Expressions

Things I learnt over the weekend!

2025-03-24T14:56:00.002+05:30

Random thoughts that ought to be added to my mental library of "Life is full of surprises".... without sounding preachy-

Faith, in any form, is a humbling and profoundly enriching experience. Everyone should consider believing in something—anything—whether it’s an unknown higher power or a concept that transcends our understanding. It’s about discovering what resonates with you and learning how to tune into that frequency once you crack the code! I am still learning what that code is though :D

Watching a sunset can help slow down the racing thoughts in your constantly hustling mind. However, it also opens a Pandora's box of life's difficult questions—what and why. Despite this, I would still recommend it 100%! :)

The courage to do something boldly reckless—something that quickens your heartbeat—is one of the most life-altering experiences you can have!

Somewhere, someone always appears out of nowhere when you least expect it, and it's rarely a pleasant surprise! :D

Reliving old memories is always a mood booster. However, I've learned the hard way that nostalgia isn't always good. We should strive to live in the moment as much as possible because this new experience will eventually become nostalgia one day. You can't constantly reminisce about a time when you were reminiscing about another time, all the time. Do you get my point?

Trying new experiences, on the other hand, is the best way to create lasting memories and nostalgia. These experiences can be exciting, frightening, awesome, or even bittersweet, but they are moments that you own completely. Each experience is a tiny fragment of your sense of self, and since you are composed of millions of these fragments, you have the ability to renew your overall sense of self simply by being open and receptive to new things coming your way. Instead of clinging tightly to memories that have exhausted and outlived their purpose in your life, embrace the new experiences that can elevate you.

Talking to strangers can be surprisingly entertaining. I was trying to sleep—actually dozing off—on my flight when an unassuming gentleman next to me tapped my hand and began asking innocent questions. He wanted to know if he was in the correct seat, how much my flight ticket cost :D, and was delighted to discover that free meals were served during the flight. He then asked about my job and where I lived, sharing stories about his village life without even prompting! :D This encounter made me realize that many people feel lonely inside and crave connection.

You shouldn't be afraid to love, even if there are no returns—if you're capable of doing so. Don't hesitate to care, express your emotions, share your feelings, or let people know what they mean to you while they're still here. After all, we only have one life, and we won't survive it anyway! :) Let's bottle up high spirits instead of sentiments and desires!

Morning thoughts

2024-06-04T22:06:00.001+05:30

Wondering what to write about is a great source to experience blank space and void. I have been finding no inspirations, no shower ideas or eureka moments since the longest time. Probably because I have stopped writing. I have read several articles about how one should write everyday for at least half an hour to keep the creative juices flowing and so here I am trying to do that from precisely 2 days. This is my second day and I feel I am just blabbering around. lets see where it takes me.

Life in quarantine is not hard at all, especially if you are staying at a friends' place and the onus of the household chores is divided among 4 people. Its just a little boredom seeping in here and there from time to time and melancholy trying to make room every now and then. They are looking for fine cracks in a flimsily built wall of excitement and enthusiasm , always creeping in the background; waiting patiently for one moment where it can take a peek first and then slowly spread across the entire room like poisonous gas canister released. You have to keep your fort strong and not to succumb to any tactics of the mind and the devil. Sigh ! First world problems in a third world country.

While I write this disconnected array of thoughts, a beautiful grey pigeon has flow in and stood magnificently at the edge of my balcony - 3 feet away from me. I am amazed that it did not take detour on seeing me sitting in the balcony as birds usually do. Seems like I appear to be a very pleasant, charming person in the morning! or may be not a person at all ..just a statue from which he could sense no possible danger! Ha I am happy at this thought. Now the pigeon has departed after taking a quick rest and instead a sparrow has come in at the same spot.. a sparrow! Never seen one up so close unless hidden. This is a miracle. I never see crows here in Pune. There are abundant in Mumbai where I live and its a great relief not to hear their cacophony. I am only hearing chi-chi voices which lets me assume there are small and docile birds around my society.

One should get up in the morning and observe nature in action. May be nature will throw some hint at you .... like I got an idea of practicing writing... to emulate a scene for paper I experience or see in as much detail as possible. For example, the morning scene...how does my balcony look like, what view I see from the angle I am sitting in the balcony, what do I feel at this moment, a little background of the place ,time and movement... this will help unclog and oil the rusted parts of the mind and with practice might ease out the flow.

Somersaults

2020-05-06T07:03:00.001+05:30

There is lot of struggle getting myself up from bed. Most of the time I lie back down and stare at the many jingling and colorful 'stuff' hanging from above.... its not always the case , the hanging things are only at one or two places. It is usually a white colored ceiling with circles and hexagons cut out. Other times I am rolled over facing down to the bed . This is a relief from seeing the jingling objects and the empty ceiling. Nonetheless, the starting down at the bed is not too exciting either. Unless there is a very colorful bed sheet spread across. I like to find and trace small patterns in that case. I practice trying to get up from bed on my own but there is a lot of effort and I give up after a few moments.

I am pulled into people's laps ever since I remember my existence. The enthusiasm and excitement on people's faces whenever they come close to me is remarkable. I feel I am the center of the house. People make faces at me and I try to score them based on their performance like a popular dance show TV judge (not that I have seen any of them or know the concept of a TV judge anyhow) . Whats funny is that there are new faces every now and then, pulling out their tongues or speaking in the gibberish language with the purpose of making me laugh it seems. When I am in a good mood, I humor them too. I respond to their coohoos and faces with my chuckles and vigorous hand leg movements. It is fun! Even my folks, the ones whom I see daily, my constants, my main people doing my feeding, cleaning, diapering and co-sleeping turn playful ,.... Apparently they take a lot of effort in the day to make me laugh and I oblige them as well. I particularly like my mumma and pappa (as they have told me numerous times to call themselves).

By the way, they call me Ina. Also babu, minchi, Chimu, golu, gappu, sona, gudiya among many other things. Sometimes, they call me by a new name and I don't even realize they were calling me until later. Life seems pretty easy this way, there is someone to change you everytime. But since I can't speak I have to make some noise to get their attention and crying is the best option and most naturally occuring. Peer tip: Crying at top of the voices gets quickest attention with most concern. So kiddos if you are feeling lonely, you can try that as well. The people feel some sort of guilt and they leave everything and concentrate on you... it feels good! I have done it a thousand times.

But I dont know how long will this go on..this dependency on mumma and pappa. It seems I am growing up fast and am able to perform some feats which looked impossible earlier. Like I can crawl forward and move around the house now and I am struggling to stand on my 2 feet like most people around. I am given more variety of foods now and I am showing my like/dislike as per my taste buds.

Apparently, I believe there are a lot of things to learn and implement and genuinely I look forward to it! Like I have seen a kid doing somersault on TV and I was so fascinated. My jaw dropped! I want to do it! So I am placing my near future life's purpose to be able to do a somersault. See you on the other side of the jump where I will have more stores to tell!

Cold feet

2020-05-02T07:26:00.000+05:30

I dont know who needs to read this but there is a distinct discomfort in putting up fan at a very high speed in summers ! Don't get me wrong, I do feel adequately hot when the sun is scorching. Its just the compensation of the dryness with excessive man made generated wind literally is abrasive to my skin.

It is pleasant, I agree, but also has a certain degree of non-comfort to the skin. The soft fine hair on the skin feels like a wheat crop caught up in a tornado and struggling to stand ground. I especially feel cold in my feet at night; no matter which season and have to wear a light cover to protect my sensitive pores. Fan speed at 3 or even 4 are usually ambivalent - giving out pleasant breeze suitable for a perfect nap or slumber.

I have a friend who starts sweating at the mere mention of summers and sits up at night with fan speed 4 sweating profusely. Ironically she is from the heart of India where the temperatures sores upto 45 degrees or more without batting an eyelid. We have been roommates for more than 3 years . And it was not easy reconciling the choices - first it was decided that the wind speed will be at maximum and will not be altered. Secondly, I would have to take a thicker cover sheet - duvet to protect my guards and sleep better. It was adjustable!

If anyone out there relates with my irrelevant and self-indulgent blabbering, thanks for being alike . I would like to believe that we are a rare breed. Stay strong!

Chasing Happiness!

2019-12-26T12:36:00.000+05:30

Happiness seems like a myth...or more like a unicorn.... a moment its there and in the next poof!!
You are sitting with your family content and feeling extremely grateful... glimpse of happiness and a couple of uniform tirades later, you are chasing the past through nostalgia or the future with wishful thinking.

How does one end with this vicious circle always... you always think that happiness is a state of mind that WAS ...or will be...for me it mostly was. So I hear people saying to live in the moment, cherish every moment as it truly is and there lies eternal happiness. Haven't we heard, read this in thousands of books... a variation may be but with similar meaning? And yet unable to achieve such a simple phenomena for more than a couple of times. It is hard , extremely hard to be in that meditative state of mind that attracts only the bliss, sees and feels only the goods. You understand this but yet unable to live it through.

Yeah, some of you may mark me as a cynic... which I am or may be..but the point is there are people who share this dicohotomy with me.

After deeply analyzing one's own behaviour, I am able to point a few things which may give a better direction to this...However impossible it may seem but feeling joyous for others' successes and happiness must be a way to train your mind slowly. Constant criticism and banter with oneself isn't going to lead anywhere... Didn't I know this already? I did but then again implementation difficulty.

Another happiness hacks which states to trick the mind into being happy is to constantly smile and eventually you will get to the next level seems like a faux pas. You are fooling your own intellect whose aftermath has taught you the trick to being happy ! A contradiction but I have a few people who still vouch for it .... Time to try ?!!

A pre-liminary step of all these is doing what the heart desires.... Once you are happy and full of love can you then spread the love around ............not to feel guilty when indulging yourself in the pleasure activities. And to stop the comparison drama. To put a hold on that social media exotic travel pictures everyone's putting while you are crouched up in your sofa feeling useless, seeing the better car, better house, better job ...everything .... it is you and your dynamic with the entire world that matters really!
Inversely share pictures which made you smile during the day... spin the wheel around. let others see what is driving you crazy .... a flower you saw blooming or your kid laughing and messing around, a book you wished... anything ....the key for the next month would be not to loose context with your own self while the world tries to absorb you in their delicacies. All is good and nice but this is my peak point right now

So I try with the basic step first ..... Half fry! :)

A day in life of Kale - A short story

2019-09-26T17:33:00.000+05:30

It was a busy working evening on the streets of Mumbai. Just outside the Ghatkopar metro station, a line of people were waiting eagerly to get home after tiring hours of work. And there were some others who might just be getting ready to get started to toil hours for the night. The Bus stand was filled with exhausted feet, hopeful eyes waiting for their sawari to come get them. And buses were obliging in their capacity, taking steep turns just along the corner and stopping right in front of the bus stand but in the middle of the road; blocking off the traffic for just a few minutes and jostling off with equal energy and larger burden of weight upon them tilting heavily to the left side. Then there were shared rickshaws and autowallahs swooping in and buzzing by doing their duties of transporting people from places to places.

Shivram was one among the side of the pavement just outside the gate 2B of the metro station, observing this daily hullabaloo eating his share of fried crispy noodles. He was a fruit seller and the metro station was his usual selling spot. He always ate those crispy noodles from the babulal back of the metro staircases along with other customers of his fraternity. Likes of fruit vendors, vegetable sellers, second hand clothes cart owners, they all used to take at least one plate from his shift and make shop assembled every evening.

Shivram watched the passersby intently, answering one or two customers stopping by for the asking price of oranges or apples. He did not like to negotiate for prices while he was snacking. He felt that it was his only time during the day where he could savor some moments of delectable pleasure for himself. Apart from lunch and dinner of course! But yet he felt these few minutes of his day precious and his own. So he ignored most askers while he munched on.

Shivram was a young lad of about 24 supporting his family of 5 with a fruit cart while his elder brother worked as a laborer at a factory near by. Earnings were good enough to pass days peacefully with fair share of Roti, lentils and rice. They got just fine. Living a life of what they defined comfort for themselves. A tattered room with green painted walls and tin roof – an extension created by breaking a wall and covering with cemented bricks to make a kitchen at one end and bathroom at the other. A feminine touch of Aai, his mother, added warmth to their little dwelling.

Shivram was just about to finish his crispy noodles, when he saw Kale, his younger help arriving carrying a bicycle with weighing machine back in the carrier. Kale was too small to ride a big grown adult bicycle. Shivram was not sure of his age, but he must be around 11-12. He picked him up from the railway station when he was just 9 and he had ran away from his home from Bihar.

Kale never actually revealed the reason of his run, his family back in Bihar or anything about his past life. He was just sitting blankly for more than 5 hours when Shivram spotted him. Shivram asked if he needed to eat something and offered him a banana. Learning he has no where to go, pitying him he took him under his protection and since then has kept him like a family. Kale was equally happy to be rescued by a someone he could call Bhai. Shivram employed him as his help at the vegetable cart teaching him nuances of the business and Kale learned quickly by observing his employer sell vegetables and fruits all day – how to negotiate for price, how to market your “fresh” vegetables and in general how to take life as it comes day by day. He had his on job training and his practical education made him street smart.

At this moment, Kale came gushing to Shivram handing him the bicycle which he was pulling with a lot of effort.

“Arre! Why did you bring the cycle when you can't carry it ??” Shivram shouted at him

“Bhai, I couldn't pull the weight alone” grinned Kale. Shivram just smiled in return to the playful twinkle in Kale's eyes.

“Bhai, leave that. Keep this weight and cycle aside. I have the most exciting news of the day “ Beamed Kale.

“What!” yawned bored Shivram. What could possibly be exciting enough in the life of a 12 year old child.

“Bhai, I found this stray wallet at the Ghatkopar station lying around. Just on the lower most staircase.”

“Oh!! Any money in it?

“No Money, but lots of cards – bank type cards ...here take a look”

Shivram inspected the wallet like a murder suspect, touching barely minimum and checking the number of cards inside. On closer look, there were 2-3 bank cards, debit and credit and other identity proofs and local train and metro cards. But to Shivram, it was all a big stack of cards and he assumed it was all bank cards.

“Hmnn..no money but lots of card”

“Bhai, what should we do? Should we try ATM?” exclaimed Kale out of excitement

“Saale, Mumbai wala ho gaya tu” chuckled Shivram. (“You have become a Street smart”) “You have found it, you should decide what to do with it!”

“I?? I don't know bhai, thats why I gave it to you. Maybe you can keep the wallet for yourself; it looks expensive and throw out the cards” Giggled Kale at his own idea which sounded ingenious to him. He seemed to be wonderfully surprised at this thought.

Shivram laughed genuinely at his idea wondering if he really taught him well or he is just grabbing on what he is surrounded by all time of the day… streets of Mumbai where pick -pickpockets, thieves strolled by, people pushing and shoving to get into bus seats, everyone busy and running along and not really caring about each other. He got lost in his thoughts feeling a little remorseful about the up-bringing of Kale.

“Bhai! What you thinking?”

“Kale, As long as we are capable of earning and feeding ourselves, we should never think of stealing someone else's money”. Shivram gruntled a little after hearing this thought coming out of his mouth. Immediately, he corrected himself, “Forget what I just said. We should NEVER steal somebody's money., whatever may be the circumstances. We should always earn by rightful means. Do you understand?”

“But I didn't steal it...I found it lying around. Out of this swarm of people walking by, it was ME who discovered this wallet” Kale raised his voice a little, disappointed at being the receiving end of a moral lecture.

“Yes you did nothing wrong here. Its what you are about to do may set a bad example for yourself. We have to live in this society and if we don't help each other, who else will?”

Kale, bewildered, was listening silently to what his elder brother who was trying to explain a new side of life to him. As far as he saw the world, it was black and white. Everyone is in a hurry to catch or get on to something and seldom he saw people helping each other out and even if they did it must be out of some other selfish motive of theirs, assumed Kale.

Kale found it hard to give up this thing because he rarely did something extraordinary in his day. The abandoned wallet had bought excitement to his daily routine. Parting ways with this beauty was such a foolish idea according to him.

Sadly he admitted, “Alright! So I will just throw it away. Thats what you mean to say?”

“No… We would return it the rightful owner” Shivram said softly.

Kale's eyes widened with genuine surprise. Of course, this thought never occurred to his innocent mind. “Oh really! Wow. Can we do that? I didn't know we could do that? How will we do that?”

Shivram laughed at his innocence. “Yes of course, we can try. Let's see if can find something helpful inside the wallet?”. On detailed inspection, they found there were 2 debit cards, one Bike RC , One Mumbai local card, one metro card and about half a dozens of visiting cards. The cards bore the name of “Amar Verma” with a faint smiling passport size photo staring into them. In the visiting cards stack, they found Amar Verma's visiting card too.

“See, his visiting card has his mobile number. We will call him and ask him to collect his wallet from us.”

“Oh! I see. How smart people are these days. They put their name and phone number in their wallets?”

“Yes they are”. Smiling Shivram dialed the mobile number. After 3 rings, a voice responded promptly, “Hullo!”

“Hello, I'm speaking from near Ghatkopar station”. Have you lost your wallet?”

“Oh Yes! Did you find it??” Excitement and relief could easily be spotted in the receiver's voice.

“yes its with me. My name is Shivram. Can you come and collect it near Ghatkopar metro station – just outside entry gate 2B?”

“Yes sure sure. Thank you so much. I will come and collect it. Right now I'm in metro only, will reach there in next 10-15 mins. By the way, where did you find it?”

“Near ghatkopar railway station only. OK. I will be waiting for you”

“Really?? thats surprising. I was no where near ghatkopar station today. But anyways, I'm coming please wait for me. Bye” Click.

“He is coming to collect. I want you to handover the wallet to him. Can you do that?” Shivram looked into Kale's eyes very gently as if convincing that we did the right thing.

Kale looked up and nodded his head along sublimely.

Minutes later, Shivram's mobile rang again. “Hullo Shivram?” “Yes Amar ji!”

“I've reached. I am standing at gate 2B entry. Where are you?”

“I'm just near that. Wearing a light blue shirt. See I'm waiving my hand right now.”

Amar spotted a hand wave just 100 metres ahead of him and exclaimed “Ah Yes! I will come”.

Shivram introduced Kale to Amar. “My little brother found your wallet.”

Amar bend down to Kale. Kale extended his hand carrying the wallet and Amar took it from his hand gently. He opened the wallet anxiously to check what is remaining of his possessions. Relieved to find his cards and original Bike RC intact, he grinned “Thank God!”.

“Thank you Kale. You have saved my day” Genuine gratefulness could be felt.

Kale smiled and blushed at this appreciation “it was not a problem at all!”

Amar's hand went inside his pocket, dished out 200 Rs. and offered to Kale. “Thank you so much again”

Kale slowly took the money admiring the crisp 2 100 rupee note with spectacled Gandhiji. Amar shook hands with Shivram and turned to return back to metro stairs.

Kale's mind was racing fast at this moment and numerous thoughts were trying to take first place inside. Slowly and steadily his mouth took a determined shape and he looked up and ran behind Amar. He tugged his hand from behind. Amar turned and he saw Kale handing the money back to his hand. “Thank you sir”. Amar said generously, “Arre keep it beta! Its for your honesty.”

“No sir. I already feel good about returning your wallet. Need nothing else”. Smiling Kale walked back. He came back to Shivram and said silently “Don't worry, you've taught me well!”

Shivram gave one of his most generous smiles, bent down and patted his back very affectionately. Amar watched the 2 brothers hug from a distance, clutched his wallet and headed back to his destination.

~The End~

First - a short story

2019-09-26T12:44:00.001+05:30

The First

It was a warm sunny day. The sun had almost risen up until the helm of the building and the light streamed through the grilled French windows and on to the tiled floor. Zee lay rested on the carpet enjoying the Indian suntan of a lazy weekend afternoon, his eyes closed and face tranquil like disciples of Buddha. The sudden chatter of Ami broke this reverie. He looked up, eyes half closed, and found her clearing the creases of the cushions. This was arguably her favorite pastime – cleaning up here and there, setting things straight so that the house looks out freshly delivered every moment like a hotel room. He gave a resigned look, well aware of the obsession.

“Don’t you think life has become boring; too monotonous!” Ami said glumly, raising her eyebrows to signal Zee to comfort her of random musings. Zee rolled his eyes as usual and sank back to oblivion. “Isn’t always so? After every change, life does become stagnant. That’s what stability means”.

“No, it isn’t supposed to be like that. After 30s, it seems like we are only performing the operational tasks of life, getting up, somehow getting ready, going to office, coming back and heading back to sleep. Moreover, after this kid, it has even more unbalanced. I am always exhausted and feel like days are just passing simply existing.” After a long pause, she chimes in “We need some change in life, to remind us of exuberance which life is supposed to be. You know what, let’s adopt a puppy!”

Ami’s eye gleamed with joy at the prospect of a new life with tail running about their compact 2bhk apartment and giving wet sloppy kisses to the humans! She would have thought of her flat as small in size but Zee has engineered her to think it as compact after many endless debates.

“A dog! You know how much responsibility that is!” Zee’s voice raised more than usual as if to add weightage to his words.

“Yes, but we will do it na. Moreover, you know how well kids and dogs gel. They are best companions to grow with.” Ami pitched in equally high in volume to match the emphasis of her words with her counterpart.

They both have had similar discussions in the past with inconclusive results. Every time they think it possible to get a new furry friend home, it seems like a daunting task to take on this responsibility – after several days of considerations. The matter is dropped and exits the pre-occupied minds conveniently.

This time, however, Ami was determined to take action or at least convince Zee that he considers it more seriously.

“I know of all the reasons you have been saying to me in the past. The responsibility is enormous considering it’s a new life, we are away from home for maximum part of the day, our kid goes to day care and of course we can’t afford another day care for a dog….I am aware of all of this. Nevertheless, the point is, if you agree, all these things can be worked out. It is just a matter of commitment! As we committed to having this baby, we can for a new addition to the family. Trust me, it is going to be awesome and I bet you will fall in love with “Barfi”. Yes I have even thought of a name,” Giggled Ami like a child.

“Okay, I will give it a thought. Let’s sit over it for a weekend please?” Zee said with a resigned tone, acknowledging the defeat in this argument.

Ami winked her eyes and laughed musically. Zee had known this laughter since 8 years and just like new lovers, he was ready to do things to hear it repeatedly. This romantic idea had died down eventually as they plunged into marriage, careers, household and now a baby. The later of the things occupied most of their energies and maximum of their lives. They often felt like they were in their 4os and not 30s, which was the new 20s as per some latest trends. They were so analog with their actions and with each other as the clock has been running without any change or variation.

Zee too felt the need to change and over a period had warmed up to the idea of having a pet. Snuggling a puppy was a charmed thought and emotion. However, he did have some realities to consider. It was literally not easy – hygiene, care, time and attention to both the baby and the dog was a stupendous effort to the lazy in him.

He did not want to disappoint her one more time either. He could picture her glum face on hearing his decision…a face gloomy of her presence on earth…yes she would go to such extremes of depression.

Then it hit her…like a fresh wave of thought. His eyebrows taut for a few minutes while he worked out the details in his mind. Once the idea felt right and thought over, he lit up like a bulb. Now it was just execution.

The entire week passed in sharing stealing glances at each other, her coaxing features and his reflexive. To do or not to do...She waited impatiently for the workdays to end and Friday to arrive. His no argument submission gave hope to her idea. The first thing to do on a Saturday morning was to find adoption centers or pet shops.

Friday night, she sat next to her almost on his lap and asked sweetly “So we are going tomorrow to get a puppy, right!” It was more of a statement of finality than a question. He smirked and then said” No dear, we could not possible do that. It is outrageous to even think of keeping a pet with such busy and erratic schedules”.

She was furious. Her teeth seething with anger, so much so, she was unable to speak at all for a few moments. She then jumped off the sofa, went to the bedroom and banged the door.

She just could not think straight. Tears started rolling out uninvited from the sheer disappointment of the day. She really thought this time she had cracked him and they would have something new and exciting to look up to. She pushed her face into her palms and cried inconsolably, curled up like a ribbon and closed her eyes.

She lost sense of time once when she groggily opened her eyes. Was it past 4 pm? No! How long did I sleep for ….3 hours? Could not possibly be! She pulled herself out of bed surprised that Zee had not knocked the door even once or had she missed his pleads while asleep. She opened the door, went out and found no one in the living room. Where was Zee! Did he bail out on her? Did he just storm out of the house instead of consoling her and pleading for forgiveness? She was angry not him? She was bewildered and a little scared if he got angry. She sat there for sometimes fighting these emotions within herself when the doorbell rang. She sprang and ran to the door.

There was a big cardboard box and behind that a person holding it in front of his face. “Zee! Where have you been?” exclaimed Ami with relief in her voice.

“Close your eyes first”. “

“What!”

“I said close your eyes first. I will explain all the things later”.

“Okay”. A sudden rush of excitement filled her. What is it that he got her? Is it really a puppy?

She heard some shuffling and some movement and he taking her by hand towards the table. Then he asked her to open her eyes.

It was a big round aquarium bowl. In addition, there were two tiny goldfishes inside it – one pop up bubbly orange and other silvery white. They were swimming in inordinate fashion yet somehow making perfectly concentric circles of laps.

“You wanted a pet … now you have two” Zee smiled warmly at her. The reasons of onus of responsibilities, constant rounds and walks, guilt of leaving behind melted in their eye contacts. And just like that the worries vanished and monotony was broken.

She gave her broadest toothless laugh and tapped a finger towards the bowl. One of the fishes kissed her fingertip from the inside. ”Welcome Minnie and Mo!”

Lets play property property!

2018-08-31T12:08:00.003+05:30

Life teaches you a lot of things in retrospect..... your daily commute by bus, train, taxi or drive, your evening strolls in the neighborhood, stories from your house helps, your lunch time conversations with colleagues and just generally observing a person long enough gives you insights.

Okay so I am not encouraging you to stalk ... may be a slight tinted suggestion..but it does give a perspective on life...especially if its diametrically opposite from yours!
One of these regular post lunch walks inside the office parking lot opened up a whole new level of discussion. I happened to peel another layer of life privy to select few and understand the hardships and tribulations people have gone through while living in this city of dreams.

One of my friends gave a visual description of the 1 RK she, her immediate and extended family of 15 lived for most part of her childhood. Eventually the family moved out to a separate 1 bhk government quarters and children got educated just fine. Rising up the corporate ladder and travelling out of country for work assignments, she is now the highest earning member of the family bringing home the big bucks. I was astounded by the fact that people not only co-exist in such a small space, they manage to develop good interpersonal relationships within the family...create such strong bonds which can be set as a 'misaal'. Now this story might not be novel for the readers but it was truly for me. And you have to meet my friend.... she is far more sorted in life than I can ever be ....cool, calm and composed.....happy, gay and cheerful! Whew...literally how do people manage that!? To be a part of something so taxing ...every single day of life yet managing to put up a smile through out. I am exhausted just putting one kid to sleep. And the struggle doesn't end there even after 30 something years of rented living, they still haven't accumulated enough wealth to purchase a house to call own in their desired neighborhood. Struggle does continue...but is she complaining? I guess not!

I have another acquaintance with a totally different home story. They come from a very humble middle class family but enjoying life style in the most premium part of the town.....the town literally! So this story dates back to our independence times when the Britishers were finally departing ... the English colonial houses they left behind were occupied by the Koli community residing in the area...it was literally a race on a first come first serve bases...like a game...the one who touches the pole first! or acquiring a seat in the Indian local buses by throwing a handkerchief! ha ha..isn't this amazing! Initial 10-15 years they lived in fear that the government may come any time and push them out...but eventually they settled down leaving behind a legacy and some many crores worth property for the younger generations!

There are others in the town who live in chawl systems but have rental agreements which are like peanuts in today's economy and standard living expenses of this city. Saves them big! Plus they revel in the neighborhood! Another blessing in disguise their ancestors left behind.

There are several others with variant struggles in living and expenses...but I have just concluded a single thing from all...and this thing is common for all these cases...the only common factor..
No matter what their circumstances, they chose happiness above everything else...hardships or no hardships...you've got to appreciate life... I have cursed life far more times than these people ever have...or atleast in public they put on a brave happy jovial face ...and they seem to have it all under control...like these things don't matter...and these things shouldn't matter...property is temporary, happiness is permanent and real! in the spiritual sense atleast :)

This blog may sound too filmy or preachy or blah blah we know all about it...but that's the reality of life! One just has to learn and embrace it .... then it amuses you...and finally you start to relish it !

-

Meditate your way up life!

2018-08-17T20:15:00.002+05:30

This morning I had a revelation ...again... ( I don't know how or why this frequency of wonder and gratitude has increased drastically in the past few months...probably my guardian angel has finally woken up from sleep :) )

I get coaxed a lot to meditate before going to bed...concentrate on breathing...focus on a singular thought...imagine a reverie... all this to reduce stress...get peace of mind ...blah blah and things like that....and me reacting like when you are forced to drink turmeric milk on sick days ! But this fine morning, my senses got better of me and I groggily agreed to do some deep breathing and just how beautifully this act turned out for me!

I got up, opened my window pane wide and braced the early day breeze. So basically, I wake up to a view like this every day -

which is not bad at all of course and the amount and intensity of air I get is paramount...I wish I could wake up early and store all the fresh unadulterated oxygen in a tank and use it in my home for the rest of the day.... Ah, technology we are getting there!

I tried this visualizing meditation technique... Sit on the edge of the bed straight up, close your eyes and imagine where you want to be at this moment in time (no, not asleep in bed under a comforter).... like really imagine a place where you are standing right now...soak in all the details... and picture yourself there....and within 2 minutes of this deep concentration, I felt I was there already. This early morning breeze was coming all the way from the Mediterranean sea to the coastal edge of the cliff in a remote location in southern Spain! Voila ! I had finally made it after dreaming of being there all this while. I am finding it hard to explain in words how surreal that feeling was ...to be present in the moment .... I googled some images which might fit the scene I was caught into and these are the closest find - (Both pictures are courtesy google)

Okay, obviously the guy in the picture is not me.... and brief retouches to the above... replace the guy with me and me sitting with a picnic basket ! There you get the idea ...I envisioned every single ******ng detail and I could visualize and feel it so vividly, it came alive to me in the moment. From the buildings and the trees of the city to the calm and blue of the sea. It sounds cliched but you can be or feel however you want to 'be' or 'felt'.... you just have to believe it hard or strong enough to be true! Its cent percent valid and it works ...try it yourself ! and let me know too!

P.S. - I shared this idea and got some jocular mocking in return -

Me: You know, you can be and feel anything you want to. Just imagine it...like in the book The Secret !

Person : Sure! I imagined I am going to work today and for the rest of the days of the month. And my boss says please imagine your salary has been credited in your bank account at the end of the month.

Happy Believing !

Sarcasm. Point noted.

Nick-wit-ism

2018-08-13T17:42:00.004+05:30

Do you recall the times when you sat peacefully after completing all the household chores on a Sunday and suddenly the rain starts pouring in the eastward wind direction and you realize you forgot to close the windows of the bedroom and water has already started seeping on the bed and the side table and the floor! Or the times when the maid is off duty and you have cleaned the floor and you get up and realize your child has urinated near the low seated mattress and the book shelf from which she is conveniently throwing books into the puddle! or the times when you are rushing to the kitchen to get something off the shelf and in a hurry you drop a glass bowl ...bravo!

You have successfully mastered the art of adding unnecessary work to life...endless chores! zero productivity! no satisfaction! And this incessant feeling mounting up your throats which when released is an under-exaggerated shriek. Welcome to the world of highly volcanic obsessive freaks....or more conveniently called nick wits! So this obsession can be of anything...cleanliness, uncontrollable urge to get everything in order, uncalled frustration of not moving anywhere (leave alone forward) in life, or a mere staining your favorite t-shirt in wash... the list is endless but you get the gist.

Now you may say the situation you stated were out of your control....this is just pure hard luck.....if rain comes uninvited in your bedroom there is nothing much you can do...or may be you have 2 choices...one to immediately spring to action, wipe out the water dry off the floor, change the bed sheet to save the mattresses, wipe the side table with a dry cotton cloth to save the polish and of course don't forget to close the windows ....this of course takes the fun out for 10 mins of your life....second, just leave it at that, close the bedroom door and deal with it later! The normal people, with sane minds and average sense of well being choose the first approach.... nick wits like me run after the later one! Why ?!

This is just an example ...... and incidents like this flood my timeline all the time.....like literally all the time! I am struggling with so called nick-wit-ism since my late teenage...people don't really treat it as an issue but it really is...may be not a third world problem for sure. But how slowly and steadily it has started ruining my life and mocking me in the process...Ah!

Before you start, I have some school of thought for cure too .....the one which follows social media for inspiration........ and find people don't really have this kind in their lives ever or they don't care either or they are just smart enough not to display any such emotion in public ! (Its always better to portray how awesome life can be!)
Arggghhhh....so my struggles with SOMO (social media :P) is a separate chapter and will be covered later .....Coming back, I find another one...a sidelined one these days..... turning this anxious melodrama of life into some random reckless ongoing finger snapping.... documenting your thoughts is a wonderful ...really marvelous way to channelize this energy into something meaningful -
1. you get to understand what you are feeling
2. you realize you are sane ...or insane...likewise once you read what your are writing
3. and you spend some 15-20 minutes on this exercise realizing how stupid this entire conversation was....
Nick-wit-ism!... oh how dumb!

Wishful thinking!

2018-01-09T16:36:00.000+05:30

I had a revelation this afternoon...While I was rocking my 2 month old baby to sleep in my arms, I had this sudden rush of joy ..... feeling what I was feeling at the moment, bearing down the 5 kg weight of my child and immeasurable weight of my aspirations. My mind drifted back to 15-16 years ago, when in my adolescence I used to wonder what life had in store for me? How was it going to turn out?

Back in those days, I used to imagine details about my future life and tried to create vivid scenes in my mind about the specifics...How will I look? What kind of job would I do? The kind of people I would befriend. Where and how will I travel ? Of course, you would have guessed, all these details will come with a certain level of smugness and audacity ...I am a so called introvert and therefore I did like to believe that I evolved as a very outgoing, extrovert and super friendly kind of person in the coming future (early and mid 20s)...one whose popularity tops the chart in social circles. I had a jazzy and envious career to boast of. Oh! How I used to love this wishful thinking and would spend hours day dreaming :P
And it kind of did good to boost the morale of the spirit ...to give hope that future is uncertain and amazing and the kind which I yearn for! If anything bad happened in the society or on the news....it was never in my dreams! and that is the beauty and power of the imagination.

But of course, having a child never crossed the mind at that tender age...So suddenly when I had this rush of emotions today, I realized why this exhilaration was so special. Because this was something I had never thought of before in my wishful dreams. Life thought -"Well, lets see! you don't have this in your charts. So why not put it there, mess it up a bit and have fun seeing you juggle with it". Tell you what Life, you did catch me there buddy!

By late twenties, I was already exhausted by the current idea of a career....always always wanting to try something different, something much more exciting. Bored with the current idea of living at the same place all your life..having purchased a house sort of add to the irony....Having an idea of a baby in this picture sometimes gave me jitters....of a visual of a life which everyone had...curbed the freedom of so many wild beings running inside your head. And it kind of exasperated me.

And today afternoon, as though all this thought just came sweeping in my head that how life had caught me in its whirlwind, how it has forced me into its jungle of mundane and routine....how I am just another ordinary person with 89% deviation from my dreamy me....Aah!
But then, this is what the surprise element in life is .... the things which I dreaded have also given birth to moments of curiosity and excitement of an alternate life.... of how I can still deviate from the ordinary while still being an ordinary....there can be and will be challenging times and also satiated ones ...I guess this all will make it worthwhile!

I look back in nostalgia if I am what I wanted to be ..and hell no, I am not even close! But am I happy? Yeah...sort of! :). I still have wishful dreams all the time...they are all the same and more...this time I imagine exotic travels, accomplishing wonderful feats in my career, do something extraordinary with life so when we meet at the end of the road, we can pat each other's back - "You were wonderful mate!"

And she is here!

2017-11-14T17:54:00.000+05:30

Life takes a splendid turn
An angel for which we yearned
Innocence has found a new face
Mischief is about to grace

Little nose like buttery bun
Eyes like 2 dollops of sun
Tiny hands tiny feet
You will make our family complete

Strange are the ways of the world
attached to the unborn curled
Fill our lives with joy and light
Your smile will be our delight

I wonder which came first
The body, soul or innocuous heart
since you are a part of me that grows
How much of me you already know?
Just like your primitive cell
A fragment of my soul also dwells?

However you come about to us
You be the darling, sweetheart our precious
Kindle us with warmth and love
And gratitude to the supreme above!

How to plan your central Konkan trip - Impromptu version!

2017-07-15T13:08:00.000+05:30

When you are in one of the best lush green landscapes amidst monsoons our country has to offer - you must realise you have to explore all four corners of the state and sometimes along the boundaries as well. One such memorable trip happened in September 2016 where we covered the Konkan coastline and satisfied our craving of sea and long drives.

The Itinerary
So there was no specific itinerary for the trip and we travelled from south to north along the coast where the road took us - Murud Beach in Dapoli, Harnai , Anjarle, Kelshi and Harihareshwar - all in a 3 day trip!

So we had the pleasant weather of mid September and a long weekend ahead, giving us an opportunity to plan a long drive all the down way south to Ganapatipule. We started off from Mumbai just fine in the early morning. Being a photography enthusiast and a beginner, I didn't miss any opportunity to click as we sped by the highways or small towns of Maharashtra. Our one such stop was a village near Mahad where we chirpily got off to enjoy the idyllic scene of a small water stream against the backdrop of a thriving green hills and stretch our legs a bit. And thanks to my absent mindedness, I left the car keys inside the ignition - only to realise 10-15 minutes later when we got locked out of the car ! :D

It was 4 in the evening and apart from the camera in hand, we both didn't have any other accessory to support us at this time. Our wallets, mobile phones everything inside the car. First 5 mins, we just looked at each other and stupidly laughed at my foolishness. We got an aluminium scale from the local village store on rent and tried the old trick of opening the jammed door lock from outside. For another 15 mins. This nifty inspiration from Bollywood didn't help. We started panicking as it began to rain and the clouds set the environment for the dusky evening and the night fall.

Seeking help from passing by cars didn't seem to be working either. For next 15-20 mins , none of the cars stopped. :(. And to our bad luck, the local mechanic in the village was equipped for two wheeler only and the nearby town was 20 kms away. Phew! We were in for some adventure it looked. Finally, by God's grace a vehicle stopped by and the people inside tried to help us in all possible ways they could. So after all the wasted efforts of 2 hours, we finally had to break a window to access the door lock from inside! The crudest way fit. Of course, we broke the smallest window in the car at the rear for minimum damage costs later. We thanked our stars and our saviours who stuck with us in the entire ordeal. Learning from this - Never ever forget to pull out your car keys when stepping out (even for a minute)!

By this time, the sun had already set and our destination was still very far. We, not being a very big fan of overnight driving, decided to alter our destination and head to the nearest available beach now - Murud beach which was about 2 hours drive from there. And we also pulled in some local villagers going back after day's long work to their homes! It was an interesting drive - We trying to converse in a very broken Mumbai versed Marathi , they speaking in a different village Marathi dialect, not getting what the other was saying - the smiles post the conversation seemed to dissolve the differences!

This little deviation in our route landed us to the beautiful beach of Murud in the pitch darkness (even by 8 pm) and I didn't get to appreciate its beauty and serenity until sunrise the next morning. We spend the night at the beach side local resort. The morning view of the beach is at its full glory and is justifiable in the picture below -

Murud
Where to stay? - There are couple of decent resorts on the Murud beach and you can take your pick. We stayed at Dreamland resorts which offered simple Maharashtrian food and games for involvement like carom, table tennis and a hammock for sky gazing !

Harnai, Anjarle and Kelshi - All these are small villages on the Konkan coastline thriving majorly on fishing. These places offer the real Konkan rustic charm. The drive along the coast is splendid with few stunning view of the sea, the greenery around and glimpse of the life of the locals here.

Where to stay?- Since these are not tourists destinations, you might not get many places to stay. Anjarle has few resorts though - Ketki beach resort is one I recall. Nevertheless, planning to drive along these places is best recommended to enjoy the beauty they offer.

Harihareshwar - We took a detour again after reaching Mahad to Harihareshwar since we had another day remaining of our long weekend and we weren't disappointed as well. The lonely drive to Harihareshwar offers you some resplendent views amidst the thick abundant forests and is indeed very refreshing.

Harihareshwar is famous for the temple of lord Harihareshwar and is situated right at the beach.
The beach has a long stretch of sand for walks in low tides and also a rocky cliff where you can stand and enjoy wave splashes - you just need to be careful of the moss and shells though.

Where to stay? - There is a very beautiful MTDC resort near the beach but needs to be pre-booked especially in the case of long and public holidays. Needless to say, we couldn't get any accommodation there and chose the first available local hotel stay at the beach.

The change of viewing the life through simple lens and slowing down even for a day or 2 gives a fresh perspective! If you are looking for a tranquil vacation with just relaxing on the beach and savouring simple Maharashtrian delicacies, this Konkan drive might do wonders as your next trip!

Lazy things to do in Mahabaleshwar!

2017-03-05T15:59:00.001+05:30

There some tourist places in India and specifically hill stations which are quite famous and popular among tourists mainly because these never fail to delight us. Mahabaleshwar is one of them. Nestled in the western ghats forests of Maharashtra, the place is ideal for an extended weekend getaway from Pune/Mumbai both.

How to reach: For road junkies, this 5 hour trip is a pleasure drive on good smooth roads and ghats.

Your own vehicle will also provide you the ease of travelling and stopping at any picturesque points you encounter....and there are quite a few! If not, buses are always an alternative. The train service is only available from Mumbai to Pune, ahead of which a bus or taxi is the most recommended mode of transport. The journey is enjoyable and you will encounter many local stall set ups along the road with home made pickles and Spices. These are definitely worth a try and a to do in your what to buy in Mahabaleshwar.

Panchgani - is quaint little town on the way to Mahabaleshwar and is famous for good number of boarding schools in Maharashtra. Stop points also offer amazing view of the valley and horse/camel rides.

Things to do - There are many scenic points like arthur point, etc etc like most hill stations which offer you a good view of the valley. I am not mentioning any of those here since this is the expected part of hill station outing and any person with least 30% of tourists' genes is bound to cover these by default! And also because since I visited Mahabaleshwar in late summar/start of monsoons, I had no view of any of the valley...everything was covered by fog and clouds! Mostly like this ......Nevertheless, I still enjoyed my trip.

So, not going by the rules, Mahabaleshwar can be an all time vacation spot, especially for Mumbaikars, who always seems to look out refreshment from the scorching heat. the old town which offers a diaspora of simple shopping items

What to eat in Mahabaleshwar

Known as the strawberry capital of India and rightly so, Mahabaleshwar is a treat for berry lovers. When I visited Mahabaleshwar, I had no liking for strawberries, whatsoever and I still don't prefer strawberry milkshake. However, after having the strawberry, mulberry, blueberry cream - fresh berries with fresh cream -- had me drooling for strawberries forever now. It is available at very possible eating joint in the town or at scenic spots where they will proudly show you the strawberry farms, give you a brief tour, allow you to pick fresh berries even.

This dessert made my entire weekend and I had this every time of the day I stepped out of my hotel. Please do try it at least once, if not love you are still going to get a second glass for yourself!

I don't have many pictures from my vacations as everything was just foggy, but I still managed to capture a few pictures here and there for the essence of the place.

All these pictures are unedited and raw and is kept like that intentionally.

Spot me!

It doesn't matter what you miss, what matters is what you saw, observed and allowed yourself to be enchanted with!

3 days Bali Itinerary - the Asian getaway

2017-02-28T22:21:00.001+05:30

If you are in India and are looking for a good vacation alternative with no visa hassles and cheaper currency, your next destination should be Bali, Indonesia.

Archipelago of islands - Indonesia, is famous for beaches, volcanoes, thick beautiful forests and this makes it a perfect destination to for travelers looking for varied experiences. And most sought after island of all is Bali.

Bali is a beautiful island with beaches, mountains and waterfalls to explore. Here is my 3 day itinerary for Bali in the month of April last year.

Notable Places to see in Bali-
Below are the top highlighted places in Bali which can help you plan your itinerary.
1. Ubud - handicraft villages, Tegenungan waterfalls, Tegalalang rice terraces, Kintamani active volcano
2. Beaches - Kuta, Seminyak, Nusa Dua, Legion, Dreamland
3. Temple - Uluwatu

Day 1: Ubud - There are many cultural villages preserved in the Ubud region specifically kept for tourists. Every village has a handicraft heritage associated with it like silver jewelry making, paintings, Batik printing workshop, coffee plantations, rice terraces and cultural dances. You can see all the nuances of each craft and purchase finished products from local artisans.

Here you can take the pleasure of tasting world's most expensive coffee - Kopi Luwak! Read more about it on Google as why it is so expensive :) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopi_Luwak

For the enthusiasts, there is an active volcano in Ubud, which can be either trekked or admired from a distance through the various restaurants lined up along the road. However, the lunch leaves us with a bad taste.

There is a beautiful gem of a waterfall on the way to Ubud - Tegenungan which is surely not to be missed. A refreshing dip is a must do item to be checked.

Day 2: Bali Safari Park: We spent the entire day at Bali Marine and Safari Park. It is a very neatly organized park with quite a number of secured interactions with animals in real time. The pictures speak for itself. However, if you have been to safari park in any other international places before, this does not add much value to your travel memories. You can then plan this day to explore other parts of Bali.

The evening should be spent at Uluwatu temple which is incidentally the south-western tip of Bali. It is a wonderful spot for sunset viewing and is also famous for the traditional Balinese Kecak dance.

P.S. 1. If you do plan to spent your day at the Bali safari Park, you can avail the park mini buses from your nearest stop which are spread across all the famous tourists destinations.
2. Be sure to reach Uluwatu temple on time at least half an hour before sunset or at the scheduled time of Kecak dance.

Day 3: Water Sports: Time for some water adventure and exploring local beaches. In the morning, we went for sea walk experience. You can also choose various other water activities as per your liking but for beginners sea walk experience is thrilling and safe at the same time.
Snorkeling etc are not recommended here since water is not clear at all and you are highly unlikely to enjoy the underwater life.

Nusa dua and Tenjong Benoa beaches are recommended for these activities are highly popular as well.
Apart from these, to have a carefree and leisurely stroll or frivolities with water , I recommend Kuta beach, Seminyak and Legion beach (which is also where you will find shacks and live music), Dreamland beach which is very scenic with rocks and white sand.

What to buy from Bali?
I didn't indulge much in shopping but if you plan to...do ensure to do an aggressive bargain. You can pick up handmade soaps, ayurveda, herbs and plenty of dream catchers!

Bali is a place to just soak in the slow beach life - you can either do nothing and just sit in an idyllic beach sipping drinks or you can go for parties in south Bali or explore the spiritual/cultural/Green side in Central area. Nevertheless, this place has so much to offer and can cater to various suitors. Hope you find what you are looking for there ! :)

I've only posted pictures taken from a mobile phone here with no editing what so ever. You can assess the beauty from the real pictures!

What to do in Nashik/Trimbakeshwar - God's abode

2016-12-27T12:17:00.003+05:30

When living in India, one cannot escape the spiritual essence small towns and cities offer. However, people look for some other activities as well when exploring a new place. Nashik is modern mix of holiness and rich leisurely experience wrapped into one - holy for its spiritual history and serene experience it enriches you with. Leisurely affair because of all the wine tasting hobby you can develop here :)

Here is my brief recap of my travel experience and things to explore in Nashik!

Nashik is a well known ancient holy city situated at the northwestern side of Maharashtra and is hugely popular amongst Hindu devotees as it hosts the MahaKumbh Mela - largest religious gathering every 12 years.

There is a huge temple complex right in middle of the old Nashik city and lies on the banks of river Godavari. All references in Ramayana of Nashik like Panchavati can be found here in temples. In fact, there are certain temples which open only during Kumbh i.e. every 12 years.

The point is even if you are not ardently religious, you are bound to get spiritual at this place - sit at the steps of water in the temple complex and you will get the feel of it. Ramakund is famous holy tank where you can take a dip.

The feel of this place especially in early mornings and late evening is truly captivating. I found my moments of peace and quite here observing other people performing their rituals and in general just thinking nothing. Now I do understand why holy places make up for a great meditation place!

Another interesting activity you can combine with visiting temples is trekking. Trimbakeshwar, another important holy place in hindu mythology, only 30 kms from Nashik city is an ideal place to trek. The Shiva temple, surrounded by huge hill ranges, makes up for awe inspiring view. You can choose a small hill nearby for your ascend and enjoy the majestic view of the temple and the town.

The hill top where where we trekked

When you have soaked in the ambience of Nashik city and had the spiritual encounter, there is another part city eagerly waiting for an entirely difference experience. It doesn't seem right to not visit at least one winery in the "Wine Capital of India". There are a huge number of wineries - 22 precisely when I last checked. Sula and York are popular choices and offer wine tasting, tour of the factory, wine-dining among other things. You can experiment with different items on their food menu to go with a range of wines.

Best season to visit Nashik for a lifetime memory will be of course during the Kumbh Mela in the month of April-May of the designated year. Another hot month is the month of Feb-March - the grape stomping season. Various wineries have remarkable wine festivals during these months as well.

Whatever your calling, Nashik is one city which will leave you enriched and mesmerized.

Mumbai weekend getaway to Bhandardara: journey to an unparalleled world!

2016-12-26T20:11:00.000+05:30

So close to the hustle bustle of one of India's busiest cosmopolitan, Mumbai, lies an abode truly rustic, hardly explored, majestic in its full glory during monsoons is small hill station Bhandardara.

Why to go?
Living up to its name, a valley of treasures, Bhandardara is an excellent choice to unwind over a long weekend. Surrounded all sides by huge mountains, including Mt. Kalsubai, the highest peak of Maharashtra, and lakes in the middle- Bhandardara is a treat for eyes. There are hikes and trails nestled in every nook and corner, rainfalls coming into the view while driving, greenery at its utmost best and above all, a very tranquil environment for re-invigoration.

What to see?: There are a lot of attractions apart from soakinng in the all the beauty around and seeking visual pleasures. There are water bodies like Wilson dam, Arthur lake and Randha falls where locals come for picnics on holidays, hikes for panoramic view Kalsubai, Ghatghar, Ratnagad fort. Sandhan valley for awe inspiring natural architecture and Amriteshwar temple for a spiritual connect. If nothing is your calling, you can just chill around near the villages sit by the lake or wild grasslands and ponder about life!

How far/When?: Connected very well via road, it is a 185 kms journey from Mumbai and is detour from the Mumbai Nasik Expressway at Igatpuri. The road is good and drive is mostly smooth. You will also encounter ghats along the way so just be a little cautious. Igatpuri, is again the nearest railway station. The best season to visit Bhandardara is monsoons of course when the lakes are full, waterfalls are gushing with its full velocity, green is splendid and the clouds add the touch of drama to the view.

Where to stay?: There are a few options to stay - MIDC resort being the obvious first choice. But keep in mind to book in advance since it is highly likely to get booked in monsoon weekends. Apart from the regular other small resorts and hotels near the lake, one can also opt a home stay in any of the villages surrounding the lake. We had a wonderful experience of an overnight in a small room with a bed and small bathroom just at the edge of the Arthur lake- home cooked simple but delicious meal served hot, and bonfire under a full moon. I would definitely recommend trying this one out if you are game to taste the village lifestyle and culture. Just connect with any eager locals you meet to inquire about such stays.

Rarely we come across places which are so bountiful and complete within itself, that travel may even seem an intrusion and disturbance to the perfect balance it maintains. Every where around you see a harmony with nature, mankind in a rural setting - friendly and content. This place transports you to another world - Bhandardara is perfect to unwind, relax and replenish yourself with all the good energies mother earth can provide you with. Do have your share of paradise in the next monsoon trip you plan!

Blue comforts : Memoirs of a couch

2016-04-05T22:51:00.000+05:30

The thrill of decorating a new home is like painting an empty canvas. I had numerous visits to the furniture stores in that month. We had to fit in pieces of dining table, beds, wardrobes and sofa-sets to convert our flat to livable space. And I was so excited.

Shopping for furniture means choosing a long term partner for your house. Different shapes and sizes of sofa sets were talking to me through the shop windows. A shining black leather recliner winking at me from a distance and alluring me to take him home. A covered cloth sofa sets in bright summer colors offering a competition to palette. They even adorned flashy and digitally printed cushion covers with ditsy celebrity faces or artistic Buddha pictures to add to the glamour. I was attracted to one of such bright blue fabric sofas. Italian making. While I was engrossed in feeling the fabric of this newly found gem, my husband on the other hand spotted a meek wooden sofa in the corner. In the world of modern architecture and design, authentic teak wooden sofas had lost its demure. And the shop sales team had shoved him in the corner. Where he could miss eyes of many.

On my husband's firm insistence, I gave a side glance to him. He was looking with half open eyes as if afraid of being in the spotlight. But it was too late. We had already started encroaching its private space. Sitting on the davenport, inspecting the jalidaar design on the sides, gorging on the wonderful natural wood polish on fine teak, pushing our heads back to get a feel of the comfort, we had already started exploiting it. After our shares of inhibition and detailed thought process, we finally decided to give that quaint little furniture set a chance. We had fun with the customization process, jute fabric with blue and cream pastel colors among other things.

The excitement of getting our first piece of furniture home is truly amazing. The feeling of new crisp fabric under your fingers, the smell of freshly painted wood. I inspected every inch of the sofa set when it arrived and I was pretty pleased with the end result. A single seater futon of the identical twin was my favorite. For no particular reason. And I placed it in the direct attention of the guests. In the centre of the arrangement. Right in front of the television.

For few days, the sofa humbly enjoyed his new home, standing majestically at the focal point. He had now opened up to his new owners offering highest level of comfort. Well technically, people might argue that this is not possible. But to me, as an emotionally attached entity, he spoke of immeasurable amount of serenity. Relaxation came out instantly upon submission.

However, his days of glory were short lived. With the news of our new settlement, the universe started conspiring to send guests at our home in huge volumes. We had began entertatining people at our house on weekly basis with night out parties in living space. Our poor little sofa had now addtitional responsibilities. At times, it was even bearing weights in range of 100-120 kgs. After each visit, it was bruised and scratched unapologetically. Long sharp fingernails of a female friend or edgy metallic bracelet on Male's hand, the exploiters were naive and the attacks were unintentional. Wet wipes from the house maid or simply poor varnish quality from the manufacturers, the sofa took it all. And soon, what once was the trendiest item in the house slowly became used , done and dusted.

Now the days of admired acclaim are diminishing as most of our guests portfolio have visited the house atleast once. The sofa has been appreciated for its beauty and comfort enough number of times. It still stands with a pride, although bruised and torn, the comfort and luxury it provides to me is inexplicable. As a secret ritual, I reach out to the sofa on solitary days and nights, curl my legs up and bend my head backwards. And the couch still embraces me like his own taking me to new rides of snugness. Every single time.

A giant pedal stroke - Short Story

2016-03-04T19:57:00.001+05:30

Apu was an average Indian teenager. He had grown up in a small town in the heart of India – Madhya Pradesh. He was a perfect example of majority section of boys of his age – shy and clumsy, nervous and excited, hopeful and dreamy.
Apu had just entered college. He attended his classes, tried to stay away from girls (but in vain) and did best efforts to be a sincere boy. Like others, Apu also had wishful view of college life – how the days could be spent loitering around, how to find friends for lifetime while doing all the illegal and exciting adolescent activities, bunking classes for a movie, being mindless about future, studying only enough to remember pointers to elaborate all the technicalities in the exam. How almost perfect life is in college; Apu had imagined same for himself.

Unfortunately, life can never walk on a straight line. There are bound to be twists and turns created due to God’s free style longhand strokes on our canvases. Tragedy struck. Apu’s mother was detected with cancer. The shock immersed the family engulfing and paralysing the entire backbone of father and children alike. Apu experienced a new and terrorizing side of existence; the 3 month hospital visits brought him face to face with the sufferings of cancer patients, of little children with leukaemia; he saw and felt how a dreadful disease can sap out the spirit and liveliness. He was delusional about life and wondered if the disease could have been detected earlier. If only everyone was given a chance to go back and correct those little anomalies and alter life’s track. If something could be done for cancer at all!

But soon the tide leapt over sweeping away the body filled with motherly love, loosening the glue that bonded the people together, breaking the strands of rope called family. Apu was devastated. An emotional cloud of grief trapped at the back of his throat, a blob of tears waiting to flood the eyes; the mind and heart had stopped co-ordinating with each other.

He suddenly grew of age; carrying all this anguish inside his heart made him a little wiser, and gave the lead of looking at life through the dark glasses. Apu had to go through the turmoil during college where he could not come at peace with this outcome of his being. Thankfully, friends did provide him relief from moments of sadness, short-lived though, allowing him to relapse into his own world of struggle.

The family shattered. Everyone sought refuge in things they could hide in – father in work, sisters in search of freedom and Apu trying to find solace with the situation and gathering bits and pieces of him. College summers’ break became dreadful, the house no longer epitome of laughter and merriment, he wandered inside himself staying with extended families.

A ransacked house, another unfortunate day in the life of Apu, added misery to the anger and frustration. The feeling of losing hope of never seeing little memoirs of the happy childhood, of never having to touch the peculiar little things which could allow time travel if only for a few blissful moments broke the kid completely. He was angry at his father, for not holding fast to this little part of his mother; few remnants of his wonderful past. The entire build up of emotions had now welled up and he could no longer contain them. But how could he let it out? How could he confront his father – the strands in the relationship were too taut at this moment to endure a burst of anger.

He woke up early morning before the sun rays could lay eyes on earth and ran out of the house and ran and ran and ran till the lungs gave away, till he could no longer have a sense of people around him, till he felt all alone in the midst of wild shrubs, pointy bushes, rough trodden path and heaps of mud below his feet. He came back only when his father had gone for work and strangely found this arrangement comforting for the soul. So he took to this routine from morning 5 am and continued vesting his anger on the endless road for 4 hours each day.
After what seemed like an eternity of exhaustion, Apu realized he just can’t escape people; and someone whom he was so close to – his father.

Something inside him gave the courage of saying sorry and there began the first step of reconciliation towards life. A sincere apology is a heart melting and ego diminishing process for both the speaker and the recipient and gives strength to bury the hatchet. Father and son reunited and found it was time to let sorrow rest at the back of the heart to make room for some happy and peaceful future.
Graduated from college and placed in a good company along with the hoard of other engineers passing out that year, it was not a disappointing start of new phase. That endless road in his hometown had instilled in him a sense of direction towards which he could invest his time. Running gave way to cycling and inspired by cyclists on the roads of Pune, Apu took up cycling to vent out his negative energy and fill the void of time.

Life goes in the direction you want it to lead you. Apu found much needed reassurance about life in his newly developed passion for cycling and trained hard for numerous competitions climbing up the ladder of national feats. He attempted and completed a series of 200 kms, 300 kms, 400 kms, and 600 kms in the city. He proudly represented the Indian team in Paris Brest Paris in 2015 finishing 1,230 Kms within 90 hours.

As of today, Apu has discovered a purpose in life. While earning a livelihood by being a software engineer like a fair share of youngsters in India, Apu also devotes time to keep his zeal for cycling ignited. Next on his list is one of the toughest races in the USA – RAAM. Having cleared the qualifier – The Deccan Cliff-Hanger race in India, he is heading fiercely towards his next goal.

He conquered the toughest race of his life- leaving behind all the sorrows and grief, the things that pulled him back. An incidence in life can make or break you. And Apu chose to make his life better how so ever distressed and remorseful it was earlier. He learnt how life can transform and channelize your energy with the flow of your inner conscience. He found out a bridge between him and his father when his mother left hands from both the sides.

We all have Apu inside us; each one of us is going through a struggle; whether it is big or small and even though the grass may seem greener on other sides, the closer look would reveal bugs making holes in the green leaves. It’s upon us to take life on a ride or be driven by circumstances and situations. Be like a sieve allowing only finer things in life which aid you to pass through. Filter out the stuff that affects you and enjoy a fresh cup of life every day. Don’t afraid to challenge yourself. Be optimistic. Be dynamic. Be like Apu.

~End~

Things you experience when you visit your In-Laws

2016-01-12T19:18:00.002+05:30

As a daughter in law there are numerous expectations and responsibilities reserved for you at your in laws' place. In my personal case, my husband's family stay in a quaint town of Palampur untouched by the metro life under the foot hills of Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh. And as I had decided to voluntarily take a break from my usual job grind, a grand opportunity of staying with my in laws for a period of 20 days lay ahead. A first of its kind of experience for me in my marriage of 2 years, I reluctantly grabbed it with hope and anticipation, since I had received mixed reviews from my friends who had vivid stories to tell from their In-Laws' visit, some not so very pleasant. So I also had my share of things to experience when visiting in-laws. Here is a brief of the tits and bits of what I learnt and experienced from this memorable trip -

1. When you stay at someone else's house (well technically it was mine, but I was visiting for holidays), there is a huge contrast in the life style and daily handling of tasks. All the things were cutely misplaced or misaligned as my per my thinking but soon I got crookedly adjusted to the that way of living.

2. The knives ..oh the knives have given me so much trouble! Your kitchen accessories are your dearest...and having to handle a different knife not in your practice or simply a knife with lesser sharpness than your own is an irritable task. I had to admit defeat daily in chopping onions and tomatoes and took refuge in the cutting board! ( I am used to chopping fine onion and tomato slices in my hand only :|)

3. How much ever lazy you are in your home, your feet will spring on the ground and get to work in your "Sasural". I found work on lazy afternoons and took extreme pleasure in cleaning and dusting activities or any deed which assisted the members of the family. My mother would have been so much pleased with me if I had done even an ounce of the work I did there :P

4. You can never know everything! There will be one offish dish or vegetable or a tradition which is only culturally en-rooted at your second home and you will have so much trouble struggling to do things right in the first attempt.

5. All the neighboring aunties and uncles will hoard you up like a celebrity and every time you walk with your mother in law in the local market, you will definitely get introduced to one aunty or another with a specific marking of their house -"Wo peele wale ghar me rehti hain Sharma Aunty!"

6. If you have the misfortune of being from a culturally different state or background, you are bound to be subjected to more sincere assessment in your new home. The other day I was shopping for Poha ingredients (a breakfast snack popular in northern parts of India) from the near by shop along with mother in law and sister in law, the shop owner aunty who of course knew us, funnily commented eyeing my purchase - "Oh! so your daughter in law will now cook you traditional south Indian recipies!". I am from north-Central India originally and believe myself to be a north Indian, but just learned for the farther northern state of Himachal Pradesh, everything below Delhi is South India ...Arrrgghhh!

7. Alas, you are also made a member of the secret gossip community by the friendly neighbors and are now privy to the exclusive happenings of the town, chit chat masala from here and there. Guilty pleasure!

Are there any of yours too? Do share and let us have a conversation on this.

Note - This blog is written purely for humor and entertainment and does not wish to hurt the sentiments of any body reading . Please do take in the right spirit.

Book Review: The Bestseller she wrote

2015-12-24T09:39:00.003+05:30

Ravi Subramanian's new novel "THE BESTSELLER SHE WROTE" is out in the market and I had an opportunity to read it thanks to BlogAdda. I have been looking for a quick read for quite some time and this book serves the purpose very well.

The book cover is attractive and interesting. Around 380 pages novel is good enough for a quick page turner and the pace of the novel is fast and edgy.

The story revolves around a famous author Aditya whose life is a perfect blend of professional and personal achievement. He is a very successful banker and also enjoys the pleasure of writing novels professionally at the same time. He is happily married to his college sweetheart and has a kid. During one of his encounters as a chief guest in his alumnus, he encounters a young, bold and very attractive student Shreya. Sherya is very ambitious and aspires to become a writer herself. They soon end up having a passionate affair as she joins his office. Aditya's best friend Sanjay who also heads the HR department of the company supports him while hiding his affair from Aditya's wife. But then ultimately truth comes out and Aditya finds himself in a vortex of delusion and betrayal. This is the story of how he tries to come out clean while saving all he had and whether he actually succeeds or not.

This is the first time Mr. Subramanian has tried to deviate from his genre of writing to a romantic and raunchy love story. The first half has done justice to that with the steamy sex scenes and lustful flirting. However, he has also remained true to his genre of thriller and has built a story line somewhat around it penning down a romantic intrigue. The second half, particularly last 100 pages, keeps you glued to the book arising interest on Aditya’s redemption. It is a wonderful portrayal of emotions from all the characters. Even though, Aditya sometimes felt a little too drab and artificial in scenes where he ought to be more emotional or angry or frustrated, I have given a benefit of doubt to the story line here that built up later due to his words and actions at the previous stage.

One of the points which irritated me were the urgent phone calls and email from Dr. Krishnan. It was difficult to understand why he didn't call her or email or text her at any other point of time when he sensed that something was wrong in the relationship between Aditya and Maya during Maya’s second visit to the clinic. He could have told her right away or anytime after that. Why did he have to wait for so long and make it an urgent matter right till Aditya’s speech at the book launch? This part of the story was something I couldn't digest easily and found a little too dramatic. Also, when the author chose the topic of adultery, it kind of turned me off as it failed to ignite any romance with the book and warm up to the readers.

Apart from this, the story is really engrossing especially for people into romantic thrillers. I finished the book in a single attempt of 4 hours which speaks about the captivity of the story. The language is simple and the flow of the story is easy and without any glitches. Youngsters can really dig into these kind of stories.The climax specially is laudable. The author has put much thought into the end to make it a "Woah!" moment for the readers.

I’d definitely recommend this book to people looking for a quick and easy bed time novel. If I could rate this book, I'd give it a 3.5 of 5 stars.

I am reviewing ‘The Bestseller She Wrote’ by Ravi Subramanian as a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

My "Go Out Alone" Adventure

2015-12-10T21:27:00.000+05:30

I'm a loner and I don't like going out alone. I would look for the comfort of a friend's company to keep me distracted throughout so that I can giggle in between, have a safe umbrella of being with someone to talk to and not look around lost and return home safely.

Just to keep you on the same page, I am loudly talking about going out alone apart from work. I go to work daily by driving my car, interact with colleagues, and have a healthy number of friends and an amazing husband. I like to think of myself as an independent working woman who is adequately funny and cheerful, has an average Indian lethargy within, like most people, is a jack of all trades and master of none; I like to try multiple things with more interest than passion and would like to believe that I'm still discovering the real kick in life.

Out of my many silly troubles in life, the current major point of concern is that I need a good company for shopping, movies, beaches, local streets and bazaars. To add to it, I am also the same person who dream of travelling the world by herself someday! What ?! I like to keep myself amused. :) So you would say, what's so difficult in going out alone? Just step out and start walking. Hmmm...To think of it, I was terrified of the idea; keep mulling over the thought and skip the opportunity or event at last. To travel especially in public transports like Mumbai local where I had to push and shove and beat the others to land on a footing inside; I was scared of people or to interact with people. To build a shell around me, I have taken to solo sports like reading, writing and photography where I and an inanimate object romance with each other in peace and quiet. But yet again, man is a social animal and how can he thrive with only books in his hand for life.

Photography gave me a new window to see world like never before and there calmly stood my hurdle of making contact with people again. I looked out for opportunities where I could get together with few acquaintances, fit in somehow with already formed groups, click street life, often get snubbed out by walkers and shooed away by people being clicked; I took limited steps to give water to this budding social thirst of capturing the world in a new light.

So, just another Sunday, lazing around reading newspaper, my eyes got attention to a literary festival taking place in my city. Oh I had to go! But I had not taken a bath, I had plans of going to the parlor and getting my eyebrows in shape and the event was to start in an hour. Within a split second I just jumped on my feet, with robotic speed I took bath and shampooed my hair, getting ready within a flash, chucking out the perfect eyebrow-ed girl look, running out of the door while limping to get the shoe on my left foot, I stepped out of my home feeling divine :P. Takeaway: So this is what needs to be done when in doubt, just step out however awful you might look!

I reached the destination, struggled for the front seats of a Bollywood celebrity chat session, managed to take a selfie with one of them, ate in the crowd with hawk eyes like nobody is watching, met a long lost acquaintance but with good summary of her life (thanks to FB), shared the selfie in 3-4 different Whatsapp groups and gloated with each "aww" and "amazing" comments and finally came back exhilarated.

Feeling like a conqueror, I excitedly told my husband just back from some work at the end of the day,"You can't imagine what I just did..!!!" I recounted each and every memory in detail of the event to him beaming

"See! you always told me that I tag you along to unnecessary boredom...I did this alone, what do you have to say?"

He asked me straight faced “What transport you took for the venue?"

Bewildered, not understanding the context, I said "Auto!”

"Ahh! The day you take a local by yourself and go someplace, that would be exciting for me” he said with an crooked smile.

Duh!!!! Back to the kitchen for the vegetable soup.....Arghhh !!!

Do I miss office?

2015-12-03T19:39:00.000+05:30

It’s been 4 days since I've left the very satisfyingly paying job of 7 years. And why? You may ask. And my whimsical answer is to set foot on an unexplored land of my fantasies. I took this step with a lot of fear and anxiety but bundles of hope in my heart too. I've been receiving a lot of flak for this decision and my steps have been faltering at the periphery itself. I wonder if I really have taken a wise decision after all!

I have been lazing around mostly since the past 40-50 hours and have done little contribution to fuel my fire of interest. And I certainly wonder what have I lost for this freedom of nonchalance.

I most certainly miss driving my favourite vehicle to office and back home; trying to dodge the traffic and edgily overtaking other cars from any available side of the lane, cursing the slowly moving ones on the right most lanes. I miss the Mumbai radio tuning into latest songs and sometimes just listening to the sounds of the wheels creating friction with the bumpy road. It is by far the most soothing experience of driving in Mumbai.

I miss my workstation where I quenched my thirst for random knowledge whenever I could spare some time off work; searching on various topics under sun, Google helps a lot! Somehow I can't find the same motivation in my home now with freely available internet and all unblocked sites unlike the company's restricted access. I guess this is Murphy's Law of lazy spirit. We tend to do only what entices us against the norm and only if it is restricted. If it’s open, we won't buzz a fly! True story.

I miss my colleagues and just illogical and hilarious tea and lunch break conversations which could extend to non working guilt free hours. I miss my work and internally boast with myself of finding the most comfortable way of handling it. I miss my total engrossment in some silly technical issue and feeling of exhilaration on solution which I had to contain within owing to office premises.

I certainly miss all the wonderful things that come along with the regular committed work and the perks and monthly financial security it gives me primarily.

Today, I have no such commitments and I want to enjoy the luxury of not getting up early and hurrying for office, not attending any meetings for endless hours and no fruitful results. Even though I can relax around, my heart wants to start on what I had dreamed for years. I wish to write some amazing stories, some exotic travel experiences and some random personal interventions. I wish to explore the art of photography and capture some of the most thought provoking, simple yet powerful images out of the ordinary. I wish to study, to read, to serve, to spend unforgettable hours trying to learn something new and how I wish I sustain myself without any support doing what I think I would love. It’s a blind bet and may God give me the strength to take that chance. Amen!

Less explored Holiday Destinations of Kerala!

2015-09-27T12:27:00.003+05:30

I finally had a blissful chance to visit Kerala last week that is mid of September.... and I was more than pleasantly surprised and calmed by the charm and beauty of it... its rightfully the lap of God's own! I had always heard from several friends and made a mental note of the most visited tourist spots and heavens of Kerala-Allepey and Munnar. However, this trip had something else in store for me. We were visiting family in Ezhimala and I was wishing in my heart if we could spare some time to sneak out to the explore the pulchritude of this state. I'm going to unravel here 2 alluring places off the tourist map of Kerala. If you ever wander into North Kerala, you might want to visit them for once :)

The itinerary for a long weekend trip -

Day 1 - Payyanur or Kannur or Bakal fort - Either of these 3 can be explored during the day time at leisurely pace

Evening can be booked for Kavayi backwaters and valiyaparamba beach.

Day 2 - Taliparamba and travel to Paithalmala and spend a day there

Day 3 - I'm keeping this slot empty as each individual as varying holiday moods and interests. You can choose to explore the nearby Kerala villages by passenger train, do some local shopping, visit Devsthans or simply observe the lifestyle of the people around. At the end, I've listed down various activities and places to visit in and around Kannur so you can take your pick.

We utilized this day to travel back to Mangalore for our departure flight to Mumbai. Mangalore is 2.5 hour journey by train from Payyanur.

1. Kavayi Backwaters - Much has been said, read and experienced about the backwaters of Alleppey/Kumarakom which lie in south of Kerala. The local northerners enjoy an equally large version of the back waters to commute between their several small island villages. Kavayi backwaters is the largest one in the north of Kerala and third largest in the state. Owing to less population in this rather less unexplored region, one could enjoy extreme solace and peaceful musings of the mind here. You can hire local canoe to roam you around the tranquil waters. Fisherman and boatman are often seen stuttering around taking locals to and fro and charge a minimal charge of around 10 rs. Apart from that, there is a government steamer which operates on fixed timings and covers all the islands and boat jetty spots along the route. So if you have enough time you can hop on one of these and cover the span of entire Kavayi stretch. If you consider this option, may I also suggest you to probably come back in evening around 6-7ish for the local boat ride as well. This is by far the most peaceful and leisurely stroll you can have on water the delight of which is accentuated by the shades of the water and skies post the sun down.

Kavayi islands

Backwater jetty spot at Payyanur town.

Backwaters view in early morning

Backwaters view in late evening, you can enjoy to fro boat ride and experience tranquility

Getting there: if you are travelling by train, there are various trains from different directions of country halting at the near town Kannur most of which will also halt at Payyanur which is the nearest town and your most likely spot to stay. I was travelling from Mumbai by train (Kerala sampark kranti express) to stop by Kannur and come back for Payyanur. However, my train also halted at a small town Kannapuram mid way of Payyanur and Kannur. Following our instincts, we got down and took the next train to Payyanur. We reached our destination within 30 mins saving time of coming all the way back from Kannur.

Stay: You can stay either at Kannur or Payyanur. Kannur is a bigger town but Payynur is nearer. So we opted for Payyanur. Its a small with limited options of hotels. Some tried and tested are -

1. Green park hotel - little off town located on the highway and is slightly on the expensive side . Around Rs 2500 per Diem(standard room)

2. Hotel KK residency - This is strategically located right opposite the Payyanur bus stand and serves well for tourists who want to commute by local means of transport throughout the day. It is a good hotel priced at Rs 2000 per Diem.

3. Apart from these 2 we have Bombay hotel and Vyshak international hotel which are in the range of 1000-1500. You can take your pick.

Eat : you can try the local cuisine at Bamboo Fresh restaurant near the bus stand in Payyanur.

2. Valiyparamba beach - This beach is by far the most clean, isolated and one of the resplendent beaches in the country I've seen. Imagine a long thin strip of land with backwaters on the right and the sea at the left. This is valiyaparamba beach for you. It is located right off the Kavayi island and is accessible by boat through the backwaters. Apart from a resort and local 3-4 huts it is a long pristine and untouched 10 kms stretch of beach on either side with a few fishermen for company occasionally. Water here is untarnished, the waves daring and beach has shells, crabs, coconut trees and sublime fine sand. In short, it is good way of spending sunset time here. The return back to land should be timed with the last ferry at around 7 pm. At our instance, it was late around 7:40, so you can probably keep the phone number of the ferry at the jetty spot handy before going ahead.

3. Paithalmala - Day 2 can be reserved for a trekking adventure activity to serene hill station Paithalmala. It is bounty for nature-mountain lovers, photographers, hikers. It is a good 1 hour walk to the top of the Paithal hills which provide an unperturbed view of the Nilgiri ranges and if it is cloudy you can soak in the white mist and soothing breeze. The amazing view and the forest like feel keeps you going throughout the climb. It is the most refreshing experience spending your day hiking and in the lap of nature with crisp air and greenery.

on the way to the top!

The journey

Getting there: Paithalmala is a 4 hour bus drive from Taliparamba which is a big town and can be explored for its beautiful temples. Taliparamba can be reached in around 45 mins from Payyanur by bus. From Taliparamba, the bus will stop at Kudiyamala village as its nearest halt for Paithalmala before changing the route. Autos and taxis are available easily to take you to the ascent point for paithal hills which is also where Paithal resorts are located. The autos will charge you around 300 Rs. after a good bargain. After descent, if you wish to stay back for snacks etc, Paithal resorts is at the right place!

Some foodie observations -

The trip to Kerala busted few of my myths. As a south Indian food lover, I was so excitedly looking forward to gorge on the authentic taste of the yummy Idlis, dosas, sambhar , rasam etc. I had dreamt of eating all this to my heart's content for all servings three days. But to my severe disappointment, I could hardly find any eating joints serving this cuisine. Probably, I always arrived late when the dosas were finished. Instead, there were a variety of parottas (read paranthas), punjabi chicken and fishes! Whatever the reason, my only source of content was the breakfast buffet at my stay hotel in Payyanur where I could eat only idli and sambhar.

Similar was the case for coconut water, there was not even a single 'redi' or stall for fresh coconut water which I had assumed to be in abundance in this paradise. I could only quench my thirst in Mangalore where there were plenty at each corner.

Also, in Kerala they serve red medicated lukewarm water in all the restaurants. So just in case, you would want to order bottled water for you separately!

P.S. - this is a personal observation based on my local 2 day stay in Payyanur only. The food culture may vary in other towns and cities in Kerala.

Other places around -

There are several other places in and around Kannur which are worth a visit if you can squeeze some more time out of your schedule. Bakal fort is a small reminiscent at the beach and hour by train from Payyanur. Matool is another splendid beach stretch and serves as sea- backwater dividing body like valiyaparamba. There are several churches, forts, drive in beaches and arlam wild life sanctuary in Kannur itself. So you have plenty of options to explore in the days if you wish to expand your stay.

Overall, it was a wonderful and a memorable trip and I did not at all miss alleppey and Munnar this time :)

Fair and Lovely : BB cream- natural make up!

2015-05-30T13:37:00.000+05:30

I'm not an ardent fan of cosmetic products and don't usually have clear favorites.... I've seen some of my friends speaking in a totally alien language - "Oh I m just into Colorbar....!" "I can't do without a Chambor !!" and I pick some fresh aloe gel back from the garden :D (well my skin is not perfect either still :D) . Perfect skin is every girl's dream. If not natural, then atleast for the image. And if with least chemical impacts, then God bless the product !
The fact is that we are living in the society of spic and speck public image where our dresses must always be fashionable, our shoes adorable, our hair shiny and glossy and skin radiant !
So while I am contemplating this, someone just gave me an instant solution to the last of my public image checklist...
I was invited to an exciting event where I got introduced to the Fair and Lovely new beauty product - BB cream. And it was a lot worthwhile !

This beauty product serves multi benefits for the Indian women....I am glad to know that this is particularly designed for the Indian skin tone....a non Caucasion look with smooth texture. A skin which has to face harsh sun and heat, slimy pollution and aunties' scrutiny :P . FAL BB Creme is an answer to our basic worries. It is so light and MATTE, blends perfectly in the skin without feeling oily or greasy specially in summers ! and has sun protection of SPF 15. It doesn't contain bleach and gives a make up finish naturally !!! Bingo :D
So if you are going on a date, an office party,a work day even, an evening get together with friends or family.....this is what will satisfy your most makeup needs .....and you can spare your kit for a while ...just carry this small tube in your purse and you are done !!
I tried it for a movie night and it worked wonders for me.... My skin looks almost perfect and it doesn't look too much either (I'm glad that this does not try to make me look too much whiteyyyy and just enhances my skin tone (I'm dusky and usually creams tend to just bleach my face) ..reviews??