TAJ HOTELS, MORE THAN 41 CITIES OF INDIA COVERED, TOUCHED FEW THOUSAND PEOPLE ON ROADS AND FELLOW ASSOCIATES OF TAJ HOTELS WITH A UNIFYING MESSAGE OF HARMONY..
JUST 1 MORE DAY AND I GO TO MUMBAI FOR WHICH THIS WHOLE DRIVE WAS TAKEN..
Feels great, very happy that a thought, few months back, gave way to a dream and now to reality..
As i write my blog, my thoughts and mind is already in Mumbai. I am eager to reach Taj Mahal Hotel, Mumbai so that I can tell my colleagues that how whole of India and our fellow associates from other hotels salute them for what they have gone through..and the message of "WE STAND TOGETHER" is loud and clear..
The journey back home to Delhi starts after 2-3 days. I was so involved that I forgot that I have to drive back to Delhi too, another 1600 kms more. I have my family, friends and my work waiting there.
Let me share this sweet incident with you all...
My 3 year old son Dwij has been telling every one that " Papa India gaye hai" ( actually he got so confused after initial 2-3 days remembering Chandigrah, and then Jaipur, Jodhpur that he decided to say India) Yesterday when I called him he said "Papa India kitna door hai, aajao abb"!!!! India is really big!!!!

THE GATEWAY HOTEL NASHIK 20TH JULY 4 PM

We reached hotel to a warm welcome by staff at the porch. Very excited they all showed the real Spirit of Taj by genuinely supporting and giving messages and wishes for this "Peace Drive". I interacted with them and lot of them spoke about how they can do there jobs well and contribute to take Taj to greater heights..

Leaving pigeons to fly as a "message of peace" was just great feeling...

SURAT-NASHIK VIA SAPUTARA- Rain please go away

Early morning view from my room at The Gateway Hotel Surat. Its just beautiful sight of Tapi river flowing next to the hotel. It rained whole night and the same story in the morning too. Our next stop Nashik was about 250 kms but weather did not help us.

We had to stop in a small dhaba as it started pouring very badly and driving was tough. Dhokla and hot tea( even the tea was pouring!!) in a small place just before the Saputara ghats.

The drive is really beautiful with streams going along the road. But water level was quite dangerous and there were places where bridges were just at water level. we decided to to just go on at a normal speed since the roads were also not great. Driving in rains is what i look forward to in Delhi but unfortunately we only get it for a month and that too if you want to enjoy driving we had to go out towrads Jaipur road to enjoy. Here for last 10 days i have been just driving in rains all through different terrains but not the usual company. Great experience nevertheless!!

But the drive very scenic,

At Saputara hill station which is actually at border of Gujrat and Maharashtra. Nice scenic hill station. Met few people who had come from daman for a visit. They were very excited when i told them what i am doing. a great time having hot bhuttas and lots of photographs.

This guy on my left is from some political party in Daman and insisted that when i drive back to Delhi, do visit Daman and be his guest. Very passionately he said "We will show you Daman and will spread the message of peace"

This is what you get in rains on top of this hill station...hot juicy corn

As we approached Nashik the rains slowed down