Aadhar Card Application

Today we went and applied for Aadhar. I thought of sharing the information regarding the process here as it might be of some help to others in the group. 1) LOCATION: Karvy office located close to Image Hospital, Madhapur. You may contact Mukram on 9700286276 for any details. 2) PROCEDURE: Info given: You need to provide a photo ID to get the form. Experience: We got the form just like that. The person just asked how many forms we need. In fact the stack of forms was mostly left unguarded and people were picking up as per their wish. Info given: Every day they issue 50 tokens at 9 am. Experience: We called Mr Mukram on the above mentioned number around 11:30 am and he told that though they issue tokens before 9 am, today rush is less and so we can come today itself. So we went there around 12 or so and we were given token numbers 41 etc. After issuing tokens (which means just writing these numbers on our forms and telling us about these numbers) he told us that we can go for lunch and that he would give us a missed call on the number mentioned in the form about 3 tokens before us. We came back and went again after getting the missed call about 1.5 hours later. They had issue tokens till 54 so they can actually issue more tokens and it does not all happen in the morning in the days with less rush. I guess weekends would be packed though. They do not necessarily call people based on the order of tokens. The person sees people who he thinks came earlier than others and does it that way. I did see people who had later token numbers being sent earlier as they had some urgent work or so. 3) It takes around 10 minutes per person to get the fingerprints etc done. 4) They are quite co-operative in informing about the documents needed: The documents needed are: 1) Proof of Identity (POI): eg., Passport, PAN card, Driving Licence, Voter ID etc 2) Proof of Address (POA): This should have your residing address. e.g., Passport, Voter ID, Electricity Bill etc. In case of kids below 5 years we need father's address proof 3) Proof of Birth (POB): SSC certificate, Birth Certificate, Passport 4) Proof of relationship (POR): Passport (with spouse name mentioned), Marriage Certificate 5) We do not need to take any photos 6) They do not do the fingerprint and retina scan for kids less than 5 years of age I guess as it was not done for my 3 year old kid. 7) There are no charges. 8) They will give you a receipt after the process is over and the Aadhar will be delivered later by post to your address given in the application.

Passport Application process at PSK (Hyderabad)

Information regarding passport application through PSKs: Recently I had applied for a fresh passport for my toddler (normal, not tatkaal) and address change and spouse name inclusion for myself (normal, not tatkaal) through the PSK in Ameerpet. I have had occasion to share this information with a lot of people who contacted me, so I thought of putting all the details I have (which are mostly based on my personal experience in both the above instances) at one place in this forum for easy access by all. Here are the main things: 1. I had gone in both the instances to PSK-Ameerpet because I was well aware of the location. It is located near Maitrivanam (opposite to Blue Fox/Minerva Coffee Shop/Oriental Bank of Commerce building) at Aditya Trade Centre. 2. The following is the list of PSKs in Hyderabad (Source: http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/locatePSK/locatePFCInp) PSK Name City PSK Address PSK Ameerpet Hyderabad Aditya Trade Centre, Ameerpet, Hyderabad-500038 PSK Begumpet Hyderabad Door No: 1-8-368 to 372, Gowra Trinity, Chiran Fort Lane, Begumpet, Hyderabad-500016 PSK Toli Chowki Hyderabad 8-1-305/306, Anand Silicon Chip, Shaikpet Nala, ToliChowki, Hyderabad-500009 3. You need to register first with the site http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/online/welcomeLink 4. After registering yourself you need to login to fill up the application online. No documents need to be uploaded. You need not fill up the entire form at one- you can fill it up in parts as per your convenience, however, please remember to save all the information you fill up. Only once you have completed the form and verified all the details should you submit the form. Once you submit the form, you cannot alter/edit any details. 5. Fees: You can get the fees for your application from the following link http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/fee/feeInput 6. FILLING UP THE FORM: i. It is better to put the details of your neighbours as references as they will be easily available during police-verification. It also gives us a good chance to know our neighbours  ii. You can use last one year’s bank statement as address proof if you do not have any other address proof like voter id, landline bill etc as is the case with most of us. In case of Government banks the bank statement itself is enough but for Private banks (ICICI, HDFC etc) you also need a Covering Letter from the bank. In case, the spouse does not have any address proof for the current residence, you can use a Joint Account Statement for 1 year, duly stamped and signed by competent authority Bank, as an address proof. They do not accept Aadhar as of now. Alternatively, you can apply at the nearest post office and after verification they can issue you an address proof which can be used for all purposes. 7. You can also download the e-form from the links given at https://portal2.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/online/downloadEFormStatic and submit the same after filling in all details. In this case, you do not need the internet connection while filling up the form. You need to have an active internet connection only when uploading the form after filling in all the details. 8. No need to upload the documents at our end. Even if you upload also they will scan and upload again from their end. 9. You can also fill up more than one passport application simultaneously using the same Login Id. 10. Take all photo copies on A4 size paper. 11. It is enough to carry Annexure-H on plain paper attested by both parents. 12. No need of taking any gazatted officer signature on any document, if you are applying as "Normal". Self attested by both/ either parents is enough. 13. GETTING APPOINTMENTS: Once all required information is filled in for an application, you need to book an appointment with PSK. New appointment slots are available on weekdays from 7-30PM onwards. Be online at sharp 7-30 as all slots generally get booked in 5 mins. Lot of people hence access the site at that time leading to various errors and very slow response time. You can compare it to the hassles faced with the IRCTC site when booking the tatkaal tickets at 8:00 am. However, I would like to suggest the following in such cases: i. Login to the site 5-10 minutes before 6 pm and start trying to get the appointment. So that even if some pages load slowly you may get into the appointment page on time. ii. Even if the page loads slowly, keep trying patiently. iii. Try for an alternate PSK if the PSK you are looking for has slots full or is not loading. iv. In case you are still not able to get an appointment slot after multiple attempts, you are advised to visit concerned Regional Passport Office (RPO) in their area. Such applicants should fill-up the application online, generate ‘Application Reference Number’ and visit RPO along with printed ‘ARN Sheet’. RPO will consider such cases and will give staggered appointments keeping in view the load/capacity at the respective PSK under their jurisdiction. Tatkaal and other urgency applications will be given preference in allotting appointments. (Source: https://portal2.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/pdf/Advisory.pdf) v. Applicants having confirmed appointments and who are unable to visit PSK due to some reason, are advised to reschedule/cancel their appointments at-least 15 hours prior to the scheduled date/time, so that these appointments may be released to other applicants in queue. In case of ‘no show’ of the applicant on the scheduled day & time, the data captured for that applicant will be deleted from the system including ARN number and such applicants will be required to fill-up the ‘data’ again for obtaining fresh appointments. vi. In my case, for my passport (spouse name inclusion and address change) I was able to get a slot even when I logged in the afternoon around 1 pm for some 5 days in advance. 14. You can be allowed to enter the PSK a bit in advance of your appointment slot too. For example, you can enter an hour earlier than your appointment too. (Personal experience) 15. When you go with a baby (for her/his passport), you are issued a special token which is supposed to have preference over the normal tokens issued and takes less time. 16. The people at the PSK are very helpful and cooperative and the process is pretty comfortable and convenient (If you have been to the RPO before the PSKs came up, you will know what I mean ) 17. THE PROCESS AT THE PSK: i. You have to carry the appointment slip with you else you will not be granted admittance. The guard will check that slip and let you in. ii. Once you enter you have to stand in one of 4-5 queues (There is a special queue for Tatkaal people). Due to the limited number of slots issued at the PSKs the queues are not very long and move on at good speed. Once your turn comes, the personnel at the counter will take your documents and check them carefully, ask you for any missing documents, suggest alternatives in case of any doubt and arrange them in a file for you with a token slip with the token number printed on it. iii. For women or parents with babies, the officials encourage the person carrying the baby to sit comfortably on the chairs provided at the back of the room while the accompanying member can stand in the queue to fulfil the formalities. You also get to be in the Special token queue in such cases which is shorter and faster. iv. In case you missed taking a Xerox of any document that is needed, you can take it from the Xerox counter at the canteen located there only. Hence you save time and effort. (I have been to the Ameerpet PSK only but I guess all PSKs will have this system) v. You have to show your token number in the file to the guard before he lets you enter any further into the waiting area. vi. Once you are in the waiting area you have lot of chairs in an air-conditioned room (The front room was also AC) and 3-4 LCD screens in front of you displaying the status of the token wrt the counter number. There are around 20 A counters which are the preliminary document verification counters, approx. 5 B counters which are the next step of verification and 3 C counters. The call for the tokens is automated and handled through a computer program that prioritizes the special tokens etc. The call for the A counter comes rather quickly while it’s a bit slow to get through the remaining B and C counters. vii. While you wait for your turn you may get some refreshments from the canteen counter. You also have a water cooler, restrooms and a baby care room there. Much more comfortable than sitting across the road near the RPO in the olden days. viii. They will take your photograph with their webcam so do not bother if you do not have a passport photograph. However in case you are applying for your baby’s photograph it is advisable to carry his/her photograph as the child may not cooperate during the photo session  ix. Once the A, B and C counters are done you get a token with the file number etc. Which you have to keep safely. 18. I applied for passport renewal/ and for a fresh passport and in both cases I got the passports in a week. From the experience of other people I think you should get it in a max of 2 weeks time. For tatkaal, they say you will get it in 2 days. You can track the status of your application from http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/statusTracker/trackStatusInpNew 19. You will be intimated by sms (on your registered mobile number) and by mail when the passport is dispatched along with the speed post docket number. 20. VERIFICATION: i. For my daughter’s passport we did not have any verification. ii. For my passport (address change) I had police verification done. I had got a call around 4 days after submitting my passport (on the Saturday following my submission) from the officer regarding the verification. He told me to keep all the documents in original and with a Xerox copy ready. He came promptly on Sunday morning at around 8 am (as he had told on the day before) and verified the documents. He also got the forms duly signed by 2 of my neighbours as references. I did not have my bank statement ready so he told me to get it within one week and give him a call and he will come and collect. I got the statement the next day and called him and he came within half an hour and collected it. iii. Within a day of this I got the dispatch sms from passport office. I got in delivered to me by the next day evening. iv. Some people ask that what if they get the passport and the verification is not completed by then. Sometimes we have post verification done which happens after the passport is issued. In case it is not cleared then a note is attached to our passport file in the records saying that the police verification has not been completed successfully and we will get a notice later on. This information was given by the Passport Verification Officer when he came for my passport verification. I do not know how true this is. v. In case of any problems with Passport Verification you may contact the ACP IV, P.V. Cell on the mobile number 9490616135. He is very approachable and helpful. (Source: http://hyderabadpolice.gov.in/Contact%20Us/SpecialBranch.htm) I had faced an issue with an officer trying to extract money from me and I googled and found this contact and called him and he checked and called back. I found him very cooperative. Some points that I have mentioned may appear to be repetitive or obvious. However, I have put them here because I have seen that people are having doubts regarding the same. In case I have missed out anything or erred anywhere, please feel free to correct me or add on to the above said. I hope this helps all of us here.

To my parents

The only secret to success i knew was touching your feet,
Away from you today life's triumphs taste not-so-sweet.
The purest joy I've known was the way your eyes glowed
In all my joys, none of your own struggles showed.
Each day you toiled, each night you lay awake
For me you smiled away each heart-break
My winnings have pulled me away from you
I may be worth the best of life,yet not worth you
You have been my Gods,breathed your life into me
I wish I was more your child,more as you'd want me to be...

Tumhari parchhain

Tum paas nahi ho dur sahi
Hum milne se majboor sahi

Ek chehra tum sa aas paas
Tum jaisa hi kuchh khaas khaas

Jab haath mera pakadta hai
Kabhi hansta kabhi akadta hai

Tab lagta hai ki tum hi ho
un aankhon ki sachchai mein

Tum hi tum ho paas mere
Is nanhi si parchhain mein

Tu jab saath nahi tha mere...

Tu jab saath nahi tha mere...

Subahein sunehari hoti thi,
Shaam mein laali hoti thi.
Ab to gulaabi sa har ek din hota hai...

Kabhi galat aur kabhi sahi,
Anchahi si kaheen kaheen,
Par teri aankhon mein achchha hone ka man hota hai...

kal subah...

Kal subah tum hoge jab paas mere,
Kal subah jab hum honge saath tere,
To dhoop mein sona aur zara sa damkega,
Man ka tara aur bhi timtim chamkega..

Dard-i-dil sone na dega
Khwaab kaise aayenge?
Ab khayaalon mein bhi tujhse
Mil nahin hum paayenge..

Numbness...

I'm scared of pain, i hate it so
I wanna be numb before u go

I wanna dumb my senses, i wanna feel no pain
Bt just as i'm done you're here again

Your touch makes me want to feel all the more
Each nerve responds and opens each door
And just as the fire is set aglow
Darling, away you go!

For you, Darling!

(inspired by an old hindi song)

Your eyes have found me worthy of your love,
O my heart! pause for a while in your manouvers,
For I have found my destination...

O yes, I agree to this decision of yours...
every time I look at you, my eyes are saying thanks, O darling,
With a smile you're made me a part of your life...

I am your destination, and you are the goal of my life...
Why should a fear the storm, when you are the shore for me!
Someone please tell the storm, that I have found my shore...

Your shadow has fallen on my heart,
It feels like fine music is playing from all directions...
I have attained the bliss of both worlds...

The Intolerant Prophet

A person who speaks by divine inspiration or as the interpreter through whom the will of a god is expressed.' The will of God? That men are allowed keep a harem of women like cattle in a stable? That on three repetitive echoes of a cruel word relationships can be severed? That an animal's life is less valuable than that of a human being's?
Is this the will of God that hate all who do not believe in me in the same manner as you do? Kill all those whose imagination leads them to give me a name other than the one you utter, and who believe in my existence outside the pages of a book written from back to front? Some God that!!!
God is our father, and mother... Who ever heard of a mother who sentenced her child to death if he called her mom instead of amma? Or of a father who told his son to kill his friend if he called his father 'dad' instead of 'papa'? May be there are characters like this in the Muslim folklore. Ohh... I forget. The religion itself is a comic story sneering at human values.
Their religion teaches only to get irritated, angry and to hurt themselves and others. How can such a religion bring peace to any of its followers?
How can any sensible person follow such such hatred filled autocratic dictates of a 'prophet'?
Its a good idea to make these people realize that we will not bear all they do and say in the name of their religion. They do not give us even breathing space for our religion or us, so we will also now express our skepticism about their faith. Come lets lead the ridicule as our way to object to the muslim terrorism...

A moment of silence...

Crushed by the attempts to achieve glory,

In the throes of a heroic story...

Trying to be what I cannot reach,

Each effort just seems to widen the breach.

The stories of greatness seem so false,

Imprisoning me within golden walls...

Greatness comes at crucial cost,

It takes away what matters most...

It takes away my peace of mind,

It leaves those sleepy nights behind.

It makes each step a leaden trudge,

My name just an ugly smudge!

The well of tears has turned so dry,

Just crimson blood now stains my eye.

I'd die for just a breath of air,

But that moment of silence is just not there!

Streaks of Loneliness- 1

Abhineet looked above at the stars shining in the dark night sky. 
"You're such a loser. Don't try to act innocent. You could have made it had you moved your lazy ass around a bit."
Tears stung his eyes as these words echoed in his ears. He clenched his fists till his nails dug into his moist palms- he had to hold back those tears. Else he will prove himself to be the weakling his mother thought him to be. That must NEVER happen!
Abhineet took a deep breath and tried to ignore the pain that throbbed inside his chest. "You loser... Get out of this house!" The words kept coming back to him. He looked at the skies, wondering whether God was looking at him from behind the dark curtains that hid him from this grief-stricken world. In his exasperation, he shouted. "Why, me? Even my mother hates me! Was anyone ever so unfortunate?"
But no one answered him. He did not expect an answer anyway. He just sat there alone looking down from the terrace at the streets that were now completely solitary. Just like him. Again a sob shook him. A tear slowly trickled down his tender cheeks. Why did he flunk his JEE entrance? He had not slept well for the last three years, studying for that one day. Everyone had hoped that he, the topper of his class, would definitely get a good rank. His father had boasted to all his relatives. And yet, here he was- discarded as trash by his own mother. He had let his parents down. His father's most cherished dream had crashed into pieces! Abhineet felt like jumping off from the terrace. He walked towards the railing.
"Sri Krishna Govind Hare Murari...."
From far off, the devout strains of this bhajan floated in the night air. What temple could be open at this time? It was strange...
"Hey nath narayan vaasudeva.."
Abhineet stopped listening to these melodies. No, he will not let these people take him down. His spirit will not surrender. True, he had hurt his parents and others, but did they not realize that it is he who ached the most. They could blame him atleast, but what was he supposed to do. How can he leave himself like they had left him?
He looked up at the stars again and held out his hands to them, as if making an oath over those divine candles. "I will never let anyone hurt myself again. I will one day make them proud. I will funfill all there dreams. But never will I forget this day. No one will ever hurt me again." He closed his eyes and remained like that uttering the Gayatri Mantra. Slowly he opened his eyes. His mind was blank now- blank of all his pain. Those screaming words were gone and left behind them a peace that was so rejuvenating.
Thus, Abhineet, like his hero Alexander, made his first conquest at the age of sixteen, and built a fort around his heart that no one ever was allowed enter.

To Be a mother...

To be a mother means,

You have to hold back tears,

Even when you feel you'll dissolve in them...

To be a mother means,

You have to eat and be merry,

When your world is sinking...

To be a mother means,

You should look forward to the life within you and cherish it,

When you feel like dying...

To be a mother means,

Its your responsibility to bear a healthy happy baby boy,

For its your supreme duty, though you may be sick of life!

There are things...

There are days that aren't so bright,

There are nights that are so blue,

In the moments that I feel so lonely....

These are times when I need you!

There are times when all sounds are harsh,

When all words just leave me cold,

These I times I need your warmth,

To comfort me and to hold...

There are times my heart just breaks,

And melts in unshed tears,

There are things I could say just to you,

In my heart when no one hears...

There are so many times and more

When I need you close to me,

O my love, come hold me close to you,

And there, just let me be...!

A blank mind, a heavy heart!

They say that grief speaks but sorrow remains tongue-tied. Well, I don't say that I am in the throes of some sorrowful emotion, and yet when the heart aches so much for some one's presence around you, your mind somehow alienates itself from its surroundings and becomes so completely blank. Does an artery when severed from the heart ache? I don't think so. And yet it ceases to have any meaning. Is that how I feel these days? But its not on all days. Sometimes I feel like my cup is full and I feel ready to burst into tears. And at others I just feel I don't exist at all.

O my God... look at all I have been writing and at least one thing is for sure- I am going out of my mind! Separation is so painful that it does wreck havoc on the mind. I hope this longing finds its culmination soon in your arms...

Amateur Blogging

I am hardly a blogger yet and still I must be doing something to provide some means of activity to the grey cells  in my brain (at least they are supposed to be there). I do not know what to write- there seems to be a dearth or topic and there also seem to be so many of them. Of course one has an opinion on almost everything but is that a sufficient enough topic? Well anyway none of the things seem to be important enough to write about- though opinions will be formed and held, they will not be written. At least not for the present.

I seem to have finished a singularly inconclusive and matterless paragraph so I daresay I should be closing down the mind shop for today :)

Hope I do get a hang on this blogging stuff soon....

Main Adhoori nahi

Har kadam pe pyaar mile ye bhi zaroori to nahi,

Na poori ho saki jo main gar, adhoori to nahi,

Jab thhes lagti hai to khud hi ashk behte hain,

Har samay muskuraana meri majboori to nahi....