The Walking Dead.......... They are Coming!!!

“Either they come for us or we go for them.......one way or the other. If we need to survive, they need to die.”

We started watching the “The Walking Dead” series a couple of years back and I have been hooked to it since then. It’s not wrong to think what if, how do we know what’s gonna happen to our civilization in the coming years. As the cities are expanding and bursting with people everywhere in the world. I think nature will truly take care of this one way or the other to maintain a balance.

There is something original about this series and the story line is epic because you can not predict what will happen next. It is not about living, it’s all about survival. It is about the transformations one goes through his/her life to survive. Are we less than any animal when it comes to survival? I don’t think so; we may call ourselves a social animal. But when it comes to survival we kill the predators or our own just to make sure we are safe. It’s amazing what a person can do when it comes to his survival. I guess like all other animals we have the same strong survival instincts. After all it is all about living.

Obviously it is very hard to let go of your loved ones, but how long will you weep and mourn. Suck it up and rub some dirt on it, because life isn’t fair. You are lucky to be alive, but if you want to live you need to know how to survive. I am always sitting at the edge of my seat, jumping and getting worried as the zombies march towards them. The whole series is a nerve wreck and a chill runs down my spine when someone gets in to trouble.

I am so addicted to this series that wherever I go, I would look for exits and think what will I do if there is a zombie attack. Be it a shopping mall, my apartment, office, movie theatre or a late night drive back home. And living in a metropolitan city does not help at all because there are always so many people around and it would be so difficult to get away.

My weirdest of thoughts have been that Indian zombies would look so UNCOOL. Imagine, we will have Sardar Zombies in North India and excessive gold clad zombies draped in sarees in the South. How gross is that gonna look? So my feeling is that we should never have a zombie attack as we will definitely make the ugliest of zombies. I guess I had let my imagination run too wild for a while.

I would trouble Vivek all the time with my analysis, over analysis and predictions of the series. But sad for me, he would not participate and rather say don’t think too much you will know in the new episode “IT’S JUST A SERIES”. What do you mean?  It’s just a series, at times I feel like I am part of that group. I have been there in good and bad times, have cried over their losses, and slept with one eye open to make sure they are safe.

To be honest, it is very well done narrative that I have seen till date. The story engages you, you relate to all the characters, obvious you love some and hate some. My personal favorite is Daryl – not only for his good looks and cross bow, but his hunting skills. He is exactly the kind of guy you want to be on your side. Followed by Michome, I so love her Katana (Japanese sword), attitude and that she isn’t afraid to kick anyone’s ass. And obviously the iconic Carol, it is by far the most impressive character transformation I have ever read or seen in a fiction. It is just unbelievable that in Season 1 - she was so weak and meek that she never raised her voice even when she had an abusive husband. And now she is the one who secretly kills two members of the group and burns them to prevent the disease from spreading, and then when left abandoned she tries to save the whole group by blowing off Terminus or how she tricks the wolves. We always tend to ignore the inner strengths we all have till they reach a limit and then boom. It surely is commendable to see how circumstances can change you or shape you for the better or the worse.

The makers of the series have done a wonderful job. From the characters, sets, zombies everything looks so real and believable.  The story is unpredictable and anything can happen, because if the living do not pay attention, the dead will come for them. So many lives lost: Dayle, Hershel, Andrea, Tyresse, Beth, Naoh and many more but I miss them for sure, as one way or the other they had a significant role in survival of the rest

I always wait eagerly for the new season or the next episode of Walking Dead. There are going to be so many things to deal with in the new episodes to come escape from zombiethon, wolf, Carol/Morgan spat, and obvious Negan………. I am so excited. Hoping the new episodes are going to blow your mind like the others and may we have strength to bear the pain of losing someone we love dearly. Let the adventure begin!

Changing Courses: Transition from a working professional to a home maker...........

A new city, a new life and a new me. We have moved to another city leaving the maddening rush and life of the great city Mumbai. This city never sleeps, the clock is always ticking and people are always running. The people here always seem to be worried, their day begins with worrying whether the maids will come on time, whether they will get late to work, whether the boss will be in a good mood, whether there will be any mess ups at work and so on. Its just like a constant noise in your ears and head of getting things done. Everyday felt like a challenge, getting the regular chores done at home and at work. But with all that misery, you thankfully have the saving grace of your friends/family that help you survive one more day in this city. You might not have time to talk or meet friends but you know the are just a phone call away. Its just so comforting to keep your daily worries aside for a while and just have a cup of coffee with them. Remembering those crazy days, whether its shopping, eating, drinking or just gossiping in the middle of the night as if the world is going to end, it really has therapeutic benefits.

It is just natural to want to take a break and sit at home and do nothing when you are working, even one day off would make you feel rejuvenated. I never thought having two maids in Mumbai made my life easy, it was always a challenge to get things done (or as most of my friends would say “getting things done my way”). For some reason maids have the poorest of memory when it comes to their job and at the same time a memory of an elephant when it comes to getting paid on time. I wished I could do all these things myself, without getting my BP high, mood sour and a sulky day with all the mess my maid would do or not do. I would be amazed to see how conveniently she would do one part of her job and cleverly leave the next part to be done later (obviously by me). For example, cook lunch and leave the packing to me, obviously I am the 'woman of the house'.

Working had its merits and demerits. Sometimes fun with colleagues that became friends for life, sometimes exhausting with work and discussions, and sometimes crazy managing people/boss. Working late sometimes felt so foolish to me specially when you see your work finding its place in the dustbin because the project got over. But it was still good to go to work, stumble upon something new and interesting., those unending discussions and long meetings when you would like to just walk out. Bonding with colleagues over common interests whether it was geek-y or freaky, I loved it all. That feeling when you pay-check comes at the end of the month and you start planning where to party next, made it so worth all the 'love-hate' salary-increment discussions.

But we both were just working and complaining everyday, what if this and what if that? We had our pro-con list, but we both agreed “if we don't take a risk now, we might never take a risk”. So one fine day, we decided to quit our jobs and leave the city of dreams to a new place with a new opportunity. I have never been without a job for a long time and the idea to sit and breathe for a while to ponder over what next looked very interesting. Leaving the city of dreams wasn't that difficult for me as it was leaving Pune. Mumbai is fun in its own way, we would surely miss the wonderful days with friends, plays in NCPA and those long rides with the fear of a “mama (traffic police)” catching us for something or the other. Mumbai, definitely felt like our home, except the weather I had no complains. But moving to a new city brings in its own challenges, and makes you wonder was it really necessary???

Life has surely come to a stand still. This life surely feels good for a while...... I can't believe it's been just a couple months and I have already crossed a couple of things off my bucket-list. I am singing in the shower again, can't believe I don have to take quick 5 minute showers anymore. I can go on as long as I want. Finally, I am getting time to do things I always wanted but couldn't do as there was never time. I am back to my fitness regime with a twist. I started with learning Ancient Chinese martial arts known as Tai-chi, along with other common forms of body combat and yoga. These days I spend 2-3 hours everyday at the fitness centre and my mind feels agile to do something new,other than just staring at the computer screen and wondering if the boss is in a good mood today.

Setting up the home is definitely not my favourite activity, but this is my third in the last 3 years of marriage. And believe me I'm tired, tired of leaving good memories behind, leaving/giving away things to people that you have carefully bought and has a sweet story from where we got it. But my dear Vivek says a good memory lives with you forever in your mind and thankfully does not take much space in your closet. Obviously we agree to disagree sometimes, I really feel bad of giving away things and then buying the same stuff again and again, it is tiring physically, mentally and emotionally.

I have more time to talk to my family and friends and not have those 2 minute calls with them saying I will call back and will definitely get caught in a meeting or something and forget eventually. I have started to learn something about my Kashmiri roots . To begin with I have started understanding about Kashmir Shaivism and revisiting the vast literature and knowledge bank by the holy saints of Kashmir like Lal Ded. Thanks to Dad, I can get my doubts cleared right away. It's wonderful how much there is to learn in the world, but we are forced to just follow the crowd. Such a pity........

Another aspect that I love these days is cooking maid free. I am surely cooking my heart out, trying at least 2 new dishes every week. Our favourite being Thai soups/curries, salmon and various chicken varieties. And salads is Vivek's forte. It fun to cook a new dish, out-doing yourself and improving with every new dish.

Its a new transition but feel good for a while, then the feeling of being “no-one” sinks in. As being a home maker is no designation that you are familiar with. I mean no offence to all the home makers, but It does not look interesting on a business card that once said “Senior Research Scientist”. I'm standing on the crossroads of my life and sometimes I wonder, what is it that I should do next. It surely is very tough when you stay at home after being a part of the rat race for so long. There are times when I feel lost, direction-less and nothing less than a furniture in the house. May be because sometimes the job of being at home gets tough, and doing so many thankless jobs at home does not help this feeling. Those degrees you have from reputed institutes seem to mock you and you find no solace. This transition is not easy but it needs to be dealt with love, care and support from your spouse and family.

If any of you/your friends are planning to take a break please enjoy your time. Do things you always wanted, challenge yourself to do new things, be a better person, smile more and my personal favorite “love and pamper yourself” (because you are awesome). Nothing makes your family happy than to see you smiling....No matter how crazy the work schedule was or how insensitive people you worked with were, I still miss working. Those long unending discussions in the meeting rooms, last minute presentations, lunch gossips, tea/coffee breaks, discussions in the ladies restroom, and so many fun things you do as a team. The way it would challenge me to do something new, opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds and those lovely cultural discussions. Its so rightly said, everything comes at a price good or bad is your take. Even if I have always hated the politics, gossips, and negative people at work, but I also loved many other things that I have learned dealing with people at work.

If you stay at home or are in a transition period, don't just become a cooking and cleaning lady. Be someone whom you are proud of. Life is too short to have regrets, you might look like an idiot in the beginning but who cares. Take a painting class, do some yoga, join a dance class make new friends and may be go out on a date with yourself. Sometimes it's fun to sit in a cafe sipping your coffee and just observe people. My only take from my transition is love whatever you do because grass is always greener on the other side. So worry less and enjoy this life and live with people who matter......

Exploring Andaman and Nicobar Islands!!! Part 2

Andaman is the land of golden beaches. The soft golden sand slipping beneath your feet, bright blue sky over your head and that soothing clear blue water makes you feel as if there is no other splendid sight than this. All you would want to do is just keep staring as the waves come and go. You could clearly see the seafloor as the water is so clear.

Ready for our next adventure to Havelock Islands, we took Makruzz boat from Port Blair. A word of caution for fellow travelers would be to get your tickets (to and fro) done well in advance else you will have a tough time in getting them.  With deep blue waters all over, we loved the ride to Havelock. They played an interesting documentary about the history of Andaman. There is no end to the sea, it seems calm and at peace with itself but the nature is so unpredictable, you never know when a tsunami would strike and destroy everything. It kind of reminds me the uncertainties in life. We never know what's coming for us. What once seems peaceful could be disastrous in a moment. 

As soon as we reached Havelock, we rushed to the Dive India office as we had booked scuba diving with them. We got there and I being a non-swimmer wasn't too sure but the main guy Syed assured me that I would love it. He told us about the basic signs, what to do, how to go about, and his punch line was "don't panic and keep breathing". I was excited and scared at the same time. Thankfully, some guys who had just come back from their scuba and both being non-swimmers gave me some courage and said you should definitely do it as it is worth it. We changed into wet suits and got ready for scuba. We had our training first in shallow water with 2 trainers. They helped us put on the scuba gear and equipment and we started the training. I was comfortable and for some reason the vastness of the sea around me didn't scare me, may be because I had surrendered myself to it. The color of water was aqua blue and you could clearly see the sea floor. The sea floor felt just like a wet dessert with small sand dunes all over. Havelock has like the most wonderful white sand beach I have ever seen. Those wonderful corals and colorful fishes all around us. And I also saw "Nemo" just playing around its home. A sight beautiful enough for you to feel like a kid again wondering how little we know of God's mighty creation and we are just like a little fish on the land, unaware of the secrets of the sea.

The highlight of our scuba was spotting Andaman's black-white water snake that was almost coming towards Vivek and the trainer moved the water to guide the snake away. And then the snake went between the legs of another fellow scuba enthusiast. I am sure he didn't know but this sight was splendid and scary at the same time. For that moment, my heart almost skipped a beat. Snakes I feel are the most beautiful things on earth. Their beautiful yet complex patterns, the elegance with which they move has always fascinated me. Another highlight of the scuba was me getting stung by a jellyfish. Yeah I know, “it hurts badly”. It burns and the salt water just makes it worse. Thanks to our wonderful trainer who helped me with some vinegar and I could feel the burning sensation to hold on for a while. But it troubled me for at least for the next two days. But believe me, I would still do scuba again.

The experience of scuba was awesome and I feel everyone should do it at least once in your life, especially if you are a non-swimmer. It is so much fun to let go of yourself and explore the secrets of the sea. It makes you believe in things, that there is more to life than just going to work and coming back. Once our scuba got over, I so wanted to spend a little more time. What fun! I was smiling all the way back to the Dive India office. These guys are really the best ones.

Next on our list was to go to our homestay “Barefoot”, as we reached we were literally starving. So we decided to eat first, the restaurant ambience was just phenomenal. Bamboo and timber used all over the place, just the look of it made us comfortable. We finally had some good food in Andaman. Lemon chicken with steamed rice and sautéed fish with tomato sauce and black olives for lunch and a chocolate salami for dessert which was just yummy. After this delightful lunch we decided to relax and take a nap before going to the beach and we went to our tent-cottage. It was a wonderful concept done well, beautiful with all the amenities, wonderfully designed so that you can enjoy a tent experience but at the same time it was safe from insects and any other spices that could harm you as we are in the Andamans.

One of the best beaches in A&N is the beach no.7 popularly known as Radhanagar beach. A beautiful white sand beach with a splendid view of the never ending sea. Wonderful blue sea in front of you, lush green tall trees behind you,  white sand beneath your feet and blue skies over your head..... What else could you ask for? It was definitely a priceless moment to be in such a wonderful place to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We spend almost the whole afternoon and evening at the beach, followed by a wonderful dinner at the Barefoot restraurant. What a wonderful day for our perfect day! We decided to go by the beach at night to witness it in the soft moonlight. We spoke to the manager and he suggested that we go with one of his guys for safety. As soon as we got there, what we saw was contrary to what we were expecting. The whole sight was scary with the magnanimous sea in front of you and lots of trees behind you. You feel so insignificant that everything around you feels wild and the whole sight scares you. And as we stood there in the moonlight, I was wondering how things can be beautiful and scary at the same time. It was an experience worth the effort. We could hardly stay there for some minutes and we decided to go back to our cozy tent.

After a good night sleep in our wonderful cottage, we decided to catch the sunrise early morning. So we were back to the beach and the view was splendid just so fresh and ready to begin a new day. There is something about the sound of the waves coming and crashing, it has special power that soothes and calms your nerves down.

We packed our bags and left for Port Blair. It was a fun ride as we were taking a govt. ferry because Makruzz was full. As soon as we got to Port Blair we rented a bike and had a simple lunch at "Icy Spicy". Two important things about A&N is that people here are simple, polite, helpful, and can speak very good Hindi. They will ask you how the food is, if you are happy with it. And if you want to change it, they are happy to do so.

Next on our agenda was going to Mount Harriet on our rented bike. Believe me that long bike ride was splendid, just reminded me of those good old college days. No matter which mode of transport you use, I personally feel bike still seems to be the best one. We went all the way to Chatum jetty where there is a vehicle ferry that takes you to the other side and you can take your bike. We got down from the ferry and continued to go up Mount Harriet. It was a king drive up the hill but it was awesome thanks to wonderful roads in A&N. With no one around, lush green surroundings and company of some unseen beautiful birds made the bike ride splendid.

Once we got to the Mount Harriet you could see the whole A&N from up there. The landscape which you generally see at the back side of a 20 Rs.(INR) note is the same scenery over there. Colorful benches with picturesque surroundings, you just want to sit and chat. There is an interesting spot once you get to the top of Mount Harriet and that is almost an hour’s trek on the nature’s trail to “Kalapather”. Since by the time we got to Mount Harriet it was almost sunset so we were sure about the trail. But we both gathered courage and started the trail. After going on for like less than a kilometre, the visibility started getting poor and the whole trail was just surrounded by tall trees. It got a bit scary and we were not even carrying flash lights so we decided it might be a wise decision to go back.

Back to our homestay, we crashed and finally realized our wonderful journey is over. Looking forward to many more yet to come…….

Exploring Andaman & Nicobar Islands!!! Part 1

Our trip to Andaman was an experience in itself. It was a special trip for a special occasion, as we celebrated our bond of marriage. My first time to visit an island and it was a spectacular sight from up there. The striking blue water, with varying color intensities that made it look turquoise/ aqua at one point and dark blue at the other. And the island was lush green, looking at this pattern up from the plane was mind blowing. It felt as if you were looking at bacterial cell under microscope with nuclei being the island surrounding by those varying blue color water felt as the cell walls. It was just beautiful.

We went straight to our homestay from the airport in Port Blair. Surprisingly, people here speak very good Hindi. So it is very easy to move around here. Travel is mostly done by auto rickshaws or taxis, which is definitely a rip-off because the minimum amount they charge is Rs.200-300 no matter how short the distance is. My tip would be to rent a bike and it is a cheaper option. But there are no maps so you will have to rely on asking people. Thankfully, people here are simple, sweet and ready to help. A lot of people come to Port Blair for work from different places such as Bengal and Tamil Nadu, hence the main language for communication is Hindi.

Our first day at Port Blair wasn't as good as we expected. But it was a different experience for sure. We went to the New Light House for lunch and ordered a crab which was kind of a Chinese batter fry (completely killed the subtle and sweet taste of crab) and we were like what happened! For main course, we ordered a coconut milk based fish curry which was very southern and yummy to have with steamed rice. I feel the food here is extra salty and almost everything is fried. It could be due to the mixed southern and Bengali influence, and the food reflects it very well. After lunch, we decided to go to Corbyn’s Cove Beach and do some water sports. I started with the JetSki, it’s hard to describe those feelings as I could feel the power of harsh water beneath me. It was crazy and I could feel the adrenaline rush in my nerves. But I loved it, I guess it’s the power with a slight hint of danger that gives us that pleasure. We also did a speed boat ride to the snake island that was home for some dangerous species which got destroyed after Tsumani. We could see the sunset from out boat and a couple of other surrounding islands. We sat at the beach sipping some tea and enjoying the quite evening, followed by a wonderful candle lit dinner at SeaShells restaurant.

It is just 9 pm and it feels like it 12 am, we went to bed early and were looking forward to our next day. I got up and felt the sun was very strong but when I checked the time it was just 5 am and I was like what!!! We had a wonderful English breakfast at the home stay that was simple and yummy. A masala omlette with a yummy hot chocolate pancake was just what I was looking for on my holiday. Our plan for the day was to go to Ross Island and then see the sunset at Chidya Tapu.

Ross Island We started for Ross Island by taking a speed boat from the water sports complex. It is just a 15-20 min. journey to the island but the vastness of the sea is beautiful. I was happy, satisfied and scared at the same time. As we approached Ross Island, it looked like a perfect contrast of colors. The deep blue water, lush green coconut trees and the light blue sky as the background painted a beautiful picture for travelers. We got our tickets and got into the island. A small island with a history of its own. We saw some animals roaming freely, I guess they are used to people and believe me they would not mind posing for you. There are some old distillery containers, old structural buildings that are held by just some branches. That sight is really something, all the structures were protected during Tsunami by these branches that held on to the bricks tightly. These branches have stood the test of time and Tsunami. It looks spooky but I loved the way those branches held on to those lifeless walls may be for support initially but now they look inseparable, as if they were meant to be together.

Chidya Tapu As soon as we entered through the gates, we already knew this place is worth a visit. There are beautiful wood sofas made out of huge logs of wood...... I feel so short of words to describe their beauty. They are elegant, simple and just awesome..... I could see Vivek's eyes popping out looking at all the wonderful wood work. It's funny how we create and work hard to get glamorous lives for ourselves but all we crave for is simplicity and elegance........

The trek up the chidya tapu was fun, it was hardly 1.5km but man it was tough...... Up and up we went all surrounding by huge trees, felt as if we were playing hide and seek with the sun. The steps are all natural, just some branches here and there making a way for you, after every 0.5 km there is a wonderful wooded bench for you to take a break and a mile-log instead of a milestone which is just beautiful. I love the way this place is, just the way nature intended it to be. The over-protective trees are holding on to the land so hard as if it won't let it go, no matter how hard the water tries to take it. I guess its nature's way of protecting and preserving what it has created. Once we reached the top, the view was breathtaking...... You could see the Chidya Tapu which is the home of all the birds and the birds had started to come home in the evening. Their chirping felt so refreshing that all you wanted to do was to just keep looking at the beautiful water with varying intensities of color. We came down to witness the sunset from the beach. The calm sunset at the beach with water beneath us was splendid and being together to witness such a beautiful sight is wonderful....In Andaman, everyone inclusing the mighty sun seems to be in a hurry to say goodbye and go home.

To be continued…….

In Search of Inner Peace...... Part 2

"Mandi" as popularly know as 'choti kaashi' is just the kind of place I was looking for after being in the maddening crowd of Mumbai and Pune. A wonderful place to live, with beauty and simplicity of its own. There is something about hills that has always drawn me closer to them.I love its beauty,mystery, simplicity, and friendliness. It is definitely because I am a kashmiri, even if I haven't spend more than 10 years of my childhood there. But I love going to the hills, staying there and loving the nature and culture of the hills. I don't know what is the most beautiful attribute here, the nature, surroundings, architecture, temples, people, or food.

My trip to Mandi was the best trip I have had in a long time, travelling alone to a new place always adds to the mystery and "need to be explored' feeling. After working non-stop for a couple of years I needed a break not just from work but from my regular routine as well. I wanted to feel all my senses once again, to breathe fresh air, to eat what I haven't tasted for a while, to laugh so hard that my stomach hurts, to see something so beautiful that I am mesmerised by it, to hear the birds chirping their wonderful songs in the morning and to get in touch with myself........  To sleep as if who cares what happens tomorrow, to wake up in the morning at your own ease no time to get up and run as the day is yours so is the night. I know we are keep dreaming to do this but believe is its awesome when you actually do it.

There are so many things I  can write about -  its culture, food, nature, people, temples, rituals, beliefs and and others. And I don't know what all to include and what to exclude. The culture, beliefs, fears look the the same in all hilly areas. They are god-fearing people who believe in good as well as evil forces. These simple people believe there is a supreme power that is protecting them against the evil forces whether it's natural calamities or evil doings of human beings. I am in love with the simplicity and innocence of these people. They believe in superstitions and other related things, but not because they are ignorant. I was discussing these rituals   and their superstitions with my dad and he gave me a wonderful explanation about the same. He said "people are the way they see nature and their surroundings so people living in valleys are narrow minded because they cannot see anything beyond the mighty mountains surrounding them". So true....

Cheerful people with rosy cheeks all around, all decked up and ready to do their daily chores..... But I see no rush and no anxiety in getting their chores done. Everyone looks at ease as they chat with fellows walking or a random shopkeeper. They will just sit down for a cup of tea or  sit out in the sun enjoying the nature's warm blanket. People here are happy in small things of life, whether it's chatting with your neighbour, or going to the market and meeting a long lost friend or people enjoying the local street food. I am not a big fan of street food but when I got here and saw a group of girls giggling as they ate those yummy hot and round 'Jalebis', or 'Bun tikki' or 'Chole-kulche'. I was looking at them as it reminded me of those carefree childhood days. How relaxed and happy we were?

Women From the hills seem to be more educated and liberated than their Punjabi and Haryanavi counterparts. Women study well here and believe in working and earring their bread. Women seem to take the lead here as they are financially independent where as the women from UP, Punjab and Haryana are confined to the 4-walls of the house. You should see the confidence with which women work here, I was pretty impressed. They can be sweet, friendly, firm, cold and entrepreneurial. They have a close knit community so everyone knows everyone, they help and support each other.

Culture of a community represents the overall essence of the inherited ideas, beliefs, values, and knowledge. Traditional embroidery patterns here are more geometric. May be because of  the surrounding hills they see day in and day out. The colours they use are generally bright as the flowers.Unlike its neighbour "Kashmir", our embroideries are focused on the flora and fauna of Kashmir. Kashmiri embroideries are know for the flowers, chinar leaves, paisley patterns and subtle colours.

Interestingly, most of embroidery/handwork is done by 'men' in the hills because women can take care of most of the stuff outside the house. But in areas like Punjab and Haryana the men go out to work to earn their bread and women take care of the house. So most of the embroidery/handwork is done by groups of women sitting at home. It seems like what started as just beautifying their own clothes for weddings and other functions finally becoming a trademark of Punjabi households popularly know as 'phulkaris'.

It was freezing cold in Mandi and all the snowfall added to my worst nightmares. I was so close to freezing to death, thank god I could use some warm clothes. I would pray for the sun to come out the next day so that at least the days are warm....... One thing worth mentioning is that people here use technology to check the weather and then plan their days accordingly. I did the same, sunny meaning going out for a trek or a long walk and rains would mean shopping and eating. Shopping is the best thing to do if you want feel happy instantly, at least for me it works perfect. I can shop, shop for almost anything, and believe me I don't even get tired of it.

One fine and sunny day we decided to go to a 'Kangani mata' temple..... A long trek up the mountain was definitely a tough one but The view from the top was just splendid. It was a funny trek.... Half of the trek the blazing sun almost burned our skin and we were freezing with the cold wind blowing in the shady areas around the hill. It felt like a regular day and night cycle or a happy-sad cycle. Beautiful pine trees all around and what is called some snake climber trees were just phenomenal. They were so up and high in the sky standing so tall and proud as if mocking the mountain as they are higher.

Festivals are the heart and soul of every community and culture in India. "Shivratri" is the main festival of Mandi like we have in Kashmir. It literally means 'the great night of Lord Shiva'. Every second temple in Mandi belongs to Lord Shiva. It is more than a week long preparation and celebration here. The local people go around and invite all the local deities for the big night. Everyone is invited from nearby places to come and celebrate Maha Shivratri - the marriage of Shiva and Parvati. The union of man and nature.Sadly, I missed the celebration part here because I went home to celebrate it with my parents.

Time really flies when you are having fun. I can't believe I was off the Mumbai-Pune for almost 2 weeks. But I wanted to stay a little longer, I know I'm getting greedy. I was having so much fun here in Mandi and then back home after a long time with mom and dad. I could talk to them and do nothing....wake up when I wanted, eat what I feel like, sleep when I feel like, talk to them non-stop, go to the market with them. There is definitely something about home that relaxes you instantly and you feel so protected as if nothing can harm you. Nothing is as  reassuring as your dad's smile and nothing is as encouraging as your mom's smile..........

Thank you Su-per-Man for making my trip wonderful, and I'm so glad I did this. I so plan to make Mandi my chilling out place from now on. 

In Search of Inner Peace - Part 1

It is an awesome feeling to turn off all the alarms on your phone and go to the bed without thinking of the next day being a Monday. Yessss, I have finally overcome my Monday blues obviously because I don't have to go to work. So as soon as I hit the bed, I was asleep like a baby with no worries. Next day morning, I finished with my last minute packing and felt no anxiety to travel. Weird right? May be I already found my inner peace. ;p

Finally got into a taxi and left for the airport. The drive from my place to the airport takes almost the same time I will take to get to Delhi or Chandigarh from Mumbai. It is a long drive with crazy Mumbai traffic but thankfully people don't honk that often so it is a peaceful ride. Life in Mumbai is fast, everyone is running either to work or to get their chores going. Looking at all these people, I was thinking thank God I am off for a while. I really need a break to feel what it is like to breath, to do nothing and live for a while. I feel fresh as the morning dew, as energetic as a young cub who plans to go hunting all by himself. I want to explore a new place, a new culture, do some random things, and obviously shoppppp. So I decided to go and visit my BFF staying in Mandi (Himachal) to bask in nature's glory.

The excitement and the delight of meeting old friends is beyond description. The funny thing is you might be meeting them after a year or so but the discussion starts from where you had left it last time. Same feelings, same tempo, same energy and that same carefree attitude, as if you are young again. It's like you are time travelling in a time machine and we are back in 2007. It's funny how we cherish small things in life and laugh and joke over them for the rest of our lives. I guess that's what friendship is about. 

A 12 hours long journey to reach Mandi was tiring for sure but the company made it easy. The journey was smooth till Chandigarh and then the adventure of the ghats started. Scary turns, traffic from both the sides was crazy, but fun. Thankfully our bus had proper heating so it was warm and we could almost sleep through the whole night. Finally, early morning we reached Mandi and I could smell the freshness in the air. Everything was dark and cold, very cold........ And I was shivering. We took an auto to get home and the ride was chilling and freezing. There was nothing more than a hot cup of tea and a warm bed to recover from the cold wave...............

To be continued......

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag!!!!!

Finally, I went to watch movie “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag” and I was speechless. Bollywood has surely grown over the years and the improvement in creativity is just phenomenal. I am very impressed with the way the director has used simple ingredients like color, water, nature and people to make his story impactful. The art of revealing the critical details of the story only when it is needed and when it is just right, is just marvelous. The monochromatic effect to portray the past, a past that has not buried itself peacefully but is still with him and those memories still haunt him….....

How can anyone use a simple ingredient like water and use it to show all the emotions of your life? That swaying water in a bucket representing freedom, innocence and curiosity as we are growing up, droplets of water bringing sweet memories of your first love, a bucket of sweat that reminds you of your hard work and success, that smell of wet soil that brings in all your best of memories....... But at the same time, the same water can be a disaster. It can also remind you of your pain, suffering, fear, agony and loss. How well has it been used? It is just commendable, and I have no words to describe it. All I have is applause and respect for the magician who could mesmerize me and left me craving for more.

I love the way Milkha Singh goes back and forth in his past. His anger and anguish taking him to achieve whatever he wanted, just to prove to himself, his father, his lady love and his beloved sister. Every relationship in the movie seems so real, whether it’s his relationship with his father, mother, sister, friend or his lady love.

A beautiful relationship between a brother and a sister, I being a sister know how it feels to have a younger brother. How you want to love him, pamper him, scold him but never find enough words to express your love. How you want him to do well in life, and do everything possible to help him when he is in trouble..... Because whenever he is in trouble, he looks up to you with that innocent smile and those eyes saying “please help, I think I'm in trouble.” The way a sister always knows what is his brother up to, and when caught red-handed he would shy and smile. The way your brother cannot see you cry, he will do anything to make you smile. He will be your clown, your friend and your mentor…..

The plight of his sister who is torn between the responsibility of being a wife and a sister is so well directed. She is just a wife for her husband but everything for her dear brother. Sadly, it’s the plight of almost every woman in our society except few lucky ones.

The pain of partition is so well captured, people being slaughtered and their hopeless eyes wandering for a loaf of bread. Milkha being unfortunate enough to witness his parent’s man slaughter, the turmoil within about what is right or wrong and betrayal from his own people, lying in a pool of blood of his family and holding on to their dead bodies......... as if they will wake up…… What a wonderful portrayal! Same effect as if you are watching the movie “300”. Those blood stained knifes somehow look less gross but are powerfully impactful.

His journey to fame, his glorious years and he becoming “the flying sikh” was just splendid. I was awed that they could pull out all those old footages for most of the events that Milkha had succeeded. Even his fling with the Australian girl is beautifully shot and nowhere does it look cheap. The intimacy is dignified, an attraction we would have felt sometime in our lives.

His facing his demons was just awesome, because no matter how much we try and bury our past...... It doesn't leave us... It haunts us till we decide to face it head on and fear no more. Once you look straight into the eyes of your fear, somehow it disappears.

I was just speechless when we came out of the movie, just didn't know what to say. All we came out was what a movie and more and more respect for Farhan Akthar. For not even once I felt he wasn't a sardar or he wasn't Milkha Singh. That dimpled smile, humility, and that sportsmanship is just beyond words to describe.

All I have is respect and more respect for Farhan and Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra, they understand the impact of media and they know how well to use it for waking up today's youth. Rang de bansanti was a phenomenal movie...... everything in that movie was awesome. The characters, the dialogues, the portrayal, and direction everything was perfect. The parallel stories of freedom struggle on one hand and struggle for justice on the other hand. The stories you wouldn’t imagine to have any interaction but both the stories share the same sentiment.

Such people have definitely taken Indian cinema to the next level, and forced people like me to appreciate the talent we have here and that Bollywood is not only about stupid movies and item numbers. I am hardcore Hollywood fan, because I watch a movie for everything, story, characters, background scores, and direction. A movie that stays with me, and I can just close my eyes and play it in my head any number of times. Such movies inspire and amaze me at the same time. It amazes me as to what a human brain can do? How can it baffle you? How it teases you? I love movies that give me a food for thought, something that makes me think why so? Whether its people, society, cultures, religion, politics, and I try and look for answers. Obviously, such over analysis leaves me sometimes with some negative thoughts, some upsetting moments and I have troubled Vivek enough number of times with this. 

Anyways, I wish good luck to this new generation of movie-makers, who have beautifully excelled in the art of storytelling. I am sure they will take Indian cinema to new heights. And people like me (Hollywood fans) will have no choice but to applaud and say “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag”…….

Go Bollywood…... Hat’s off to this one.