Follow this trick to increase the mileage of your vehicle.

 A friend of mine noticed that I drove a new two-wheeler to my office today.

“Wow, you bought a new bike?” he asked even before I could open my mouth.

“Yes. I bought it last week.” I was about to explain the make and model and the new features of the bike. But my friend cut me short and asked, “kitna mileage deta hai?”.

Mileage, which refers to how many kilometres a vehicle can run with one litre of fuel, is the most important deciding factor for most middle-class Indians. Mileage is also a successful marketing term for most dealers. Other features can wait.

Some manufacturers claim that their bikes give a mileage of over 90 km/litre. The number on the road may vary between 30 and 70 for most two-wheelers. The exact number depends on multiple factors, such as road conditions, driving efficiency, etc. There are two key factors which, if effectively controlled, can push this number upwards.

First, let us begin with how the vehicle moves. The engine produces power by combusting fuel inside a chamber. The energy produced by the engine is transmitted to the wheels using a set of gears of different sizes. When the vehicle is under resting condition, it requires more energy in the form of torque to pull itself and start moving. The lower gears, which are bigger in size, do this job. Once the vehicle is in motion, the torque needed to pull the vehicle reduces. We want the vehicle to drive faster to reach our destination more quickly. The higher and smaller gears do the job of converting engine power to more speed. Engaging the top gear for most of the driving is important to achieve better mileage.

As speed increases, more and more fuel gets burnt inside the combustion chamber. As a result, some of the fuel will not have sufficient time to complete burning and produce power. As we continue to accelerate, the combustion efficiency lowers, resulting in poor engine performance.

To increase the mileage of your vehicle, ensure that you drive in top gear or higher gears most of the travel time, but have a watch on your speed. The lowest speed you can maintain at the highest gear will give you better mileage.

How to change Airtel prepaid Sim to eSim?

The Big Billion Days of Flipkart is just a few ticks away. So is the Amazon's Great Indian Festival. Apple has just released its latest version of the iPhone 14. Android manufacturers have also upped their ante offering 5G enabled latest smartphones. So what are you waiting for? Or if you are just like me and can't wait, read on.

In this era of internet-based connectivity, the dual sim is the norm. Most latest models offer dual sim, but does every phone come with dual sim slots? iPhone doesn't! I bought iPhone 12 after making sure the specifications clearly say dual sim enabled model. When I got the handset and opened the sim slot, I was shocked to see that it could only hold one sim! So where can I insert the other sim?

That's where eSim comes into the picture. I had a secondary Airtel connection as a backup. The process of converting this Airtel sim to eSim is not straightforward. The first step is to register your mobile number with an email address. Here are the three methods by which you can try to get your email address registered with the phone number.

Method 1: Download Airtel App from the Play store or Apple store, and install it. Go to your profile page, and update with your email address first. After email verification, your email should get registered with your mobile number. Ideally, this method works, but mostly it won't.

Method 2: Tweet to Airtel_Presence asking them to give you a callback. You will get a call within a few hours from a customer care representative. Mention your email address and ask them to register it from their side.

Method 3: Call 121. After trying various IVR options, you will be able to reach customer care support. Mention your email address and ask them to register it from their side.

For Methods 2 and 3, after registration with the customer support executive, you will get a text message asking you to confirm your email address within 8 to 12 hours. If you fail to confirm, you have to repeat the process again.

Now that you have an email id registered with your mobile number, you can proceed to the next step: Open text messaging and send a text message "eSIM email-address" to 121 (replace email-address with your registered mail id). If your email registration is successful, this step will directly ask you to confirm the eSIM initiation request via text message first.

After text confirmation, you will still get a call from Airtel to confirm your request to change to eSIM. Once you re-verify, Airtel will send a QR code to your registered mail id.

Now, open your iPhone, go to mobile settings, and click Add data plan. Scan the QR code to complete the eSIM process. This will take a few minutes to complete, and you will be able to use your old sim till then. Once your eSIM gets activated, your old sim will stop working. As a precautionary measure, you will not be able to send or receive any text messages for 24 hours. But you can make calls and use the data during this time.

Note that the QR code works only once. During the activation process, if your handset shows some error, do not worry. Wait for a few hours, restart your handset and see if your phone can get connected through eSIM slot. If not, call 121 and ask for support.

Do not delete your eSIM slot from your handset. This process can be done only once. For more instructions, check your email or contact Airtel customer support.

Are you travelling alone?

The vast landscape that my eyes could decipher through the window of side berth recedes as the train made its headway towards its destination. While my eyes were engrossed on the picturesque scenery outside, I heard that voice;

“Are you travelling alone?”

I shifted my gaze towards the direction the voice came from. He appeared to be a man of my age. Along with him was a lady, perhaps his wife. They seemed to be newlywed. A bright yellow mangalsutra adorned her neck.

“Yes”, I replied quizzically.

“Side upper is allotted to us. Our other berth is side lower, but two coaches away. If you don’t mind, can you exchange your seat with ours?” he requested.

It doesn’t make any difference to me. The vast landscape will still be visible, perhaps a moment later. I accepted his polite request, packed my contents and reached the other side-lower berth.

The window view continued to delight my eyes. The vast greenery indicated that the monsoon season had just ended. My eyes took turns to devour nature’s beauty on one side while keeping an eye on fellow passengers.

An older man was adjusting himself on the adjacent lower berth, trying to settle down. A young woman accompanied him. She must be his daughter, I guessed. “Do not worry Dad. I will be in the next coach. I will come here and watch out for you now and then. Now take some rest”, she tried to console him.

The older man, while half-listening to her daughter, fixed his contemplative gaze at me. With a hesitant voice, he asked,

“Are you travelling alone?”

---------------------
Click here to read this story in Tamil.

5 arrows: Bhishma and Duryodhana

A brief recap: 

Part 1: Duryodhana felt enraged as eight of his brothers were killed so far after the end of eighth day battle in Kurukshetra, while Kauravas were not even close to capturing Pandavas. His provoking accusation leads Bhishma to take a vow to kill all the Pandavas before next dusk with five golden arrows on which he had imbued his life’s penance.

Part 2: Krishna summoned Arjuna and explained to him about Bhishma's vow with 5 arrows. Not knowing what to do, Arjuna begged Krishna to suggest Pandavas a way out. Krishna asked Arjuna to visit Duryodhana's tent and ask for the 5 arrows.

Part 3: Overwhelmed by Arjuna's presence in his tent, Duryodhana offered Arjuna to ask whatever he wants, not knowing his clever ploy. Counting his lucky stars for this volunteer offer, Arjuna asked Duryodhana for those 5 golden arrows.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Every new day begins with a sunrise. After a day-long struggle, every living being on Earth goes to sleep with a hope that the modern-day beckons them with a new beginning. The first ray of the sun is significant. One who sees the first ray of Sun is blessed to see a new hope and begin his day on a positive note. Often, a layer of cloud obscures the view changing expectation to despair. A layer of cloud, in the form of 5 arrows, had covered the aspect of Bhishma. Ever since he gave the 5 golden arrows to Duryodhana, Bhishma could not be at peace with himself. 

"How could I do this? How did I allow myself to be provoked by Duryodhana? I should have handled the situation in a better way. What more am I going to do to fulfill my vow? Dear God! What have I done to face this situation? Please answer me", he let out a silent prayer.

With a heavy heart, he donned the attire of commander-in-chief. Every passing minute felt like an arrow piercing through his body. Letting out a long sigh of despair, he left his tent and marched towards Duryodhana's place.

"My dear Duryodhana, to make you happy, I imbibed my lifelong penance on five golden arrows and have it in your possession. I am pretty sure you must have rejoiced your night with the assurance that the five Pandavas will be killed in the battlefield today with those arrows. It is now time to fulfill my vow and satisfy your desire. Bring me those five arrows.", he commanded.

The grief-stricken Duryodhana walked sluggishly towards Bhishma and said in an inaudible voice, "Dear Pitamah, those 5 golden arrows are no longer in my possession".

"What happened Duryodhana? You look troubled. Tell me what happened to those 5 golden arrows? Did someone steal from your tent? How dare!  I will soon find the thief and behead him in front of your eyes. Do not worry."

"No, my dear great-grandfather. Nobody stole those 5 arrows from me."

"What happened then?"

"Last night, Arjuna came to my tent after you left. Overwhelmed by his presence, I immediately offered him to ask whatever he wants, not knowing his clever ploy. He asked for those 5 arrows. I did not have a choice!"

"Unbelievable! How did Arjuna know about those 5 arrows?", Bhishma asked far-fetched.

"I have no idea Pitamah. But I do believe that cowherd Krishna must be behind all this."

Hearing this, Bhishma's face was distorted with rage. "How dare that Krishna tricked you into breaking my vow? To fulfill my vow is my dharma. People call me Bhishma for that very reason! In today's battlefield, I will break Krishna's vow!", he thundered.

What was Krishna's vow? Did Bhishma succeed in breaking Krishna's promise? What happened next? The final part of this five-part series will bring the closure.

Ahalya

Overnight mist blanketed the sky over river Ganges. Soon, the first rays of the rising sun would melt them and make way for a clear morning sky. Gautama arrived at the riverbank, disrobed himself, jumped into the river and took a bath. The ice-cold water on his naked body woke each and every cell, made him feel rejuvenated.

It is during twilight that Gautama would take a bath in river Ganges and perform his morning rituals, followed by offering prayers to the Sun God. He would chant the mantra to Sun God, requesting him to help remove his ignorance and fill his mind with the light of knowledge.

But on that particular day, the Sun God did not appear to accept his offering. Foggy night obscured the view of the moon-lit sky. Deep darkness prevailed everywhere, including his mind.

"Why am I feeling different today?", he asked the question to himself. He could not continue with his daily ritual. Something was bothering him.

"I must find out what is going on with me," he said with determination. He stopped his rituals mid-way, walked home deeply contemplating on his thoughts. He lost control of his mind, and in turn, his senses. A sudden feeling of sexual urge pervaded him. Every part of his body longed to have sex with a beautiful girl.

"If thinking about sex gives me so much pleasure, how would I feel if I actually have it?", his mind asked lustily. He knew the answer.

"Having sex would give me the same feeling as being crowned as king of heaven[1]. But what about my penance?", he engaged his mind with the conversation.

"Don't you want to enjoy all that the materialistic world has to offer?"

"I am a sage. I had renounced everything, and I am living a detached life in a small hut deep inside this forest. Of what use is the worldly enjoyment to me?"

"You had lived your entire life as an A-halya[2]. Now you deserve to have sex and feel what it is like to be the king of heaven", his mind lured him with pleasing words.

He almost gave up arguing with his mind. "Maybe my mind is correct. I have not had sex with a woman in my entire life. Don't I deserve to experience sex at least once?" he asked himself.

Years of penance had taught him how to deal with an open mind. Soon, like the mist exposed to the first ray of sun, the darkness that prevailed in his mind also disappeared.

"How could I even think of having materialistic enjoyment?", he asked himself disbelieving he allowed his mind to lure him. "I deserve to be punished."

He could neither curse A-halya nor the thought of becoming king of heaven!

"Dear Ram, the noblest of all noblemen in this world, please forgive me for my sinful thoughts. Make my mind numb like a stone, that which cannot have any feelings", he prayed to Lord Ram. "I surrender unto your Lotus feet. Please have mercy on me and take complete control of myself".

-------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] Lord Indra.

[2] A-halya means un-plowed, which can also mean a virgin.