Of Trees and Beaches

The Green Heritage Walk was not something that struck me out of the blue. I was chatting with a dear friend of mine and she came up with this idea. Though I had been to Lalbagh before and the only things that amused me were the Snow White clock and shrubs trimmed into weird shapes, I didn't think twice. The walk helped me appreciate the objects most ignored in this botanical garden, which are actually those for which it was created and meant to be valued- trees. I'm glad I missed my regular hours of sleep that day to visit Lalbagh. We have become so nocturnal that we do not remember how it feels to stretch our arms and embrace the first rays of the sun, to inhale the crisp morning air and listen to the radio, to enjoy the chirping of birds, which is one of the most beautiful forms of music gifted to us by Mother Nature herself. I am not a History or Botany enthusiast but it was truly delightful to know about the varieties of trees brought to this garden from all parts of India and the world, about the tower erected by one of the founders of Bangalore which was among the four cardinal towers used to mark its boundary in the 16th century (of course Bangalore has stretched far beyond!), and about the Lalbagh rock which is over 3000 million years old and one of the oldest rock formations on earth. To top it all, we had yummy chikkis for snacks and mouth-watering breakfast at MTR, which is the inventor of the rava idli. It was the perfect finish for a perfect walk and one of my most cherished moments in this city.

About 300 km south-east of Bangalore lies a quiet little town contrasting the hustle and bustle of the metropolitan I live in. The Puducherry trip has been one of the best instinctive decisions I’ve taken! The highlight of the trip was our newly-found (or should I say ‘hired’) friend, our two-wheeler. Be it the cool and shady roads to Auroville or the narrow and pot-holed town streets (which entertain more than just motor vehicles), she remained faithful till the end of the trip and only did help triple the fun! Too bad we had no choice but to bid her farewell. Anyway, let’s not remember the sad part. Entering Auroville was like entering an aura of tranquility. Everything in this township has a touch of simplicity combined with beauty so unique that it still lingers on in my mind. A piece of Auroville survives inside Puducherry itself in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Each church in Puducherry is distinct from the other and yet equally marvelous a piece of architecture. So is each temple. And what do I say about the beaches? It’s always amazing to spend time on the beach, isn’t it? Well, we had more than just one beach to visit! Need I tell more? After the beaches, it was worth riding all the way to the Boat House just for a speed-boat ride around Chunnambar. And once we were done with the regular tourist activities, our spirits were all the more lifted to indulge in our favorite pastime on Nehru Street – shopping of course! The trip did leave us exhausted, but every bit of it was worth the energy spent.

As of today, all I can do is hope to push aside my lethargy and just go for another trip, simply to lose myself in the beauty of nature and probably take a few gasps of unpolluted air. Anybody game to accompany me?

A Tale of 3 Cities

I have been musing on this topic for too long and I think it’s high time I give my lazy brains some exercise. I’m sitting on my bed on the eve of Diwali with nothing to do. This is the fourth time God has decided to keep me away from the festive mood as my friends are busy bursting crackers with their family members. I lit a few diyas inside my house and stood on my 8^th floor balcony for a couple of minutes to look at the celebrations and smile, reminiscing my childhood days of burning sparklers and flower pots in Aizawl with my parents, brother and neighbors who would join us in spite of the fact that it wasn't their festival. I guess the true spirit of secularism is seen only when you live among people who do not speak your mother tongue and do not have the same religious and cultural practices as you do. It allows you to appreciate the beauty in diversity and gives you the feeling of belongingness to every state and religion in your country and maybe even the world. I remember spending my last Diwali in Atlanta, which turned out pretty good for me. You wouldn't miss Thanksgiving in India, would you? It doesn't really matter when you do not have to try to amuse yourself with music, movies and internet while others around you are having a great time and not with you!

It’s not really that bad you know. I never realized that coming to this city would actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Pune to Bangalore looked like a distant possibility three months back. Probably, my last month in Pune presented itself with nothing different, but it turned out to be really special because that was when I realized what this city meant to me. I was too busy complaining about everything around me to notice that the place had actually become my home. This is where I took the first steps of my independence and seized control of my own life. My first job was here. I owned my first vehicle here. I remember reading my blog “Outside The Blue Window” where I expressed my desire to get a two-wheeler and I actually made that happen! I cannot forget those trips to all the beautiful places surrounding Pune- Sinhagad, Lonavala, Khandala, Mahabaleshwar, Mulshi, Raigad and Torna. Nor can I forget the numerous visits to HRC, 1000 Oaks (\m/), The Hidden Place, Big Wheels Cafe and SWG. These are much more than just pubs and bars to me. Learning to appreciate different genres of music helped me connect with many people and make new friends, be it just for the sake of sharing songs or simply chatting. My team-mates and group of office friends in Pune made work a place worth looking forward to. And outside work, there was one person who never refused to drive me to any place, my favorite of those being Sus Road, where I’d find the peace and quiet to revive myself for the rest of the week. The day I had to say my final goodbye to Pune, I didn't want to leave. After being dropped home from my farewell party, I wished that time would actually stand still. I know it’s nothing new I’m saying or rather nothing which hasn't been said before, but sometimes you just end up wanting things in spite of knowing you can never get them.

My next stop was the Lushai Hills of course! I managed to steal a day from my parents’ busy schedule to take a tour of one of the most beautiful places in the city. It was KV Paradise, a lovely white monument constructed by a man in honor of his wife who had passed away in a car accident. People there sometimes call it Sang Mahal (Sang in Mizo means “high” or “tall”) after our very own Taj Mahal. Of course you can guess why. We were lucky to have had the perfect weather to visit this place- thick clouds with light drizzles. On our way back home, we stopped near a waterfall to wash our car. Only after we were done with it did we notice a signboard saying that washing cars there wasn't allowed. But that just made it more fun! However Aizawl wasn't just hills and scenery for me this time. Every time I visit home, I go with a resolution to make myself useful but I end up lazing around. It was different this time. I was involved in every possible task, right from working on my aunt’s thesis to assisting my parents in their college related work and doing all kinds of household chores to cooking meals for everyone. My mother actually asked me to stop working. She said she’d miss me more if I helped her. It is one of the most precious things I've heard her say to me.

_­­­Bangalore wasn't a very welcome change for me, especially because I was thrown from the comforts of home to a place where I’d have to start my life from scratch. ­­­­I wasn't very sure about leaving Pune either, and all these thoughts kept coming in the way of the excitement which is usually associated with something new. The acceptance came slowly and steadily, but I finally managed to make this place home too. After all the efforts spent in searching for a house and flat-mates, setting up my room, getting my two-wheeler back in form, driving it to work, learning the bus routes to several places and doing most of this on my own, a bond had to develop. But there was something I needed to have all these done, and that was time. This was given to me by my new job just so that I’d settle down. Also, I couldn't have done this without my old friends who were always available to pacify me when I was disturbed, in spite of not being physically present in Bangalore. When I look at my life today, I do not find myself alone in spite of not going out too often. I and my flat-mates cook for each other. We have a cute little goldfish and take turns in feeding it. We discuss diet regimes and eat a lot of popcorn. We try our hands at making crafts with colored paper to decorate the house. I have a list of the things I'm planning to buy to accessorize our flat. I get a smile and sometimes even a small conversation from the security guards who know me by now because of all my house-hunting. And of course, I still have all my friends in and outside Bangalore to give me company even if it is just an SMS, a ping on my messenger window or a phone call. I have the Idiot Box and F.R.I.E.N.D.S. to make me smile when I feel low. I have music which remains with me in the best and worst of times. I have rekindled my friendship with some people and made some new friends to engage in retail therapy whenever time permits. I guess I can’t start naming places as I did when I was talking about Pune, but I’m sure I will have a list of my favorite spots in Bangalore too in a couple of months.

In the midst of all this, I realized that I’m not as bad in dealing with change as I thought I was. Being alone in Diwali doesn't sound gloomy anymore, does it?

COCOON

The eyes of a new born child stare

At a world so fresh, at the alien skies;

Every touch tickles, every sound stirs,

Every taste bitter, every color blinding.

As the gaze clears, as the fog lifts its veil,

Shackles release, bitter tastes sweeten;

Thorns blunted and broken with time,

And winding paths are dizzy no more.

Dew drops sparkle, clean and pure,

Sunlight bathes the universe in yellow;

Birds, flowers, trees, streams

Rejoice and dance in gleeful harmony.

Storms arrive, rocking sandy shores

And leave the same to make way

For another morning, another day,

Another phial of joys and woes.

Tidings of a land untrodden

Touch those ears unwilling to hear,

Move those feet unwilling to yield-

Yet another journey destined to begin.

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

Kapil,Chakri,Raak,Vig,Kau,Vis,Sandeep,Esha,Asawari,Abhishek...This one's for you!

When we were asked to introduce ourselves, I tried my level best to remember all the names. I have never been good at first times, be it names, routes or anything academic. I didn’t know if I was the only one scared to death that I had been put in a concentration camp. I, a person who hates Computer Science (being a Computer Science graduate, that doesn’t help much!) was imagining myself spending days and nights in office and coding. Oh no!

That was the first of July, 2008. Has it been 3 years already? All those excuses we looked for just to get away from work gave me friends who are one of the dearest I have had till date.

We were still divided into small groups of college buddies, not quite open to behaving like a group. The first "bonding factor" was the Theme Day when we decided to dress up as a picnic troupe. The ones who forgot the dress code just rolled up their sleeves and folded their trousers. Not really a "picnic-y" look for those who wore formals, but nevertheless, we took lots of pictures. Then came the Resort trip, which was the first and the last we've had as far as my stay here goes. That was fun too; we had games, dance floor, some kind of waterfall and nice pieces of entertainment now and then. More pictures for the new joinees!

When it came to work, it was far from fun. All those lengthy classroom sessions, practice sessions, assignments, grading, the fear of being in the "Red Zone" etc. just ate up 2 months of training. By this time, I did manage to know everyone's names as we were made to do few assignments in groups, though all of them weren't exactly helping me make friends. Reason? Don't ask! Anyway, that's history now. We did come close as a group, thanks to good old Skype. I don’t know what I would have done without that orange window blinking on my taskbar, whether it was to discuss some random topic, complain about work, pull someone’s leg or plan a trip, treat or birthday celebration.

We had just two trips out of which the first one supposed to be a rainy day hill station spree turned out to be more of basking in the scorching summer sun and clicking lots of snaps (again!) to show our Orkut friends how much ‘fun’ we had! We did get a few nice ones though (the Roadies one!). We had to console ourselves by playing dumb charades in the car and yes, how can I forget the lame scary house in that amusement centre? The second trip came up much later and it was- well I’d say ‘better’ is an understatement even without comparing it to the first one.

I remember our first ‘surprise’ birthday celebration. Of course, the surprise was spoilt just minutes before getting the cake, which is why we decided we wouldn’t give the next guy a chance to even guess we were celebrating his birthday. We did it on the eve of his birthday and dragged him to give us a treat. Even with the rising prices, the birthday treat budget per person has been 3000 INR since then. As it is for any group event, there were difficulties getting all the people to be present. I can't help but smile when I recall the concept of dependencies (E.g. X wouldn’t come if Y wasn’t coming) being related to RDS (Rate Determining Step in Chemistry). We had RDS-1, RDS-2 and an independent reaction too. Even with all these hurdles, we’d usually manage a 90-95% attendance with a venue matching the choice of almost everyone. I so looked forward to these treats. There’s no other way to say that I’ll really miss them! As for my birthdays, I had the most memorable ones in the last 3 years. I can’t thank my friends enough for making them so special. And of course, how can I forget to mention our coffee sessions?!! I never loved coffee till I had these 30 minutes of cribbing, arguments, leg pulling, wrong goals and peace treaties made and broken.

All these moments were taken for granted till I realized how much they helped me survive critical phases in my life. I never had a gang of friends in college. I wonder how much better it’d have been if I had such a group, or would I really have found such people there?

Skype has been blocked now. With the number of farewell treats taking over birthday treats and the participants reducing at the coffee table, I opened my Spark Chat Window today. It has three groups- Friends, Team and Work. I deleted yet another name from the first group. There’s just one left now. I’ll have to delete that too after a month. I might as well delete the entire group.

Random

The last day of the first month of 2011 starts and the thought for today is-

"There is no such thing as loving or believing too much."

I don't know which dignitary said this. I choose to believe in the words said by the simplest yet extraordinary people I have met-

"If you don't love yourself, don't expect anyone else to love you"

"True love comes to you when you are running away from it the most"

"Don't expect"

"Be spontaneous; don't plan!"

"I think you've forgotten something today- your smile!"

Some might be food for thought in spite of sounding so simple, and the others are simple yet we take so much time to actually implement them.

It has been really long since I wrote something. Laziness would be one of the reasons and I can't think of another! I don't have any specific topic in mind today. I just want to keep writing. Let me listen to one of the above sayings and "be spontaneous".

I was planning to jot down something about my experiences in Atlanta, but I never did it. It's been a month and a half since I returned, and if I look back I can say I've never had a more stable life. When I say stable, I wouldn't rephrase it as "boring". I've never met friendlier people till today. I didn't have the slightest hint of the fact that I would feel so comfortable in spite of not having anyone from my own country around me. One part of me was counting days to return to India, but now- honestly, I miss that life at times. I miss cooking and being complimented for my dishes (I had no competition!). I loved the time I spent in the kitchen, right from deciding what to cook till tasting the dish and passing my own judgement. I miss the small talks we had in office discussing just about anything. I miss the small angel who used to call out my name in the cutest manner possible. And more than anything, I miss my dear friend who took care of me like I was her own sister.

Lots of sentimental stuff eh? Well, some things just can't be sorted out with the mind alone, though I can't really afford to use my heart too much these days! At least that's what I'm telling myself! The air around me has been too chaotic since I set foot in India. I would complain about it, but I don't think that's of any use. I finally managed to settle down in my new room. It looks spacious and I like it. There's peace and quiet. Sometimes its too quiet but that's okay I guess. Life has its own stretches and squeezes. The ride wouldn't be fun if everything was uniformly distributed. Good way of convincing myself? Maybe!

Sorry, but I feel like switching to another random topic. I'm reading Anne Frank's Diary Of A Young Girl. The language is simple. There's no story as such, but I still enjoy it. It portrays so much about how many different shades the human mind has. On some level, each one of us would be able to connect to it. The sole purpose of the Franks to withstand the suffocation of such close boundaries for 2 years was to wait for the day when they would be able to walk around without fearing that their identity would lead to the cruelest form of death. Amidst the frustrations arising from staying in confinement, there was one thing which kept them going- hope. But destiny had something else planned. My curious mind got the better of me and I couldn't help researching on what happened to Anne and her family after being arrested by the Nazis. The result- I had to give reading a pause. I thought I wouldn't be able to go further with the book, but just like every other bitter pill to chew, the effect wore off as I convinced myself to continue.

Remember how I started this piece of blog? 10 more minutes and the next month starts. I guess I'm obliged to end this now. The sole purpose of writing this was to place a slice of my thoughts in a place which I could later access and read, maybe introspect. I heard that everyone's sun signs are changing from this year because astronomers have discovered the 13th star. Never mind, I'm still a cusp!

The thought for today is-

"Take this day to live out a dream. Imagine, Create, Believe."

Hmm...