Travelogue-2014 - Kashmir - Heaven on Earth

                                                Heaven on Earth – Kashmir

The chance long weekend during festivals in 2014 were the primary motivators and facilitators for most of our trips this year.We were just back from Mussoorie trip , fully rejuvenated and were eagerly watching out for the next chance. We found that, in the coming long weekend of Id holiday in July.And Vaishno Devi and Kashmir it was , an instant decision.While planning our itinerary etc. , we figured out the main places to – Jammu , Katra , Bhawan , Srinagar , Gulmarg , Pahalgam , Yousmarg.

Vaishno Devi darshan

We were a family of 6 . We had taken a train to Jammu from New Delhi. Although the direct train from New Delhi to Katra had been flagged off recently , but we could not find any reservation in it . Seems the train was fully booked as soon as the services were open for public.It was a comfortable overnight journey from New Delhi to Jammu. We had made our booking for stay in Jammu through the matavaishnodevi portal at Vaishnavi Dham and we reached the place. It was great to see Govt. premises quite upto the mark and maintained. The place was bustling with people even that early around 7 AM. As our schedule was co-inciding with the time for Amarnath yatra , there was all the more hustle bustle all around with chants blurting from speakers. The spiritual sojourn had begun. However, there was a little problem. The check-in at Vaishnavi Dham was at 10 AM and they did not allow an early check-in. We needed to start for Katra as early as possible as we had booked helicopter service from Katra to Sanchichat at 11:50 AM. It was 7 AM , and there was no way , we could lose time. So, we checked into a nearby hotel (We anyway had managed booking for only 1 room at Vaishnavi Dham , we needed 2 more rooms) .  The hotel reception inquired of our itenary and offered us of their travel  services too. We booked a taxi which would take us to Katra .We all got ready and we started for Katra. Our driver – Sunil was a cheerful and talkative person. He told us everything about the things we will be encountering during our darshan , which route to take , which not , where to buy Prasad from etc. He also discussed the political situation , tourism of J&K and offered us to take to Srinagar by road. Since we had our flight from Jammu to Srinagar , he then offered us a contact for a  local taxi in Srinagar to which we agreed. On our way to Katra , we had breakfast in a local dhaba , we saw the Jammu university and natural beauty all along the way. We reached Katra well in time for our helicopter.However , upon reaching there we found that the helicopter service was suspended due to bad weather. We were in a fix what to do.We could start on foot but that would take time to and fro. In fact , time crunch itself had made us book the helicopter service. We had a flight next morning from Jammu to Srinagar. However , coming this far , there was no way we wanted to return without the darshan. Also , the saying kept flickering in our minds – that only those souls are able to get a darshan of Matavaishnodevi who the Devi desires and calls.

My husband declared he would be climbing  on foot and would return down in time for the taxi which was waiting to take us back to Jammu. The rest of us including my parents took ponies readily available at Rs 1400 for a roundtrip. And our journey started thereof . I was amazed to see so many people around of all ages.I saw even a group of foreigners treading along on ponies. The entire stretch had a lively atmosphere. There were shops on both sides , eating joints and numerous shops selling paraphernalia. It probably took us 4 hours to reach the top with minor stops for the ponies to drink water.It was my first long ride on a pony. Initially , I liked it , but later on it was a little uncomfortable. But anyway , you need to do some penace before you can seek blessings from God. And it was nothing when compared to the awesome and beautiful sights that befolded before our eyes one by one , turn by turn . Every turn presented a new picture , a new scene.Perhaps , divinity it was , in true sense. The pony dropped us to the last point it was allowed to and from there we had to walk inside. We bought our Prasad packets for offering and lined up in our queue. There was policing around and thorough checking at multiple points.They assign token nos. for 1 group of darshanarthis and our token no. was 163. Meanwhile , my husband who had started on foot was swift enough and had reached too.

We went inside the cave like structure. It was well lit by artificial lights. Inside the main cave , we could finally behold the sight of the 3 holy pindlis. We offered our prayer and the queue moved on. Then there was a place where a gush of water was flowing inside the wall of the cave .We were told this was holy water from Baanganga.After this we came outside , collected our Prasad and walked towards the exit. There were numerous people sitting here and there , at various view points. The scene was amazing . We had some food there and started our downward journey. Coming back was a bit faster , I felt . Also , the ambience of the crowd had changed . There were more people climbing up at that time of evening , when we were going down. People who take the steps prefer to climb in the evening/night , this is what the ponywallas told us. However the atmosphere was brighter and all sorts of people could be seen now. People in shorts and shoes , people carrying small babies in their lap ,even  people taking babies in prams , young students , couples , old men and women . There was a festive environment.Even golgappa wallas could be seen there ! We reached down by late evening . Our taxi was waiting for us.We started for Jammu. We reached Jammu by night , checked in to the hotel and Vaishnavi Dham. By this time the backache and leg cramps had started.A good night’s rest would probably be relieving. We were dead asleep. The next morning , the muscles and joints were in a better condition. We reached the airport , boarded the flight to reach Srinagar. It was a short flight and as we descended the lush greenery and the typical tall alpine trees , which we had previously seen only in TV presented themselves before us in full glory. The sight of the lush green valley from the aeroplane was mesmerizing. On reaching Srinagar , we took  a pre-paid taxi to our houseboat at Dal Lake,Gate No. 9. The taxi driver again was a very cheerful man and guided us about the various places we could see during our stay.

Day 1 - Srinagar

On reaching Gate No. 9 , we got down from the car to see the most spectacular sight. Bright colored shikaras all decked up , lined up near the banks of the lake and far in the skyline the most distinct feature of Kashmir – the houseboats , steered proudly , each displaying its name.Our houseboat owner had come to receive us at the bank. We all got into 2 shikaras while our luggage was carried in a separate smaller service boat.

And.. I was overwhelmed – by the sheer experience , by the beauty , by the cool air flowing around , by the waterline on one side and the overwhelming Zabarwan mountains on the other atop which stood the much acclaimed Shankaracharya temple.

Yes, the shutterbugs had begun.There was no way , we could keep the cameras in our bags anymore.It was an instant reaction to get them to work.We reached our houseboat – Trambak group of houseboats.It was centrally located,straight across Gate no. 9 , overlooking the Zabarwan mountains.The location was just perfect.One by one we got off the shikara onto the houseboat.It was much more than I had expected. It had a drawing room done in traditional kashmiri style .Next was a dining room with a beautiful glass chandelier and glass cabinets where the cutlery was displayed. Beyond that was a flight of stairs to take to the roof of the houseboat. Beyond that there was a small pantry and then 3 bedrooms in a line. In essence , we had the whole houseboat booked for ourselves for 5 days !!! We enetered our rooms . All the rooms were well maintained and carpeted with attached bathrooms.There was 24 hrs. hot and cold water supply in the bathrooms. All the bathrooms had bathtubs . We relaxed a little. As it was lunch time , we got some food ordered. The food was served to us by the staff in the dining room. We had  ordered Kashmiri non vegetarian cuisine – Gushtaba and Rista . It had great flavour . The kashmiri Biryani was yum , even the rajma which is called there as “rajmash”.

After having a sumptuous meal , we all retired to our rooms for a little rest.

In the evening we crossed the lake in the service boat to Gate no. 9 and strolled a little by the lake . We then went for a visit to the Mughal gardens. We went to Nishat Bagh and Chashme Shahi. The drive to these places was nice all the time with the lake on our left side. On way the driver pointed out the “Char Chinar” to us. It’s an island in the middle of the Dal Lake where stand 4 tall Chinar Trees. They are now symbolic of the Dal Lake. The gardens as expected were grand and beautiful. We saw tourists and locals relaxing with family there.There were numerous photographers present with traditional kashmiri dresses offering to click a photo in the attire. After having hearts full of fresh air , scenic beauty , ancient architecture views , we bought some flower seeds from these gardens and came back home(yeah ! it felt like home )

As we reached the lake at Gate 9 , we saw a spectacular sight yet again – of a lighted Dal Lake by the night . All the houseboats had turned on their lights as it was now dark and their reflection in the water was a sight  to behold. An idea conjured up. Shikara ride by the night at the Dal ! Yes , so we hired a Shikara for Rs 500 per hour and started our sail. He sailed us through the famed floating market of the Dal and the vegetable market and took us to the backlane of the houseboats and back to the front. We saw shops decorated with their items – clothes , dry fruits , carpets , vegetables etc. there were numerous shops. The Dal lake even has stretches islands in between. So occasional land mass though very small is also there. It seemed a world of its own and looked like a self sustainable little economy. People who stay there get their things of daily needs within the lake ! Be it grocery ,stationery , medicine , vegetable , clothes-everything is available inside the lake itself!We reached the backside of our houseboat to find an entire colony of houseboats. Looked like a society of houseboats instead of apartments ! all glittering like Diwali lights. I asked the shikarawala how many houseboats are there in total here and he answered 1500. I was amazed. Dal lake has 2 kinds of location for houseboat.First is where we were staying- front row , overlooking the road.It’s easily accessible to the lake bank. This is called the mountain view .The other is backside where there is a fleet of houseboats , so that you find one on your left , right and front with water indeed in between.This is called the lake view.This is comparatively farther from the lake bank and is a little difficult if you have to goto the other side ie. Roads/city multiple times in a day.

After having a refreshing shikara ride , we came back and had our dinner. The next day , we had to visit  Gulmarg. So we retired to our rooms.

Day 2 – Gulmarg

The morning drive was enthralling. As we left the city behind , more and more views welcomed us. Best part was – Gumarg was mostly a straight drive , no hairpin bends and the like. It was utmost comfortable journey.Our vehicle was a Tavera.The driver had warned us that as soon as we would reach Gulmarg parking , a host of ponywallas will circle around us and he won’t be able to intervene. None of us wanted a pony ride , after the one in Katra. And so , they came in hoardes , jostling with each other. We looked a good bait to them -6 people ! However , we stood stern that we did not want a pony and will walk down to the gondola ticket counter. They followed us for sometime but left later. It was a 2 km walk from the car parking to the cable car ride ticket counter.They took only cash.No card was accepted. We took the tickets upto the maximum point to the top stage. It was for Rs 1400 per person for a round trip. A modern facility is under construction at the cable car station and we could see the work in progress. Indeed the tourist influx was just too much and such facilities were indeed welcome. We got into a cable car upon our turn . The group of 6 proved lucky yet again – we again had the entire cable car for our own like a private cable car. And lo! It started.We gradually ascended , crossing even the tallest of those Chinar trees one by one . The scene just felt like reels of a movie unfolding a new scene one by one. It was just amazing and at that moment the clouds came. We were like floating in cloud . We could see the other cable cars coming back on their return journey. I don’t know how long it was , but it was like a dream . We soon reached our 1^st station. We got down .There was a crowd around of tourists clicking pics , enjoying tea/maggi etc. We strolled a little and then came back for our further journey to the 2^nd and the topmost station .We again got into a cable car this time leaving yet another set of tall trees and lush greenery. Very soon we saw ice covered layers and natural glacial tracks on the slopes. The 360 degree view was amazing.Anywhere , we looked , it was pristine beauty at its best. After a delightful ascent , we reached station 2 and got down here. From here we had to walk to reach the top of the snow covered mountain . There were skiing equipment and clothes on rent , ponywallas again to take you to the top , guides etc. We slowly moved up , but all of us did not goto the extreme top.We rested at small hillocks on the way . The air was cool , the view was enigmatic. My brother took a guide and went to the top. He said on the other side there was view of Pakistan . We spent sometime there enjoying ourselves. After that I started the trek down with Mom as she would take a little more time. We then spent some time at the cable car station before making our descent. The descent down was equally amazing. There had been a light drizzle perhaps. The trees were all bathed in fresh water. Indeed – it was like Heaven – the place where Gods dwelled.Compared to this ,our life back on the plains , pollution , city,apartment – how contrasting ! We had some light refreshments – chips and local tea – “Kashmiri Kahwa” It’s a tasty liquor tea with saffron and other herbs. I liked it.We started our trek back to the car park. On the way we had maggi. We then started back for Srinagar and our favourite place these days – our houseboat at Dal !

It was dusk when we reached Dalgate. We got down at Gate no. 9 . The lively evening had begun. We just sat at the banks. There is concrete structure all along the lake for sitting and viewing. What next? Few of us wanted to go to the local market for exploring /shopping , few wanted  a yet another shikara ride – to see the famed sunset at Dal. I was in for the 2^nd option. And so we hired a shikara to take us around . The setting or rather the timing was perfect. The sun was just about to set. We took some amazing shots and videos of the sunset.

“A picture says a thousand words , but memories that are etched for a lifetime speak much more”

It had started drizzling. We had not expected this welcome thing and we were enjoying our shikara ride at the Dal in the drizzle ! However , the winds also started and we were a little afraid. Although we enjoyed every bit of it , we were drenched a little by the time our shikara moored at our houseboat. There was something about the houseboat.It was always welcoming and we felt home.We left our drenched footwear outside in the open lobby area.

Day 3- Yousmarg

Next day was Id festival. The driver had asked us if he could be a bit late. We were ok with it , afterall it was a festival day. Meanwhile it was amusing enough.never ever had I imagined that one day I’ll be in Kashmir on the eve of Id. Anyway next day we awoke with morning chants coming from mosques nearby. Strangely , they had a similar tone and tune like our hindu chants.Anyway , God is one and today was a day of prayers and celebration. We wished Id Mubarak to our staff and his family.He had a little daughter of 4 -  Sans was her name , whom we liked very much.Every morning he used to teach her on the houseboat deck.She had a duck as her pet and had given it a name too !

We had our breakfast of upma and maggi and started for Yousmarg today.Lore is that Jesus Christ had come to India during the much famed “Secret years of Jesus – a time of Jesus’s life where his whereabouts are not known” and had leant Yoga here.Apart from that-  nature , beauty and “Dudhganga” were the other prime attractions. The drive again was a beautiful one. One thing distinct about Kashmir is that all the drives are very scenic and picturesque so you do not feel bored or wait to reach the destination. You enjoy all along and in no time you are at your destination. Time passes like rolls of a movie.We drove on beautiful roads along countryside.We stopped at one place to buy saffron.We passed saffron fields , apple orchards and yes the driver also took us to an orchard and we actually plucked apples from the trees and ate! Today the road had bends. But it was so picturesque that none of us bothered. We were just soaking in the sights.We drove upto the tourist centre of Yousmarg. There was a restaurant there. We got in for some tea. As it was noon we also ordered lunch.The ponywallas were here too waiting for us to complete our lunch.The main issue with the ponywallas in Kashmir is that tourism is their bread and butter.It is their source of income.That’s why they are extremely eager to get customers.We came out and they presented us with various itenaries,view points , places etc. 4 of us took ponies and 2 of us chose to walk. We had asked for 2 point sightseeing by pony.The ponies started their trek. The walking track was separate, so got divided into 2 groups here. The ponies here were different. They were actual horses , strong , tall and had good quality saddle and the best part – the knew their way! They somehow knew where they had to go. In fact one of the horses was unescorted. Its owner told us it knows its way- horses are intelligent. Mine however had an escort.It was a she horse and her 15 day old baby horse also towed along with us. My horse was kept in the last in the line as it would start neighing if some other horse came in between her child. She had a mother’s instinct ! We moved along in a line on a very narrow hill slope which looked extremely dangerous. One slip of the horse and we would be thrown feets down among the hills. However, nothing of that sort happened. We reached our 1^st viewpoint. It was a place overlooking the river amongst the trees. We started for our next viewpoint as it was here that we would meet my father and husband who had chosen the nature walk.It was a difficult and steep terrain. However , the views that we witnessed were simply out of this world.It indeed was like a fairytale , riding on a horse , going deeps inside unknown meadows. I felt like –Alice in Wonderland! But I was very sad to see the level of deforestation deep inside the forest. Everywhere there were just 1 feet of tree bark that was left after cutting. Yes, those trees were a marvel for any wooden articraft /furniture etc. but they did not deserved to be cut !I asked the ponywalla why are so many trees cut? He lied to me that these are dead trees.Of course he wouldn’t speak out the truth to a random tourist.But the kind of cut –it was not natural uprooting , and the magnitude of uprooting told all the tale.We finally reached our destination – it was a river called Doodhganga. Many people could be seen playing and enjoying in the water. We sat there for sometime. The crowd had swelled by that time. It looked that as it was a holiday most people had come out with their families for picnic.We returned after sometime to the parking area and began our road journey again back to Srinagar this time bidding goodbye to all the scenery.Today, the driver dropped us at Shalimar bagh , once we reached Srinagar. We went inside the beautiful garden amongst fountains and felt extremely relaxed. We also got our pics clicked in traditional Kashmiri dresses.Today there was a lot of hustle bustle. Outside the gate it was a mela kind of atmosphere- the kind we have during durga pooja in eastern India. All the men , women dressed in colorful new attires seemed to be flocking up the city.However, we had allowed our driver to leave for his home after dropping us at Shalimar as it was a festival and thought we would manage by public transport , but there was  none in sight.The ones we found were asking exhorbitant rates. We all 6 were standing around a corner in the crowd not knowing what to do when a Kashmiri man came and asked where we had to go. We told we had to goto Dal Gate .He told us the normal fare by public transport and asked us to stand at the other side of the road where Tata Sumo cars would pass and charge Rs 15 per person for Dal Gate. We thanked him for the information and crossed the road. However , not a single Sumo passed by. We were again stranded and thought what next to do as we were a little uncomfortable standing there amongst the crowd , when the same man again appeared. Luckily at that time only a Sumo came and that man was generous enough to ask the driver to drop us near Dal gate. The driver however charged a little more which we were ready to pay. The good Samaritan told us that he would have dropped us in his car , if we could not find any conveyance. We were thankful for the great gesture shown. We reached Dal gate and starightaway went to a nearby restaurant. By this time we had chosen our favourite place to eat and we usually ate there. We called our houseboat owner to send the service boat to pick us up and reached home (houseboat).

Day 4 – Pahalgam

This day was reserved for the farthest of place from Srinagar and we left early this morning. Today the road had many bends and turns but the Tavera and the driver both were used to it. We enjoyed the music played in the car.We reached Pahalgam and entered the park by the Lidder river. It was a very beautiful garden with the Lidder river flowing by. One wanted to go no further and just doze off by the river. We went inside the shallow river immersing our feet.The water was cold .It was water coming from Jhelum river that merged in Lidder river and the river was long enough until our sights would go. In fact the whole way , today , our car was passing by the Lidder river today.It was a beautiful sight .We also saw some camping huts on way and were thrilled by the idea. We saw a foreigner family- parents 60+  , their children – 30’s on cycles.We were amazed by their enthusiasm. They all had mountain bikes and gear and were cycling along the road ! We then moved on to go further .Our taxi was not allowed further and we hired another taxi to go beyond.We reached the much acclaimed –Betaab Valley and saw it from the top. Perhaps there was too much crowd or what , at that time the police did not allow us the descent to the valley. We however were at a vantage point , at the topmost point and could have a clear and spectacular view of the area where many shootings for movies take place. Our driver informed us of another place of pure natural beauty among glaciers. We all were interested and we reached Chandanbari – a glacial body perhaps the start of some river. We went ahead to see spectacular natural ice and snow structures.It was a bit dangerous too because of the ice but there were guards who would tell us not to meander beyond a point. It was just too much of bewilderment as we watched a snow clad glacier descending from up above among the trees on the hills to the place where we were standing now in the snow and taking a turn and moving ahead and below finally turning to ice and then water flowing into what flows the entire stretch of Pahalgam – the Lidder river. Amazing the sight was and so was the time . I wished the time stood still for a while. We took numerous pics as the nature’s beauty continued to astonish us more and more. The more we saw , the more we sought ! After sometime , we started returning to our car parked at some distance. Chandanwari also happens to be the starting point for Amarnath Yatra. We unknowingly had reached a holy place too and saw a long queue of devoted pilgrims moving towards Amarnath shrine. We had Maggi at a roadside stall and got into the car. After this we went to one more scenic place where we spent sometime and had snacks. Now , we began the return journey to Pahalgam and then onward to Srinagar.This was our last night at the houseboat.We sat at the deck after dinner watching the glittering lights on the lake and the moon and the stars.

Day 5- Srinagar local

 We got up today , packed our bags and had breakfast . Today we went for some adventure water sports. We went for water skiing on the Dal Lake.We first went to Nehru Park in a shikara and that was the staring point for water skiing and motor boating. We did both and enjoyed a lot.Water indeed is refreshing ! After that we came back to the houseboat , got our things , presented a small gift to the little Kashmiri girl – Sana , and bade adieu to our abode of 5 days .The taxi dropped us to Srinagar airport. We boarded our flight and reached New Delhi by evening . It all floated like a movie in front of my eyes. The trip had ended but had created numerous memories for a lifetime !!

My New App !!

My new App !!!

निर्भया

उन्मुक्त हवाओं में जीने वाली तुम
ज़िंदगी जीने का जज़्बा रखने वाली तुम
कुछ पल में ही हवाएँ थम गई
कुछ पल में ही जिंदगी रुक गई

हम देखते रह गए नम आँखों से तुम्हें
हममें से ही निकलके हममें ही विलींन हो गई तुम

जो तीन पल ना साँस ले सकी थी तुम
वो तीन पल हम भी मरे थे
जो चली गई हमेशा के लिये तुम
तो हम भी यहाँ क्या जी सकेंगे

पर .... जीएँगे हम
जीएँगे हम... ये देखने के लिये कि
तुम व्यथॅ ही तो ना चली गई
जीएँगे हम... ये देखने के लिये कि
जो लौ तुम जला गई... वो लौ तो ना बुझ गई
और देखने के लिये कि ...

इंसाफ के तराजू क्या लौटाएँगे इज़्ज़तो-आबरू
इंसाफ के तराजू क्या लौटाएँगे गुमाने-गुरूर

उन उन्मुक्त हवाओं को हम फिर से दहलीज़ पे बुलाएँगे
ज़िंदगी जीने का जज़्बा तुमही से सीख़ें , ये प्रण लेंगे
तुम देखना - हम फिर से जीएँगे
लौ से लौ जलाकर – हम डटके जीएँगे

- मुनरिका गैंगरेप पीडिता को नम आँखों से भावभीनी श्रद्धांजलि

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Hazaaron Khwahishen Aiseen....

The other day , I was going through the ‘Speaking Tree’ column in the Times of India. It had an article about Human life and how it is governed by desires . I started pondering over the topic and found it actually very much true. Often , in the journey of our life we are directed in pursuits and goals which we want to achieve. But sometimes we get lost or wayward. Our needs ,wants and desires often get influenced and affected by peer-pressure.As we live in a society , we need to follow certain trends of the society or the social circle we belong to.Although our personal ideologies may differ from the lot, somewhere , sometime we do succumb to what is going on around us , in our social circle. For eg : we might like to study Literature and Fine Arts but BTech and MBA may be the trend , we might like to work in a small Organization that gives us liberty to work in our own style , but working in a top notch MNC may be the trend.Similary , we might not need a second car or a second apartment , but that might again be the latest trend. We sometimes get so much tangled in these desires that we forget the real pursuit of life . We miss the small moments that can give us immense pleasure , we forget the real meaning of life. We feel that shopping or eating out in a trendy mall may give us a high , but a barefooted morning walk in our dew laden little garden may give us a better high.
I read somewhere the following lines…

Desires are endless is. When one is fulfilled another crops up. If you cut off one or two desires, others come up because the root is still there
The mind needs to be controlled, otherwise it goes haywire and keeps dreaming. Desires come from within, even if a person is looking idle or is. Desire is a hidden enemy which tosses the mind and opposes our spiritual progress. ‘Aavran’ is to be unconscious of one's own Self, to forget one's real goal in life. This is ‘ajnana’ or ignorance We get lustful, greedy and angry because we are ignorant of our real Self.

दिल की बातें

दिल की बातें कहेंगे तुमसे
ये कागज़ के टुकड़े चंद
मैंने जिनपे लिखे हैं अपने
मोह्हबत के छंद

Hello Sunshine

It’s a pleasant morning today with a bright sun glowing brightly amidst the blue sky. It’s a moment I would like to capture in my camera. For weeks , I have been mostly home ,cosy in my room, the blower full on . The cold and the much cooler winds kept me inside (Read ..rendered immobile ) and I didn’t go to office also – Working From Home most of the times. The bright sun today is enough to lift my spirits and I feel my feet springing again. So, here … I am in my office at my ‘Exclusive Window Seat’ watching the heaven above , the clouds playing , the sun smiling , a few birds flying… A much needed and a very welcome respite . I feel like ---

1) Going shopping
2) Eating out
3) Going for a Boat Ride @ Purana Quila
4) Booking the tickets for The Gazal Nite by Jagjit Singh @Sirifort Auditorium

It's only words...and words are all I have...

Just read this somewhere and found it very true....

what is silence again, but a lack of words!!
I have seen relationships and frienships crumble to pieces due to lack of communication.
gone is the era when people used to relate love to understanding each other perfectly even in silence..
personally, i would be rather offended if im ignored or not spoken to..and the chances of me misinterpreting the silence as indifference or lack of chemistry is more.
it can be pretty killing---considering that the void it creates will eventually lead to the death of the relationship which thrive mainly on knowing and wanting to know each other more and more.
and hence, in that sense, i can never understand how two people who claim to care so much about each other have nothing to talk about, take comfort in each others silence..i guess those are just mere excuses for want of that extra space which usually is the outcome of fatigued interest.

in conclusion---words are a pretty dangerous weapon, more like a double edged sword---
just like they can reinforce and strengthen bonds, they can also cause damage when used in lack or excess..
just like they can heal a bruised spirit, they can also hurt when used wrongly or loosely.
just like they can they can communicate heartfelt emotions and create chemistry, they can also cause rifts and complicate the best of relations when misused.

and just like the right words may not be always remembered, the wrong ones may not be easily forgotten!!

rephrasing; "sticks and stones may break my bones but words can also hurt me"

so be careful with your words..even though they seem pretty harmless, you can never know who's heart they might be breaking!!

Search for a car

Researching these days about cars. I'm planning to buy a car for myself and have a few options .... don't know which one will be the best.I like the Chevrolet Spark , the red color one for the sheer fact that it's so sparky n' girly.But I have been advised that Chevrolet although is promising a 3 year free servicing their service is actually not up to the mark plus their spare parts are very expensive. A friend of mine driving Beat warns me about its cons.Although in the looks department I like the small Spark as well as the high end Spark. then , there is Ford Figo... hatchback , Hyundai i10,Fiat Punto, Swift... Problem of mileage is persistent with all of them . I'm looking for a car which is fuel efficient so that I do not have to think twice before going anywhere.I shouldn't look at my petrol meter if I have to goto Noida or even to the local market.In Gurgaon even the markets are 4-5 kms away from your residence.That pushes me to look at the CNG cars as well. Maruti Alto... ummm...well...good .very fuel efficient claims around 27km/kg on CNG..but... its such an old fashioned car...Another option is buying a petrol car n get CNG retro-fitted. The problem is that on a new car, retro fitting is done by dealers and as soon as that is done the car's warranty is null and void :( The CNG delaer however gives a warranty but only for his equipment which is a not so good proposition...The search is on... looking for a smart, cute hatchback... :)

A Weekend

Hectic as well as interesting weekend… went to attend an Entrepreneurship fair at IIM Lucknow-Noida campus on Saturday (Dec 18th). It was a well attended affair with some bigwigs of Industry presiding the event. The panel discussion was very informative as well as interesting. There was a B Plan competition judged by some VC’s and a IP Legal expert.
Sunday … saw myself participating in an event organized my IIM Kolkata in Delhi. Interestingly ,I met a member of the organizing committee ,a 1st year student who shared my first name :) . I feel happy whenever I meet someone who has the same name as I have (which is not so often). It was a closed panel presentation with 3 judges one of them resembling Prahlad Kakkar (actually Mr.Puneet Bindlish, CEO Infogile)..There was a grave scene inside the room . The presentation went on and on and exceeded the time limit but since the panelist were interested , we continued. Luckily Mr. Bindlish is himself involved into telecom domain and so could relate to the nitty-gritties . He asked the Team Lead to get some details and meet him later . The presentation ended on a positive note. Got free … had lunch, came home and dropped dead in my bed…

More Saiyan To Hai Pardes - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcD4epRdamc

He : Hi Sweety!!
She : Hiii Teddy .. !!!
He : I missed you all day today.I couldn’t concentrate in office. All the time your face,your words kept on lingering…
She : Me too… All day , I kept thinking of you.
He : This stupid *** ( His firm’s name ) .why did it have to send me onsite NOW.. away from my fiancée !! They say “courtship period is the best period of one’s life “ ..Why..Why..Why..and here I’m miles away from my sweetheart on a lonely sojourn. If only you could be here with me…
She : Don’t worry dear , we’ll soon be together and we have a lifetime to be together…and I’m sooo excited.. Oh!! This winter we’ll be together!!! (As they are getting married in the fall this year)


The above conversation is between a young IT employee and his fiancée who are planning to get married this winter. While he is away on a foreign land for work assignment , his fiancée is here in India. They say that the sweetest moments of their lives have been ruined by this Co. that required one of them to travel abroad. But… I think the other way round. Of course it would definitely have been better had they been together… but isn’t the other way also good. The way they are missing each other , the way they are yearning for each other is only slowly blossoming their love.. love that will carry them a long way through the institution of marriage.. love that will fill their hearts and souls with a bonding to last forever..emotional bonding..which is the base of any relationship. Yes, they are apart..but isn’t this also true that
“ Distance makes the heart grow fonder " … This makes me ponder ..what will I do if caught in a similar situation . Hmmm…While it will be really sad to be so far apart but how can one be far apart if he/she is right there in your heart. So , I think I’ll make the best use of telecom and technology to stay connected and simply wait for the day he would be back to India. I’ll wear my Best dress , get a bunch of beautiful flowers and drive to the International Airport a good 5 hours in advance  to greet him !(As I would be so excited that instead of waiting at home for the correct time , I would rather wait at the airport!!  

Commonwealth Games 2010 - A National Shame ?

Only a few weeks left for the much awaited Commonwealth games, which was supposed to be a matter of National pride, but sadly it has been reduced to nothing but a matter of National shame and International ridicule in full media glare.
Crores of money being siphoned off to some UK firm , shows that how the Indian bureaucracy is also hand in glove with all the corrupt people out there looking for their share of pie. It’s all a big chain where everybody in the league – from top to bottom is somehow gaining from the CWG 2010 .
60 days left , and I don’t think Delhi is ready to welcome it’s guests . The traffic is pathetic all over Delhi and the expected footfall of thousands of guests is only going to add to the worse situation. Although , it feels good when I go out in the city and see the new Metro tracks being laid and work being carried out in full speed , I felt particularly sad when yesterday in a news channel , I saw the plight of the workers and labourers involved in beautifying our city and making our city ready for the Commonwealth games.
With the D-day arriving and pressure building in , the workers are made to toil more and work in inhuman conditions. I doubt if right in the heart of our city and in the capital of our country , proper Labour Laws are being followed , if they are being paid the correct wages and what precautions are being taken as the sites where construction work is being carried out are often very dangerous and risk prone. Already 40 workers have been reportedly killed in mishap . Will India host the Commonwealth games out of hard work and toil including blood and life of it’s poor ? Most of the labourers toiling day and night have been employed by private contractors and are not even registered. As a citizen of India , I feel there should be a proper account of each and every person who is contributing on his/her part to make the Games possible .Proper and correct registration of all the workers involved and correct wages paid to them , so that next time when I travel on the newly laid Metro line or any new flyover in Delhi , my heart would know the labourer who made it possible and that he/she was given correct remuneration for his/her work rendered.

Traffic blues !!!

I had a really harrowing experience Wednesday evening while going to Gurgaon from Noida in the evening. Used to a comfortable life and minimal travelling to and fro office , yesterday , I came to know and understand the agony and discomfort of people who travel a distance to reach their office especially people who travel from Gurgaon to Noida or vice versa. I believe myself and suggest everybody who cares / does not care to listen to me – Please stay in a locality that is NEAR to your workplace. It will not only save time , but will also keep your mind and body relaxed.
And so it happened that I was supposed to attend a day long training in my Noida office and in the evening I had to return back to Gurgaon. We started well in time at 6 PM by our office bus , but as we reached the Expressway , we could see that something was wrong . The entire view of the expressway was worth seeing , with cars all lined up till your eye could see. And from then and there , the agony began , our bus only inching forward.They say that when bad time comes , it comes with all fury . So, after sometime we reached the Moolchand flyover and as we were watching the traffic all gone Hayward and a long queue of vehicles all around , our bus suddenly stopped right there in the middle of the flyover!!! We were informed that the bus has broken down and there is no way it can move ahead. Soon , I found myself WALKING !! on the Moolchand flyover in the middle of inching and honking cars during Peak traffic hours. In weirdest of my dreams , I had never dreamt that…I don’t even know how much I walked with a heavy laptop bag. After sometime , we managed to get a cab in which I unfortunately got a seat in the back. It was hot , it was humid , the back seat’s windows could not be opened , probably there was no AC/ or was not switched on . I felt like I would die with suffocation or anoxia. I was getting dizzy as I was sitting at right angles to the direction in which the car was moving.( Not used to that either!! ) From here we had to goto Dhaula Kuan but we came to know that the traffic at Dhaula Kuan was on a standstill since the last 2 hours. Plan was changed..there was no way out .So, it was decided to reach the nearest Metro station .At least we would not find a traffic jam at Metro. So, we had to reach the newly opened Mehrauli metro which we reached after 1.5 hours of which every minute that I spent was an agony with a Capital ‘A’ , add to it the nonsense playing on FM . The moment , we reached the metro station , I jumped out of the car , and breathed a good volume of oxygen into my lungs. Finally , when I found myself alive and okay , we started from there . It was midnight by the time that I managed to reach home. I had never experienced such a thing in the 2 years that I have been staying in Delhi , leave 2 years, I had never experienced such a thing in my entire lifetime .
One thing that I learnt – stay as close as possible to your workplace , so that you don’t have to travel on roads where you can get stuck and secondly , I’ll think twice now ,before confirming to attend some training which requires me to travel 40-50 kms !!!
And … as I write this …water is again dripping from my AC!!! The stupid person who came to install the AC last year did not drill the wall for the outlet pipe. Now, the water drips from the AC inside the room right near me !!! And nobody should laugh , when I tell you that I have kept utencils of various shapes and sizes to collect the water that drips like a bucket , a mug , a tumbler , and a serving dish !!!! I have made so many phone calls to the AC wala bhaiya, to the Society’s Sharma bhaiya but nobody has come until now. Sometime back , I went to the society’s office and wrote a compalint in the register. But , of course ..everything will happen the Indian way…till then I’ll continue collecting water in buckets and utencils!!!!

A new Era

I woke up today morning to find an extremely pleasant weather outside my window.Though not an early riser especially on Sunday’s , still I could not put myself back to sleep again. This weather is such a rarity in this latitude and longitude that I crave for it all the time , myself having spent most of my time in a latitude and longitude that witnesses a good 2 months of monsoon and incessant rains. I just love the greenery all around , the trees , grass and houses all bathed in fresh rain !!!
Anyway , let me not get carried away with this beautiful weather , the post is about something else that I wanted to share.It’s about my maid . Our earlier maid – Mumtaz or we fondly call her ‘Momo’ is on leave for 2 months .Sadly, she has had a mild paralytic attack , so she is on bed rest. There began a search for a new maid as one day without Momo was enough to realize and appreciate her worth and importance. We , got a new one… a shy , coy ,barely 21-22 years old. Her name is ‘Meher’ and she has a 6 months old daughter.I came to know something very surprising yesterday. My maid has a “Maid” !!!!! Yes !!!! Meher has kept a help who comes to look after her little daughter while she is away for work !!! and how ignorant I was…I used to think only the Urban working class keep nannies / help for their babies .Wowww.. I’m really amazed and happy to see this progression in society. Meher pays Rs.1000 to the maid who looks after her baby out of a total Rs 7000 that she earns per month !!!

The first Monsoon showers..

My collegue in office called me to say that she is taking the day off today. I was just getting ready in the morning to go to my office but call it a chain reaction or whatever , I suddenly felt like not going myself. So , I took the ‘Work from home ‘ option today.There was no work today , I actually enjoyed the whole day talking on phone , watching TV and having lunch.Sometime , in the evening , I got a call from my office that there was some issue and so I needed to be there for sometime .I walked to my office , my office being a stone’s throw away from my apartment.The weather was surprisingly cool and nice. It was actually starting to get windy and I could feel that it was going to rain.I reached office and turned on my laptop to begin my work .I have a window facing seat which gives a clear view of the outside if the curtains are not drawn. I drew the curtains apart , so that I could see the dark clouds outside.And…then… it rained  . It rained heavily . Wow… I went downstairs with one of my friends in the open lobby .There were many people like us trying to get absorbed in the beauty of the first monsoon showers.Almost everybody was looking happy and busy in their chit-chats. We went to the office cafeteria.Today they were serving hot samosas !!! We also ordered samosas and enjoyed our evening.

दादीमा

छोटी सी प्यारी सी अच्छी सी
दादीमा
सबका जो ध्यान रखे ऐसी है वो
दादीमा
छप्पन भोग बनाये ऐसी है वो
दादीमा
बच्चों के सिर में तेल लगाये
ऐसी है वो दादीमा
मेरे बालों में चोटी बनाये
ऐसी है वो दादीमा
क्यूँ चुप हो गयी हो अब
बोलो न कुछ दादीमा
मैं आई हूँ तुम्हारे पास
मुझे टोफ्फी क्यूँ नहीं देती दादीमा
आँखें तो खोली थी तुमने
तब मुझे क्या देखी थी तुम दादीमा
भगवान के घर चली गयी
और इस घर में हमें छोड़ गयी
क्या अब भी इस घर में
हमको तुम देखने आती हो दादीमा
हर पल तुम्हारा एहसास है
लगता है तू यहीं कहीं पास है
उसी बिस्तर पे खिड़की के पास
जैसे मुझे पुकार रही हो
मेरे बालों में चोटी बनाने के लिए...दादीमा

पूनम का चाँद

आँखें जो देख रही थीं
दूर कहीं वीराने में
अचानक ही पलकें मिलते ही
अश्रुओं से सराबोर हो उठीं

ठिठक के बैठ गयी तब गोरी
दामन जब भीग नमकीन हो गया
वफ़ा के तराजू पर जब प्रेम को तौली
साजन का पलड़ा हल्का पड़ गया

कह के गया था साजन उसका
वो लौट के वापस आयेगा
वो आँखें बिछाये बैठी थी
किसी दिन तो चाँद आएगा

आये तो बस गर्म लू के थपेड़े
आयीं तो बस आंधी वर्षा
और फिर आयीं बर्फीली हवाएं
वो आँखें बिछाये बैठी थी
पूनम का चाँद तो आयेगा

Strange happenings

The same ring that the old lady who came to our house today admired , I lost it today in office :( What is happening? It's my Mom's gift. i have looked all around in my office..cannot find anywhere.. :(

Unexpected Guest

I met a 75 year old (or rather young) lady today. She and her Husband had come to visit my Landlady. They were old time friends when both their husbands were in Defence services. They were meeting each other after 45 years….!!! I was really amazed and really happy to see the connect that they all still had with each other.The lady , let me call her Dadima..coz she told me that she has a grand-daughter of my age.So, this Dadima had such an astonishing personality that awed me.She was smart, she was intelligent , she was well-read , she was well-informed and she was so fluent with her English and her pronunciation so accurate. And she was so aware of the latest fashion and trends – she took my hand into hers and looked at my nailpaint and remarked that they were a very nice shade.She complimented me that I had long beautiful fingers and she even admired the ring that I wore in my finger.She told me that she had been trying to find such a ring to gift to her grand daughter. Dadima had come from Cuttuck, Orissa and she told me about all the political situation of Orissa , Jharkhand …about the illegal mines and all.She even told me about the latest murder mystery in Koderma area near Ranchi about some girl named Niirupama. I was unaware of this news although I belong to Ranchi , maybe I’m not following the news channels since a few days. But , dadima was better aware of the world and happenings than me . She despised the unnatural and untimely death of a 22 year old girl and said that she herself is a Brahmin and doesn’t believe in casteism and things like that. She said she felt sorry for the boy who was lamenting on the national TV that she had promised him that she would convince her family and that when she would return , everything would be fine.Dadima, was dressed smartly in a crisp sari nicely pleated , a tight bun which made clear her face and a big red round bindi . She looked very smart , I must confess.She asked me about my work , my future plans and all. She was very loving.I had to leave for office , as I was already late , so I couldn’t talk much to her.But whatever interaction , I had with her , I liked it. Sometimes , totally unknown people can appeal to you so much . I liked everything about her , her presence itself propagated positive vibes all around . Instantly , I felt some positive energy all around.
I’m really glad, I met this lady today.

Intuition

Intuition--Is it something real?Is there a logic behind it.Why do we get intuitions ?I know it is something related to psychoanalysis, wherein certain things that are destined to happen to us give us an early sign by some way or the other.I don’t know about many people personally who get intuitions , but I sometimes get intuitions and they prove to be correct eventually.

I got up today morning and automatically picked up the phone lying next to me still in daze. It’s my habit every morning when I get up to call either my mom or dad.Earlier when I was a kid and used to be at home , when I got up in the morning ,I used to get up and automatically walk up to wherever my dad was. He would then hug me for sometime or if he would be reading his morning newspaper he would allow me to sleep for a little while more in his lap until he finished his newspaper, after which I would be sent to brush my teeth.Now that I don’t have my dad to hug when I get up every morning since we stay in different cities, I have become dependent on my mobile to get access to him n my mom. Some great man he was indeed...who invented the telephone !!!! It eliminates the distances and strengthens the bonds.And so , since I moved on to a different city, I call them every morning in the attempt that they will pull me out of my slumber and every morning this is what they do and tell me to go and brush my teeth !!!Everything still remains the same , physical distances apart.

Actually since a few days , I am getting some intuition kind of feeling , which I fail to understand. I don’t know something good is going to happen or something bad is going to happen or… nothing is going to happen…but there must be something.I had called dad this morning to tell him about it.But when he picked up his mobile, he told me – “ I’m in a conference, we’ll talk later”!!! Ohhh…my God… Who goes for a Conference on Sunday 11 AM ? Well..apparantly my dad does. Till date , I don’t know exactly what he does, but I know that he is involved in negotiations , tenders, bids and deals for his organization.Phew… whatever..looks big things to me and I sometimes fantize if someday I could go and win a billion dollar deal for my esteemed organization!!
Well , because I couldn’t speak to him , I now called my mom who was busy with her maid at this time of the day.Mom’s tape recorder is the same everyday. You got up ?? So late?What will u eat ? Has your cook come ? What has she cooked? Did you soak the almonds.I know u didn’t .Why don’t you do , It’s so easy .I do a thousand things and you cannot even soak a few almonds!!!! Phew…again.

Well all that apart, I now told my mom about my intuition and my feelings .She asked me –Are your eyes also fluttering. Left one or right one .Some old wives tale it is ,I have heard.Well , I told her everything and confided in her and she being my mother consoled me and told me not to worry and that everything will be fine. That reminds me of the “Aaall is Well” of 3 idiots   It is such a good way to console oneself.i’ll search more on google about intuitions ..where do they arise from , what is their source and are they for real. Well , what I am feeling is not clear,what is going to happen .Is it going to happen to me or to someone else related to me …. But I feel restless and clueless.
Only time can tell me what is in store for me and what were these intuitions about.till then I’ll perhaps rather wait..  


When the going gets tough
Smile 
When times are difficult
Smile 
When nothing seems to be clear
Smile 
When the darkest of nights is there
Smile 
Coz the morning is not far away
Coz every question has an answer
Coz God stores his best of surprises
When they are least expected by us.