home, garden and my slice of sky

being blessed....

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Sat, 11 May 2013 11:01:00 +0000

Her poems are like blessing and it never fails to bring a smile on my face. Suranga Date is one lovely person who connects with people and nature so well, her poetry is transparent and imaginative, sometimes funny and sometimes just like a pure blessing. She wrote a few lines to me today, in a poetic way as always. She writes a wonderful poetry blog inspired by the beautiful pictures she comes across on the internet and social media almost everyday. But let me tell you a little more about the context.

Today is Mithi's birthday and the sun was not that harsh in the morning hours. I went out and worked in the garden for a while and plucked these fruits of labour, today's harvest. There are a few more things growing right now, there is some okra, cherry tomatoes and drumsticks but this kakdi (extreme left, Armenian cucumber) was a fist time harvest. The garden has been my heaven and you all know it by now if you have been on this blog a few times.

And see what Suranga wrote...

Mithi's older

and has amazing tastes.

Her love of greens,

makes them bloom

like a carpet

across your garden,

as she sometimes

grins at a zuchchini,

and tangles with a brinjal

cribbing about

having to share things

with a tomato.

Bok Choy

the latest

outdoor craze,

peppers and

dhaniya,

making way

for the lemongrass perfume,

as it wafts across your kitchen.

Tea for two
,
with Foccacia bread

studded with sundried stuff

and maybe olives

and a sliver of capsicum,

as her mother gets up

to source

her latest

homemade jam.

The birds,

the squirrels,

the parrots

all hot foot it

on to the verandah

to inhale the flavors

of love.

Mithi has come to spend Mother's Day

with her Mumma and Papa.

Isn't this unadulterated love?

I am blessed.

Sounds of silence in our summer garden...

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:08:00 +0000

Yes, the colors of spring are slowly fading now, the chill is history. Welcome to the Delhi summer. Dry, hot and seemingly lifeless.

Summer is the time when even the leaves refuse to flutter in our garden. The absence of any unwanted noise or presence of a much revered silence. The absence of voices doesn't mean no living activity. Silence has its own energy and vibrations.

Silence in the summer noon is not lifeless though. Last weekend I decided to check by myself sitting in the garden. Not in the usual morning or evening when I water the plants but during the early afternoon when we usually remain indoors enjoying all around avian sounds . Yes it feels like we are in a jungle cottage when Barbets call each other from different trees and we hear them from inside. Blessed feeling.

It was early noon and there was unusual movement of two adult babblers. On close scrutiny two set of tiny eyes caught my attention. See by yourself..

They were sitting on the mango tree which is not in very good shape due to some extra active anti-environment 'human' neighbor, but able to give some homely atmosphere to the avian neighbors nevertheless.

These tiny chicks seem to be waiting for someone...

Ahh.. here the mother cames with mouthful of lunch...

Another one...

Yes both the parents at the same time with food, what enjoyment.

Imagine yourself in this situation, you would know the real feeling.

Near absolute silence, the voices are very low pitched and very calming ...

Very homely too, in a strange way...

They all huddle together, knowing my presence and still comfortable ...

The parents wait till the first serving of the food is swallowed. And then the next is offered to a fluttering baby..

Yes the babies keep fluttering the wings when they demand food...

They take small bites of the insect I notice...

Some conversation is also going on along with munching... dining table conversations you know...

But these conversations are all almost silent for human ears....

This is not the end of enjoyment. Another variation of silence is about to come. Another set of tiny eyes catch the attention of a camera lens.

Some little creatures...

Beautiful little eyes waiting for someone inside the lemon tree... Safe cocoon of a place.

What bliss...

No we are not grumpy... we are cute as bunnies..

I know you are watching, who cares?

My mom is watching too... Do you know that?

The watch guards are sitting very nearby...

Here she came with the food . Sorry for the poor picture quality but sometimes real eyes are better record keepers than the mechanical one..

After meal time may be we should do some stretching...

Walks are also a healthy option...

Meanwhile Mr. G who is all the time snacking on the Moringa flowers is also found lazing around .

Seems like he is also enjoying silence irrespective of neighbors.. like us...

zzz...

But it's so hot we need water too...

We have our own watering hole ....

But there is a tough competition at the watering hole..

Some visitors come angry...

Some are quite shy to take risk..

Some come for water quietly and do the job as if spying on someone...

Witnessing the constant watch on the watering hole, Mr. G decided to challenge me with his own style of sumo pose...

On the other side there was another story unfolding... A new beginning happening...

A couple searching for a place to build their new home and why not, who stops you from starting a new life this summer.

While one of them keeping a watchful eye on the rest of creatures around....

The other one is busy building a new home, home to her new summer life... deep inside the mehendi bush.

Many visits to the ground to pick up thin sticks and some silk cotton flying around... and returning to the same spot...

In the meantime the young babblers decided to take a walk in company of their parents. In safely camouflaged grounds...

The Bulbul chick also decided to show her antics... and anger...

Of course in presence of her parents...

The stern look... as if saving the smaller chick by hiding her behind...

And then telling her someone is watching, be careful...

Stretching wings to show I am no small kid...

Did you see that?

I am a grown up bird now...

This much in one single day, who says summer is lifeless and silent? They have their own sounds and communications, it's the human mind that is clouded by the maddening turbulence.

How is summer at your end?

PS : The post is jointly written by both of us, myself and Arvind, and the pictures are also taken by both of us. There are days when we don't want to miss whatever is happening outside in the garden and weekends are the best days to record such things. we took turns in sitting outside for a couple of hours that day and all this was recorded. All pictures are processed by Arvind.

Who steals my flowers?

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 18:27:00 +0000

The whole family likes flowers it seems...

Gnawing the flowers was never seen.. I had been wondering who plucks the flowers this way until we spotted this. Arvind brought the camera quickly and started clickety click...

These rodents seem to be the most clever as I watch them playing tricks all the time.

And they seem to like all beautiful things in life. Colorful flowers for example...

Reaching out for the nectar from all angles. No, for the whole flower actually.

And the nascent buds as well..

I am sure Giraffes evolved like long necked species just by practicing these stunts...

Yes the hind legs became more and more strong after reaching out the snout for the farthest fruits. Or flowers.

Feasting on one meal and eyeing the other already...

Keeping a watch if someone else is coming to have a share...

Tearing off half the flower, gnawing all this while...

Grabbing the flowers using both hands and the mouth all at the same time...

Greedy greedy greedy...

They can stand up, even if it is to get the best thing to gnaw on...

And this is what the scene was the very next morning..

Not that we are looking for a picture perfect garden, such activities or birds and rodents around keep us engaged in a funny way sometimes. And it makes us observe and think about the ecology of the micro-environments we create around us.

Squirrels and pigeons are urban menace I feel. People keep grains and throw edible garbage all around in the cities and Squirrels, Rock pigeons and Common Mynahs are more adapted to a concrete jungle type of living where they can survive on such foods. Small birds like House sparrows are ousted from all those areas where there are more rock pigeons and squirrels. I have observed that we shouldn't encourage these practices and do something to bring the sparrows back.

Keeping some coarsely broken rice, a water bath and a makeshift nesting device, some nesting material around and some lush greenery would help in bringing back the house sparrows to out homes. I so miss having a nesting sparrow around us.

Trying to do my bit to bring back the House sparrow...

look who can do monkey crawling...

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 19:15:00 +0000

Yes. The squirrels. They have their own ways to reach the bird feeders I put up on the most difficult places for them. I could catch this one in the act when he was monkey crawling to reach and then to return from the hanging bird feeder.

Don't ask me how I know it was a he squirrel. You would see that by yourself :-)

He descends down..there is an Asparagus extending it's creepers to the bird feeder and on the clothesline, the squirrel is not bothered...

Settles himself comfortably into the bowl of Sorghum grains and nibbles..

As I move a little closer to make him run back, he quickly climbs up and gets hold of the clothesline.

Balancing himself or exposing himself :-)

Getting hold of the wire from up...quickly...

Then in the act of changing gears...

Hanging upside down, monkey crawling...

Quickly moving ahead to reach the other end, where the clothesline is tied to the trunk of Jamun tree...

And jumps to the Jamun trunk in one quick leap...

Comes down and practices playing with wires and ropes with a dry twig of Amrita (Giloy) that has climbed on Jamun tree...

Watching the lady with camera all this while.

The squirrels have been a menace for birds as they hijack the bird feeders all the time. And then they look at me as if they did nothing..see how he is sitting on a comfortable little nook on the Bael tree...

As if asking me what I am doing there..

This is my territory...go away..

Faithfully your's | an exhibition of photos and art installations by some young artists...

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 06:25:00 +0000

Some believe in magic and some in dreams. Most of us believe in prayers as well. Some of us would travel long distances to go to a temple or shrine and 'offer' our prayers and some of us would just sit under a tree, 'connect' with the universe and call it a prayer. It is the faith that takes us there, the belief in the magic that we perform in our head.

I was quite inquisitive when I got to know about the theme of a photo exhibition happening with Faith as a theme. Pictures of Banaras ghats and sadhus, devotees ate Golden temple Amritsar and langar experiences came into my imagination as I have always watched people connecting with their God in a certain predefined way. There was this curiosity how creative people will connect two dimensional visuals with faith. I had known about this exhibition since a couple of months. The wait is over as it is going on at the Arpana Caur art gallery in Delhi till the 17th of March.

A group of artists and photographers have participated in it and deciphered faith in their own unique ways. You would see the works of V. J. Sharma, Ambika Sethi, Augustus Mithal, Rajesh Ramnakrishnan, Rajan Sharma, Shilpi Chaudhury and Shivani Punia.

Some of the pictures are so powerful in it's impact that they can change the vibes of a place. You would want to sit close to the overpowering picture exuding faith and calmness. A pandit distributing prasad in a temple was one such photo that has been on my mind since I returned for the exhibition. I wish I had a large wall in my work space to bring that calmness inducing picture here. Clicked a picture of the framed photo with my cellphone.

Faith certainly plays a role in our wellness, though process and relationships. You feel it once you are touched by it.

See how the photographer sees glimpses of faith in this picture too..

I know V. J. Sharma of Photojourney and have been truly impressed with his work ever since I have known him. He is as impressive in this exhibition as well. Theother young artists who are displaying their work in the exhibition are brilliant as well. Go and check out if you like artwork that is realistic and yet calming for the tired nerves.

Imagine some images.. A cow standing in the middle of road and staring at you like she knows you. A young kid reading from a book by the stairs in a mosque or a serene temple where it seems only trees come to pray. I had a good time reading between the lines and getting lost between the shades of brilliant colors at the exhibition.

ye facebook pe aaya hua hai...

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 08:39:00 +0000

We hire a certain 'cab driver' whenever we have to go out with late night return schedule. Unlike most cabbies this guy is a chatty fellow, very enthusiastic, wanting to grow on his own and probably seeking approval form our kind of people. Since we have been witness to many of his chatter we know that he is just a 26 year old kid who came form a village of Punjab to Delhi when his father died and the family was rendered without a place to live and any income to survive. He was 16 year old then and took the onus on himself to bring up two of his younger brothers and to take care of the mother. He cleaned cars in the morning and sold odd stuff on the streets to meet ends, learned driving later and started working as a cab driver. Now he owns a flat in west Delhi and 8 cars of all sizes and caters to a wide variety of dilliwalas. I find it immensely impressive and often complement him for making so big in life even after being in such huge adversity. He is a grounded person and drives all his cabs randomly to keep check on the condition of cars and probably to keep himself busy too. After all he knows nothing better.

Yesterday we were going out for a party and he looked very upbeat, started blabbering as soon as we settled down in the car. His brother had got a job in a big construction company, he had just passed out of an engineering college. Big news it was and the 'cabbie' was very happy. Two years ago his second brother who was also studying engineering had died in a tragic car accident and that had left the whole family into a second wave of grief. Now is the time when they were all feeling proud of their own karma once again as the youngest of the brothers had got a nice job, white collar and all.

The 'cabbie' said he feels proud to have his mother by his side, his brother now employed well and her 4 year old daughter studying in DPS (a good school he means). It is heartwarming to see such family bonding, the pride in his voice and the quiver in his throat was unmistakable. I complemented him and told him this is because he has decided to do hard work and earn money and because he has stayed away form crime and muck which attracts such youngsters in distress so easily. He looks and sounds really content.

But this is not all what I wanted to tell you today. The blabbermouth this 'cabbie' is, you can understand how he would turn to the general state of affairs in the country, the hullabaloo over the recent horrendous rape case in the city and then how the politicians live a protected life and see the countrymen as keede makode (worms crawling in muck).

Then he said something that left me stunned for one minute and then burst with laughter the next. He was talking about someone who used to wash utensils at someone's place and that's how she was given the highest office (a politician of course) just because of this unique service she did. As we both were laughing at this claim he went on to say Ye solah anne sachh hai ji aur ye toh facebook pe aya hua hai.. imagine this line with a typical punjabi accent and I can see yourself laughing out loud in your desk. (He said this is absolutely true and has been on facebook as well, giving facebook the credibility of reporting the truth).

It left me wondering how facebook affects people who don't even understand what it is and how much the facebook activism can affect such gullible people, in what way and by whom? Even the hate mongers could get credibility by just having a presence on facebook?

Facebook activism I have never been a believer of. The refined language of the 'enlightened' activists, the loud outrage of 'protected' individuals on an online medium would hardly reach where it is needed the most.

What do you think?

PS : this 'cabbie' wants me to make a facebook page for his 'travel agency' and help promote him :-)

another cycling expedition in the western ghats of India...

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 05:44:00 +0000

This is my first post of the new year and a few of you would remember how I promised last year that 2013 will start with a new chapter. Well, chapters of life sometimes change abruptly and sometimes they just slip in quietly and deceptively, sometimes we have to make an effort to start a new chapter.

I told you my angel has done a miracle to me and the new chapters will all be full of that light. This new year already started with a refreshing note, on the 4th of January we started another biking (cycling) expedition into the western ghats in south Goa. Myself and the husband both together this time.

We cycled on the long beaches, jungles and villages of Goa seeing the real beauty of the place. The fisher women selling fish along the roads, the country variety of small bananas being sold, paddy fields being planted, rough roads with deep red dust and much much more. An enriching experience, quite challenging physically but absolutely worth it. We were breathless on the uphills, joyous on the slopes and generally exploding with happiness all this while. There was so much beauty to be absorbed, song of nature to be tuned into, every thing that makes my heart sing. Yes, there were plenty of birds too, there was never a dull moment.

This expedition was organised by YHAI Goa, a state division of the Yhai India (Delhi) who had organised the Kullu to khardung-la biking expedition back in 2011. This Goa biking expedition is organised every year in December and January and about 5-6 groups are flagged off to the cycling track decided by the Yhai Goa team.

Here is the Yhai Goa base camp with all the tents and open dining area in sight.

The bicycles were arranged under a tree and we had to clean them ourselves as the previous batch had returned on the same bicycles, the dusty rough route makes sure that every hinge of a bicycle looks tortured and neglected. Covered with a tick layer of muck.

We cleaned every bit of dirt and got our bottle clamps etc fixed on them. Got the breaks etc checked, seat height adjusted and then had a ride around the sports authority and neighboring areas.

Then after lunch we had a ride to Dauna paula beach and back to get a hang of the Goa traffic. We were a bunch of 11 cyclists, a really jovial group that bonded well during the expedition. Here we are after our ride to Dauna Paula, enjoying sea breeze..

Next day (5th Dec) we started the expedition. This is the route map of all places we passed through.

It is the area of western ghats so you get a taste of mountain biking as well with the uphills and slopes but yes, it is not comparable with Himachal or Jammu and Kashmir mountains.We cycle for about 50-60 km every day with our baggage for the whole expedition that means our clothing, toiletries, dry snacks and electrolytes etc tied on the cycle and stay in camps in the night. The camps are either tents or some local rest house with just the basic facilities. We used to get tea soon after arrival to each camp and then we used to take bath and wash our lunch boxes. The Yhai team had stationed cooks at every camp site for us who used to cook hot dinner for us and make sure we eat properly. After some chit chat and discussions we used to sleep on floor, blankets were provided which we had to fold neatly before leaving the camp. In the morning we used to get ready, have tea and breakfast and packed lunch and start again every day as early as possible.

Here is our group at the time of flag off from the base camp.

Pedaling towards Dauna Paula again to get a ferry to cross the stretch of sea to reach Mormugao port..

Our bicycles were loaded on the ferry and we proceeded towards Vasco..

We unloaded our bicycles at Mormugao port and carried them to the road, adjusted out bags and started towards Airport, via Baina to Mangor hill junction. Here is Arvind, all geared up to cycle ..

We passed through BITS Pilani campus and then took a turn towards Cansaulim beach. That was a wow moment for all of us seeing an endless stretch of beach to cycle upon, with frothy waves occasionally touching our tires.

The only traffic we encountered here were the thousands of crabs running to their holes when they saw an army of cyclists approaching. Star fish were also spotted but they were not moving, some were dead but I could not collect any as there was no safe storage space on the cycle.

We cycled 26 kilometers on the beaches of south Goa, taking a lunch break at Colva beach and starting again in glaring sun. It felt too hot and sunny but the sea and the crabs kept us entertained. Also the many foreign tourists who were either sunbathing, playing with their kids or surfing on the waves.

This guy was surfing endlessly and a dog had took fancy to his parachute The dog keep following him in the sea wherever he surfed on the waves. Can you see the dog braving the waves in this picture? It was a sight to watch.

Cycling along the beach was one of the best moments to cherish, and we just soaked into every moment.

Mobor beach was our last point along the sea, overlooking Arabian sea. From there we took the road to catch a ferry again to reach village Assolna. It was a 10 minute ride after the ferry, here is me reaching Assolna village.

The camp was in a football ground rest house. We were all tired after the first day's long ride and the boys just spread themselves on the football ground. The well kept grass was really inviting..

This is the group having morning tea the next day ..

And then we started again for our next camp, that was Netravalli.

Passing through Banda to Cuncolim market on NH 17 to reach Forest office Balli. There were terrace fields on the way and then a very rough road as we passed the stone quarries. It was quite dusty too.

The pictures are taken only in the cleaner areas as we could not stop and breathe in the dusty patches. Here we are resting at a turn. We normally used to catch up with each other on turns so we stay together during the whole ride.

Later we passed though the mining belt to reach Cavrem piria panchayat ghar and then we proceeded to a historical pond.

This was really interesting as this pond is known as the Bubble pond, actually a natural spring around which stone steps have been made. The water keeps coming from the joints in the steps and bubbles keep coming up when we rest our feet there. There are numerous small fish and they come to your feet to nibble onto the dead skin. Pedicure done by fish in natural environs. It was amazing, we rested here for about an hour before reaching to our camp that night.

The camp site was a spice farm known as Tanshikar farm. It's a nice place to holiday if you want to connect with nature. Here we are parking our bicycles near our mud houses.

These mud houses were cold and wet and we felt really cold during the night as the blankets provided seemed to be wet as well. But we got to eat some Goan food in this camp and I bought some Cocoa and Coffee from there. They grow and sell several spices as well.

We started early in the morning from the spice farm as the next day was to be quite challenging.

We traveled through Forest range office at Kurdi range and passed through Mahalaxmi temple and then the Villem bhatti temple. Again some mining areas and then dusty red roads. We used to stop at such places to have our lunch. These were the fun moments we loved so much.

Later we crossed Shigao junction, Collem railway station and reached a stream that we had to cross to start on the way to Doodhsagar falls.

Here is the entry to the National park where the doodhsagar fall is situated. No one is actually allowed to stay inside this gate after 5 AM, but Yhai has made a provision for a campsite for their hikers and cyclists. We felt privileged.

The way to doodhsagar camp was tough, dusty and uphill roads with steep turns. This one is a straight road where we could stop and click pictures. On difficult roads one never thought of clicking pictures.

Another stream to be crossed before reaching the campsite.

The Doodhsagar camp had no electricity and a stream was where we had our bath. The food was served in the light of solar lanterns and we slept early. We sighted a giant squirrel in the morning but could not take a picture as it was way into deep foliage and focusing was difficult.

We climbed up again the the morning to reach the actual fall. Sat there for about an hour absorbing the beauty abound. This waterfall is at 310 meters, tallest in Goa and 5th tallest in India. Mandovi river makes this waterfall in the western ghats.

This is tiered waterfall and the uphill part is the border of Karnataka state. Situated inside the Mahavir sanctuary, it is a peaceful place in the morning. Many tourists visit after about 9 AM, I was curious about why only foreign tourists were all we could see coming in huge SUV's while coming back from the waterfall. The sanctuary closes doors after 5 PM and all vehicles are required to come back by that time.

Here is the lower tier of the fall...

Returned on the same route after seeing Doodhsagar falls and then moved further to Mollem junction and then to Tamdi surla. There is a detour to left from Mollem road which goes towards a canyon called Devil's Canyon. The same river Mandovi makes this canyon after the waterfall when it flows in a serpentine manner between crevices of solid rocks.

This is situated in jungle and there is no road to reach this place, just a narrow pathway that is strewn with large stones and we cycled with great difficulty to this spot. But it was well worth it.

After this we rode again to reach Bondla forest office to have lunch there and then started again via Satpal Arboretum towards Sakorda village and then towards Bondla arch. From there it was a really difficult climb on a rocky pathway inside the jungle area. It was just a 6.6 km climb but we all got drained at the end of it. We sighted a few Bisons, monkeys and macaques on the way and many wild ants and spiders. many varieties of butterflies too. There are many other wild animals and reptiles also in this jungle but we didn't get to spot them.

Finally reached the Bondla dormitory which was our night camp that day.

The famous resort Wildernest is adjacent to the dormitory and we are planning to go there sometime soon. Staying into a cottage within a jungle will be enchanting for sure. We crossed the gate of this resort, climbed up again and finally reached the Bondla dormitory which was a pleasant change from living in tents. I also cooked in the kitchen of this camp but unfortunately no one thought on clicking a picture. Cooking rejuvenates me for sure even after an extremely tiring day.

We spotted a few spotted dears around this dormitory, a few peacocks and hens and giant squirrels too. It was too dark to take pictures of all these but we got a shot of spotted dear the next morning.

This was our last camp and were were excited for the last ride together. Had a group photo before leaving Bondla sanctuary.

On a slope coming out of the Bondla sanctuary.

The view was the best in this area as we were not climbing any difficult uphills. Roads were very good and the uphills were enjoyable. The only trouble was the harsh noon sun which seemed to drain all my energy. We crossed Gangem and Usgao villages and saw rice fields being planted.

Many birds were spotted in this stretch as we were little relaxed now, despite the harsh sun. Took a few more resting breaks than earlier so the birds were easier to spot and click. Will share the birds in mt next post I promise.

Later we crossed Khandepur, Betki and Marcela to reach Khamburja ferry. Crossed the river to reach Old Goa.

Old Goa has it's own charm. Old fashioned bungalows and smooth roads. The sun was not as harsh as the day time so we felt more relaxed and enjoyed the ride more.

Beautiful homes and small churches were seen..

And then came the road along the Mandovi river, a 13 km ride which felt like a quick breeze along the river. Pond herons, Kingfishers, and Egrets are spotted playing around.

Reached back to the Base camp in record time. The earlier cycling batches had all reached the base camp by 6 PM but we could make it around 4.30 PM.

Here is the group rejoicing in glory just after finishing the 5 day ride spanning about 300 km. ...

Everyone covered with dirt and sweat and yet so happy and energised. This is the beauty of doing something we don't do in our normal routine. Something that makes us test our capabilities both physically and mentally.

Isn't that a great start to a new year? And did I tell you I was the oldest in this group of 11 people who were part of this expedition? Yes these were all 22-26 year old kids and I was almost double the age of the youngest kid there. It feels really nice to finish such a challenging ride successfully. That too in the lap of nature, tuning in my soul with mother Earth.

Wishing you all a happy new year with a refreshed heart.

PS : Please take care to carry your own good quality bungee chords, biking gloves, water bottles, lunch boxes, electrolytes, sunblock, caps and dry snacks or chocolates etc if you are going to a Yhai biking expedition. You can carry a spare bottle clamp and a handle bag to be fixed onto your bike for convenience. It helps you keep your electrolytes, sunblock, a small camera, mobile phone and other essentials handy. Also, try and save all the empty packs of electrolytes into your own pocket rather than throwing them all on the roads and dump them into the dustbins or the pits at campsite.

Cycling shorts that are padded at the bottom are advisable for long distance cycling and so are shoes. But we chose to wear open sandals with socks as we knew we had to cross rivers and shoes will cause water logging for the feet. Yhai provided backpacks as well but it is advisable to carry your own sturdy backpacks with multiple pockets. Yhai also provides helmets but this time we decided to not wear them as we wanted to have a cap that protected from the harsh sun. I also used a cotton stole to protect me from dust that is so prevalent in mining areas.

# all pictures are taken by myself and Arvind.

making small discoveries while being a tea drinker...

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 14:25:00 +0000

I seriously need a way to make a good cup of chai without boiling it on a gas stove.

Now you would say why not a gas stove. After all the whole world..ah okay..the whole of India... okay at least the whole of north India makes (read boils) chai on a gas stove. We like our chai boiled for a while with the ginger and masala in it and then we add some milk and boil again. Right?

I have tried making chai in microwave and in a kettle but these electronic equipment are good only for the green tea and the black tea. Brewing the tea if I say technically. Boiling the tea is still not something an electronic equipment would do. Not at all the milky masala tea. But wait, let me tell you why I am complaining. Wanting to have an alternate to this gas stove method at least. I have had a few too many accidents while boiling my masala tea on the gas stove. It's a pain to make tea when you want a cuppa while working. It's okay when you are already in the kitchen, working on something and the tea is made on the sly. But I rarely feel like having a tea when in the kitchen. It is most required when I am neck deep in work and want a breather. It's a pain when you want it the most and you are working full swing on your desk. Now do you get my point?

There is more to it. I often go and fill required amount of water in the pan, add tea leaves and ginger etc and place it on the burner to boil. And then I am tempted to reply to that one mail or finish that one para I was writing. Time flies in such times and I peel myself off from this stupid chair when I smell something burning, or feel some smoke in the house. No smoke alarms yet, but it's a scary feeling. Every time I curse myself for being so forgetful, but to no avail. It has already happened a few times and my maid knows it so well. She would smile and start rubbing the pan with a steel wool scrubber again. I have changed two saucepans in the last six months.

And I made a few discoveries with these accidents. Serendipity.

The saucepan gets all sooty and the carbon sticks to the base if you have added sugar to the boiling water and it just turns to gray ash if you haven't added any sugar to the boiling water. Easier to clean it later. Although it is common sense that sugar will caramelise and become a sticky residue, I never had imagined seeing a perfect ash forming in my saucepan.

So people, don't add sugar to the boiling water when making tea my way. Or just keep standing there to enjoy the bubbling tea over the gas stove. Inhale some and make yourself a better tea drinker.

Please don't forget to tell me a way to boil/make tea without standing by the gas stove if you know. And please don't ask me why I am having more tea than usual these days ...

my signs to stay positive, stay blessed ...

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 07:10:00 +0000

Woke up early after a long time. Working like a maniac, not sleeping properly and seeing ungrateful, unethical people around had left me feeling like a buzzing head. Just a buzzing head, not with ideas but a numbing buzz.

The husband had to leave early today, and I decided to water the parched garden after days of neglect. Some insects have made the plants sick, yellowing, falling leaves were picked and thrown away. Some insects were buried into the soil alive. Yes, I was ruthless to them.

The three musketeers, the Bulbul chicks greeted me with a child like chirp. Hopping here and there, this time I didn't feel like going to grab the camera and click, they were happy playing, the camera makes them conscious. They huddle together like this when they see a prying eye, aided by a lens.

I know the picture is not good, was clicked 2 weeks ago late in the evening. The chicks have grown bigger now, more confident and have started teasing us like the adults do with their acrobatics. The wee birds haven't learned acrobatics yet but teasing they know how to go about.

Then I saw something unexpected. I was so lost in my own stupid world that could not smell these beautiful Parijaat (Prajakta or Shiuli flowers) quietly cascading down the shrubs in the garden, just behind the Lemon tree. Picked them up, came inside, dusted this earthen plate and placed it in the waiting tray of my morning cuppa. Before settling down lazily to have my Darjeeling, brewed for long 15 minutes.

It was then I decided to look for my phone, clicked a picture and thanks to a smart phone in my hands now, uploaded the picture on facebook. This Poetry was born within minutes, courtesy Suranga who writes Gappa and Strewn Ashes, apart from a few more blogs. I am overwhelmed at the positive signs thrown at me by the universe. Thank you Suranga , this poetry felt like someone ran her fingers through my hair and blessed me with a smile.

This was when last night I was thinking how easily I am able to detach from the people who have been mean to me. I get completely blank of emotions for a few such people however sensitive and empathetic I used to feel for them. Jut one thing I need to learn and practice. No one ever should be able to influence me with a mention of Mithi, I just tend to open my heart like a fool, not valuing my own real estate.

On a mission to fortify myself against a few parasites and pests now. The changing weather must help. The Paarijaat brings me a new message.

I know I will be taken care of by the nature, giving me my signs when I need them the most.
Waking up early and stepping bare feet into the garden will be my effort.

Hushed conversations?

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 18:12:00 +0000

This month one of my friends got another bout of the big C and she kicked it in the Ass. Yes, exactly there.

Cancer often hits women at places it hurts more and she had it both the times in those organs. She got one of her breasts amputated this time and called me the very next day of her surgery. Sounding as cheerful as ever. Her husband and two adult sons taking care of her very well, I decided to visit when she might need my kinda help. So when I went to have a chat after a couple of days, I saw her walking freely around the house with her Kurta slit open completely from one side, a drainage pipe jutting out of a bandaged right chest . Bindaas about how she is looking with one breast hanging like a vestigial organ now and another gone for a toss. I got my dose of happiness seeing her that day. Absolutely nonchalant about a woman's pride or Lajja so to speak.

I particularly want to write about how her nonchalance towards sexually relevant organs and functions has made her attitude balanced so she finds it easier to deal with other more health relevant issues.

Blogadda has a weekend blogging contest with the subject "Taking conversations beyond low pitch whispers", and this friend of mine came to my mind immediately. Just as an example. This contest is sponsored by a product that talks about women empowerment. Through vaginal muscle tightening. Does that sound like a joke? It is. No one has heard of an empowered virgin. Period. Empowerment is not dependent on a muscle. But I am not talking about that.

Women's health issues are called intimate issues. It should not be like that I believe. Health issues are never intimate, they need to be addressed in the most appropriate manner and as openly as a migraine or a cough and cold.

I wonder why many women have to suffer in silence. Any issue with a hint of sexual relevance is not a welcome conversation in the family or even with doctors.We are a country where most rural women still don't know they should get help when it hurts. Most urban women don't care when it hurts. In both cases they are convinced 'other issues' are more important.

For the urban woman, unfortunately, cosmetic reasons are becoming more and more important it seems. The efforts to look fairer, younger and more and more sexually attractive are often the priority and all health issues are ignored. Eating disorders are rampant among all age groups of women (and men) just in a quest to look younger and skinny and skin and hair treatments and liposuction and rhynoplasty are given more importance than going for a Mammography or a PAP smear. Even when something uncomfortable has been bothering them for long. Looking and feeling younger has become more of a sex appeal that one must have.Or so it is apparent when you see such ad campaigns claiming to make a woman 'feel like a virgin'.

While the mention of virginity is bullshit for such an ad campaign, I would not go into that as I said.

I felt outraged at the thought of a product which could be good for a woman's health on another level and it is just reduced to be a virginity restoring product. Just because the marketing gurus thought the quest for the sex appeal could be harvested well to market such a product. Unfortunate I believe. And a hypocrisy too.

A product that tightens the vaginal muscles should be addressing some important health concerns for women in the middle age. I see an older woman dialing to order the product to 'feel like a virgin' in this ad film. How much more stupid it could be?

Isn't that a hushed as well as 'dolled up' tone for a larger health concern that should have been addressed more importantly?

Women of older age suffer from Urinal incontinence and Uterine prolapse. While Urinal incontinence is addressed in the last of the 9 benefits of the product listed, Uterine prolapse, which is a larger and equally rampant issue, has been ignored completely. The first 4 points listed in the advert, point at the benefits regarding sexual efficiency. Does that empower a woman ? Or the catch line of this video singing 'feel like a virgin' makes a woman want to feel empowered?

When one can't talk about a product useful for Urinal incontinence and Uterine prolapse, one talks of 'feeling like a virgin'. Diluting the health concern and hushing the tone, dolling it up to sing a song of 'virginity'. How bad in taste. That too for a contest that would be aimed at addressing the 'low pitch whispers' of women's sexual health.

The product, if it really works, could solve the problems of many women, young and old who suffer from the above two conditions. The 'Virgin' angle is a marketing gimmick of a very cheap kind that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Makes me cringe at the creativity of our new age advertisers. Efficacy of the product and listing of the proper active component is another issue that needs attention.

I see no problems with the product even if it is used to feel like a virgin. After all such products and practices have been in vogue since the time of Vedas. And there are other products for men's sexual health and enhancement whose marketing and advertising never raised an eyebrow.

Why the advertisers are not addressing the greater health issues and are positively making a mockery of women's reproductive health?

Zomato Restaurant Guide 2012

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 18:21:00 +0000

Who needs a restaurant guide for the city?

In a printed form that is. May be some tourists who are not connected to the internet all the time or someone who actually wants it offline. The internet is there otherwise.

Zomato has quite a good online presence and this print version could have been a nice way to explore some of the possibilities around restaurants and fine dining establishments offline. But this print version in my hands has failed to deliver to a person who wants a place to eat in a certain locality, if searching on the internet is not an option. This is how I feel this guide fails...

There is no index to guide you through the localities.
Many restaurants have been listed, all in alphabetic order. Who would know the names of restaurants without knowing the locality?
There is an index in the contents list which enlists the restaurant categories. There are only three cuisine categories listed , Asian and Oriental, Italian and European and North Indian and Mughlai, broadly covering the cuisines and not specifically enlisting.
All other categories go like Casual dining, Catching up, Legendary, Notables etc etc. A person new to the city wouldn't know how to find a place.

Okay there are a few categories which might make sense. Beer in a Bar, Best wine list, Business and Travel, Late nighters etc.could make sense for someone who really wants the information.

There should be a folding map of the city dotted with the eateries around so the tourists would be benefited. I have needed such a food guide always when visiting a new city and I was looking at it from that point of view. It disappointed.

The index in the back pages could have been better categorised too. I didn't see many places I already know listed in this restaurant guide. Every city has so many small restaurants serving local cuisine and that should find a mention too. I would prefer a separate section for local street food in such a guide. Only some Mughlai eateries are listed and that is not sufficient in my opinion.

This restaurant guide disappoints me absolutely. Hoping for a better compiled edition next year.

Zomato restaurant guide 2012 was reviewed for Blogadda under the sponsored book review program.

Bobby Abraham, an artist par excellence...

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 09:30:00 +0000

Here is an artist who can connect with a pure soul instantly. And permeates that connection to you too when you see his portraits.

It was a painting and sculptures exhibition held at the Palm court, India habitat center. It was inaugurated yesterday (19th June) and will be up till 24th of June. Go take a look if you want a breather from the Delhi heat. Inauguration was done by the eminent artist Vijendra Sharma and the collection is curated by Radhe Shyam.

Invitation to this exhibition was a pleasure and I promptly landed up with my camera in tow. Summer heat of Delhi doesn't stop you from enjoying your love for art. Some soulful portraits, some sculptures and some mixed media by different artists was on display. You are going to read some more posts about a few of those art pieces in my next posts here. Those ones really touched me.

But the most intriguing pieces were the ones who just trapped your gaze as you entered the hall. As if those eyes were looking at you. The colors inviting you. The deep wrinkles about to tell a story and the knitted brows inquiring all about you.

These are the sadhus of Bobby Abraham. The honest wrinkles of time have made their faces like a mirror of life. Nothing to hide, nothing to camouflage. Pure simple human life dripping in each line. The soul crystal clear, the eyes deep. Those are not strokes of an artists brush, those are actually the strokes of life...

The hot colors would make you connect deeper with the sadhu's soul. Take my word.

Do you see those intriguing eyes? As if they have a direct connect with the other world and still know all about your world. Sneering at your 'trapped in mayajaal status'.... yet not calling you to theirs.

I felt like I met these souls and got enriched in my soul wisdom.

The gaze is still with me. Making me be in peace through my own ways. Energised me with with a new vision.

These are such larger than life paintings you would forget about he brush strokes and tonality. The depth and dimensions. The light or the shadows. Being all these perfect is what takes you to the soul.

If you are in Delhi, don't miss this opportunity to meet these sadhus of Bobby Abraham. They would welcome you and treat you well :-)

Containers, Bowls, Baskets whatever....

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 15:39:00 +0000

Clicked this picture yesterday thinking I'll post it on the blog and ask for suggestions. Suggestions for balancing this little container of coconut shell that I used for planting this beautiful Jade plant. I love little plants in cute little containers around the house. Wish I had more space for all my plants. Most of them are outdoors, a few twigs find their way into small cute containers now and then.

So this coconut shell broke into two unequal halves. The bigger half had the hole which is naturally there for the coconut seed to sprout. I filled soil into the bigger half, planted the Jade in it and placed it into the smaller half so the water that drips from the main container is held by the smaller one. Now the problem was to balance the round bottomed natural container that it was. I placed an old glass bowl under it and kept it in a ceramic wide bowl which is again placed inside a cane basket. Yes, keep counting how many containers and baskets are there :-)

The problem is, I have way too many containers, pots, fruit bowls and baskets for a small home I live in. So I end up placing them one inside the other like this.

The suggestion that I wanted for this coconut container, how do I balance it on a plain surface? Any other ideas than the glass bowl. It does not just look right for a natural container.

Incidentally, this picture was clicked yesterday, that was a Thursday and today I see Bikram's post on containers, the theme for the current Thursday challenge. I wanted to post this picture immediately. And here it is.

Your suggestion is welcome....

The Devotion of Suspect X , a review...

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Wed, 30 May 2012 18:32:00 +0000

I had never ever read a Japanese author and that is a shame because the Japanese culture has always been fascinating for me. A few travelogues and stories about japan written by Indian authors is all I remember reading here and there. So when this book was up for review on Blogadda, I was curious about it.

Reading the introduction, I knew it was a suspense thriller and must be little to do about Japanese culture. I picked up the book for review because it had been a long time I read some thriller. This is the kind of novel that would revoke your interest back to thrillers if you have lost it.

The story begins rather slow, giving a glimpse of a river side population of homeless and struggling people. A Maths teacher Ishigami is walking to work crossing these areas watching a few characters whom he meets on the way. This part of the story moves slow and you might think you wouldn't be able to get a hang of this book.

Hold on to a few more pages and a mystery would unfold and you would get hooked.

Here is a lady Yasuko, living with her daughter, working in a Bento shop and living a peaceful life. She has worked in a bar earlier and has been abused in the past as a wife of a drunkard. She has managed to get a divorce and get away from her ex husband so she can live a decent and undisturbed life with her daughter. She joins a couple who have opened this Bento shop to get her daughter a decent upbringing.

It is a story of how a woman whose ex husband appears one fine day and demands money deceptively, to which she has to give in. The ex husband then goes on to pass lewd remarks on the daughter and in a whirlwind of dramatic events the ex husband is killed.

The novel revolves around solving the mystery of this killing. I wouldn't spoil your suspense by further revealing the story. Read the book if you want to see a puzzle being unfold.

The translation of this book is excellent and you don't realise while reading that this novel was written in some other language.

At 350 INR, and a gripping reading ensured, the novel is a good pick. Authored by Keigo Higashino and translated by Alexander O.Smith with Eley J.Alexander.

This book was sent to me by Blogadda under the book review program. You can also get a book to review by signing up here.

A new bird spotted : Indian black Ibis...

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Mon, 21 May 2012 19:49:00 +0000

Yesterday I decided to go for a morning walk cum bird watch walk with my friend Sukanya Dutta. She is an avid birder too and we started with our camera in hands at around 7 AM.

IARI campus at Pusa institute is a green place with huge old trees and a trained staff to maintain trees and the fauna around. We spotted many bird boxes hung over the trees for House Sparrows. But sadly there were no sparrows in sight, though we see few in our vicinity. The boxes were inhabited by Common Mynahs.

There is a favorite spot of mine in this campus, a huge Arjuna tree (Terminalia arjuna) where we hear a loud noise always in the morning hours. To this date we used to think they were Vultures as the birds looked huge and their cry was harsh and reminded of Vultures. We could see the long necks and huge black birds to confirm our knowledge. The long straight beak was never noticed by the myopic eyes as we (me and my husband) never wore spectacles for morning walks. We have marginally myopic eyes by the way, which doesn't affect normal activities but to see a bird perched on a really tall tree is something else.

So I was wearing my spectacles, and we stopped as usual near the Arjuna tree to see the 'vultures'.

Sukanya is a popular Science writer with NISCAIR and has written 16 books including science fiction and children's books. She has been in this area for the last two decades and has always heard about the 'vultures' roosting in IARI. Yesterday this information was proven wrong.

So as we were looking at them, with bespectacled eyes, I told her these are not vultures for sure as the beaks are just too long. But she was backed by a two decade old knowledge and denied initially. And then I spotted the red head with the slightly powerful lens of my camera (18-105 mm). She was sure then that these were not vultures and kept wondering what could it be. It was a first time spotting of this bird for her as well.

She later confirmed, it was the Indian black Ibis.

This is how I clicked the first picture as in the past too I had always saw them sitting in the nests mostly in pairs. So naturally the camera was pointed towards a nest...

Long beaks evident...

And then one of them stooped his head. It was red. Red signal for us to look out for identifying the species.

And then I spotted a few loners...see the beak...

And the red head...

It raises it's head...

Moves the neck...fluffed up to scare us may be. Birds are always aware someone is watching.

And then smoothing the fluffy neck....if our goose bumps were so easy to hide :-)

Another one looking like an Ostrich...

This one showing it's red head....

And this one guarding the nest while the female is incubating the eggs ...

I noticed the nests looked as if tied with a light colored rope or something, to the branch it was located. See the light bands below the nest marked on the branch...

I was amazed how the birds could have done it. It was later when Sukanya called me up within an hour of returning for the walk, with excitement that she has searched and found what species it is. And when I reminded how the nests looks tied up with a rope she told it could be the bird droppings which trickles down. She knows better.

It was unbelievable though, as those bands looked so uniform... Later when I cropped my pictures, it was confirmed these markings were actually bird droppings.... See the next picture...

The liquid droppings have trickled down on the sloping branch...

See the next , where the bird sitting in the nest is watchful of us, the male on guard looks lazy and the dropping markings are clear...but looking like the branch has been wrapped with light colored rope or something....

Look at the markings more clearly...from below the tree we couldn't have imagined these were bird droppings. looked exactly like someone has tired up the nests for support..

The male guard has started preening...bored of his job of a watch guard ...

But he checks out the nest in between....

Another nest, another female sitting pretty ...

These two are looking like they lost something...

I was calling them redheads all this while...It was only later that we knew the name thanks to the enthusiasm of Sukanya Dutta. I was having my cup of tea when she was searching the internet frantically...No wonder she is a scientist...

Look at the dropping markings again...

This bird made our day.

And this was not all we spotted yesterday. We found a nesting heaven for Yellow footed green pigeons. There were a few dozens of them perched on almost every branch of a Causuarina jungle of sorts...

A Drongo, a few Brown headed Barbets and a couple of Woodpeckers, some Grey Hornbills and many more.

It was a great walk indeed.

Disciplining ourselves, knowing more..bird stories....

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Sat, 05 May 2012 16:35:00 +0000

We do a few things out of habit. Like I used to when I would just break a leftover roti into pieces and keep it into the bird feeder. The usuial Bajra and other millets were kept on a regular basis too, the leftover breads were also put into the same feeder. Last year I even used to make some corn bread only for the birds and the squirrels around. I will not be doing it again.

After reading this information at the NBRI botanical garden I would never keep any cooked food in my bird feeders.

Also, there is a misconception that the birds need water only during the summer months. They do need water in the winters too and I watch them drinking water in my bird baths all round the year.

It's just that they take a dip into the bird bath more often during the summers. It's a treat watching them have a bath, and then preen for a long time as if straightening their dresses. I wish I had a bigger bird bath that looked great in the garden as well. A stone bird bath I saw once had a price tag of more than ten thousand bucks.

Nevertheless , there have been some power meetings in my rock garden , some romances have bloomed and there have been some more exciting times too...

You have to watch the space for an hour and you would see a constant traffic being diverted to this side...

The jungle Babblers are abundant and I have witnessed many of them coming together to the bird feeders and bird baths, taking care of the young ones and making them learn flying. They are a noisy lot and since they are always in a group of seven or even more , hence called Seven Sisters, the noise becomes annoying sometimes.

I have seen all in the family getting together and making a young chick learn flying. And when I watch them they all point their beak at me and shout at me to go away. That's a sight.

I have also seen a lame Babbler who used to stay aloof from the pack of seven and was a little grumpy all the time. But not a bit scared or low spirited. He/she had probably learnt living alone.

I once saw the family scare away a crow who was wandering around to steal the eggs. Surprisingly, a Red crested Bulbul was helping them too. That was the first time I witnessed inter-species cooperation in birds. The crow had no choice when about a dozen birds were hawking at him. Literally.

A new story was witnessed just a few days ago. When a couple of Jungle Babbler chicks were drinking water and the mother came. Both of them started saying something aloud to the mother. See how the mother is listening carefully. How the body language is so clear...

And then the mother started scolding them it seems. Now see the body language of the chicks.

Wings still angry but the beak and face suggest they are listening...

After doing her job, the mother is proceeding to do other important things.

Inspecting around to see if the chicks are safe...

The chicks still thinking what the mother said and though they seem dissatisfied, they have to obey...

The mother has to have a drink of water before she leaves for other things to be done.

The chicks still looking dissatisfied, reluctantly behaving themselves , following instructions.

It's such a beautiful thing to watch them bond. Till date I have seen these Babblers being the most family oriented birds. Probably that is the reason they always come in a group of seven or eight. Probably they are not siblings but the whole family together.

many pet birds are different as they seem to have picked up some human habits. Being away from the natural habitat doesn't allow us to see how they would behave normally.

The other world of dreams...

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 08:35:00 +0000

The blue of the sky
reflects in my heart
as if
you are looking into my eyes
from the world above....

I woke up drenched in sweat. In a winter's night.

Felt like someone was talking to me and it snapped within a fraction of second. I was not able to recollect what it was about. But it seemed very pleasant and comforting.

And slowly it started pouring into my head like a recollection of some snippets of real life.

This is something from the days when I was exasperated about Mithi's condition. It was frustrating to watch a angelic child in pain and distress and the feeling that I am of no use. Those were the days when my own health had started getting affected and I used to fear if something happens to me who would take care of my doll.

The times of the most intense disgust had awakened a resolve in me. I decided to pray for Mithi's departure from this painful world. It was a world full of pain and disability for her. It was better if she went to a better place. I started praying for her release from this excruciating pain. Difficult it was as it meant she wouldn't be with me. Still I did pray as there was no other way.

One or two days into these prayers when I started feeling guilty about it. After all I used to console her saying Mama loves her and will always be with her. All her world was her mama who kept talking to her the whole day and there was almost no exposure to the outside world. Her eyes used to keep looking for me and a hug , a kiss or just a pat sometimes would comfort her. Saying that mama loves Mithi was as common as breathing and probably the lifeline too for both of us. She got comforted and thus comforting me seeing the relieved face.

And here I was praying for something that would take her away from me, I wouldn't be with her always. The realisation struck me hard. The guilt was like a sharp knife piercing through me.

That was the day when I told her. I told her Mama is praying for her to be taken away by God, asking if she is happy with it. She nodded the way she used to, by drooping her eyelids. And with a faint smile. Her smiling muscles were impaired as well. But she had the most wonderful smile believe me.

The twitch of the corner of her lips, the smile that was, and the dimly lit twinkle that her eyes revealed into a fragmented smile, made me comfortable. I knew she wanted the same way and that she was convinced mama is wanting something good. She joined me in my prayer and we did every single prayer together thereafter.

God would take Mithi softly put into an Udankhatola (a flying playpen if translated in English) and make her body alright. She would walk there and play. And then we would meet there.

This became our daily prayer. Holding hands and saying this to each other when we were alone, lying in the bed. For almost a year.

And the prayers worked. Not only in relieving her of the pain, but doing it in a way that was the least bothersome and tormenting for me as well. The dreadful day was handled in the best possible way.

This dream had revealed something serious to me. The sweat soaked body was not distressed but relieved.

The trail of my awakened thoughts took me to the dreams that were a regular frequency till a few weeks back. I would see both of us in different places with Mithi being in the same condition. Myself carrying her delicately so her neck is in the right place and her limbs are dangling like they did in real life. These dreams were numerous, every time there will a similar kind of situation but different places and we as different people. Both of us always worried about her well being. I was always caressing or protecting her limbs or carrying her in my lap protectively.

There was this uncanny feeling that she was my daughter in every life that I had and this ailment was there every time. A disheartening thought. An excruciating feeling.

And then I stopped getting these dreams. Did this new dream come with a message?

I was still clueless and yet with a pleasant feeling of being with someone very comforting.

Drenched in sweat, as I splashed water on my face, the realisation occurred that those prayers might have relieved her from the suffering for always. I couldn't remember a thing from this dream but there was a feeling that I have been with her, she telling me how it worked. With a broader smile, a brighter face.

Was it a message for me from the other world?

A comforting message for sure.

Have you ever been to the world of dreams?

All of us dream something or the else everyday but have you woke up after a dream feeling you were there physically? Lucid dreams.

It has been a regular thing with me, I used to have lucid dreams and would get disoriented when awake, sometimes confused and sometimes the memory of the dream would meld with real memories to make them one, un-distinguishable. Real.

I saw many incidents that were about to happen, layouts of the streets I had to inhabit and the feel of the house I was to shift. Many times in the past, I would get an idea of how the things would turn out in close future.

How dreams take you to another world. A real world, as if you are just in another city or in another compartment of the same train you are travelling. The visions are so real, the feelings tangible. I have witnessed many of my lucid dreams coming to reality. I would recall just the way I felt in the dream when I would experience the same feeling in reality, when the dream unfolds in cold realty.

Some times a restlessness that I felt in a particular dream would be experienced in real life and my mind would travel back to the same dream subconsciously...the memory of the restlessness would veer back to the dream eventually.

This time the dream was to comfort me.

It was like another puzzle unfolding and I am definitely feeling a lot better.

about not being a feminist and still working for the cause...

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:14:00 +0000

It's wonderful sometimes how we are introduced to some friends. In the age of the internet the coincidences have taken a new meaning. It was by chance that my attention was drawn towards a facebook status update by Dhiren. He had shared about a group called The Purple Pact and the description said it is about Fibromyalgia and chronic pain. I clicked the like button and as I was checking the details I got a message in my inbox saying thanks for joining this group.

This girl was telling about how the group is targeted at conditions like Fibromyalgia, chronic pain and spine degeneration, I replied that i knew these terms as my daughter had scoliosis as one of her symptoms. I was in for a huge surprise when this girl said she knew Mithi and that she has been reading my blog and knew everything about me and Mithi. I was dumbstruck as she proceeded to tell me that she has been praying silently, never having the heart to comment on this blog. I was touched. And I was back into the vortex that keep awaiting for me to trip. I am thankful to all those who prayed silently.

This girl is Sagarika Chakraborty and she shared that it took her a lot of time to have the courage to come out in the open with this medical condition of hers. She asked me if I could contribute to this blog called Purple is The Color of The Season.

I immediately agreed.We talked about it in detail and I suggested a diet plan for her as well. Which proved beneficial of course. Then I wrote a post on the blog regarding dietary role in combating the symptoms.

A few days went by and I stumbled upon a status update again that said this girl had written a book. I pinged her immediately and she giggled in the fb lingo. And then she asked me to read the book as well. That was something I brushed off saying formal things as I was in no mood to read another book by a novice. Honestly.

It was then that I asked her what this book is about. It revealed it was about the women and their sufferings.

Another reason for me to not to go for a book like this. Not that I don't have a heart but I just didn't want any stressful reading as there is enough stress already to tackle. A discussion began as I wanted to know her views on her idea of feminism. She said she is not a feminist and that perked up my ears. Absolutely.

Someone who wrote about the sufferings of women and still is not a feminist is sure something I would approve of. I want an understanding of the social malaise and not a futile hullabaloo over a few issues. A deep understanding will be the right solution in long term and all the symptomatic reactions to immediate happenings would die down as soon as a new girl is raped on the streets. These are my reasons of not being a feminist. I just cannot pick up one cause and segregate it from all the other social issues. Evereything else is interconnected and works in totality.

Some more prodding by Sagarika's side, she wanted my opinion on the book. And I made up my mind to read. Not someone to be convinced so easily, I succumbed to have a look what a young mind had to say about gender issues.

The book is named A Calender Too Crowded. It mocks at the appointed dates for the betterment of women in general. Does so quite well.

I ordered the book and read the first story immediately. About a story a week was my target as I never want to get overwhelmed with poignant tales of misery. There is actually a lot of misery we all have witnessed and the stories in this book are something all of us have seen around. Sagarika is a gifted writer and you completely relate to the stories. We all have witnessed some or the other social malaise, inequality and suppression. Some religious rigidness thrown in for a good measure and the situation becomes even more glum.

A weekend travelling routine gave me another opportunity to read a few more stories. And some more time to ponder upon them.

I liked a particular story called When The Ganges Run Dry. This is something I have witnessed in my own family. Thank God my grandmother (daadi) was not like that but many of her next generation women were the same. As if the Ganges could clean all sins and you are free to go on polluting the river of your own worldly sins...this line is mine :-)

Another story about a prostitute who goes on to educate her daughter in a boarding school is very touching. Selling a Body to Gain a Mind. Questioning the conscience at the right points. Not making a noise.

And that is the thing I liked about this book.Questioning the conscience at the right points. Not making a noise. Not telling others to do what they need to. Just getting up and start walking. No one would stop when you start walking. I applaud when a young mind thinks like this.

Squatting on the societal norms and blaming others is passe. Make your calendar and start marking the days.

A change for sure. But how?

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 19:09:00 +0000

Looking at the mindset of policemen in our country It looks like they just have garbed themselves as the law keepers and haven't come out of the societal mold they were brought up in. I am sure there are fewer of them in the force. After all we have seen good cops too.

Still it is a sad situation. I am talking about those crooked minds in the police force.

They know they are the law keepers, they practice it in their own ways but probably find themselves fit for citing the skewed, cockeyed reasons behind a crime. A particular kind of crime most of the times. Crime against women.

Even more sadly, frustrating actually, those reasons come from a deep rooted mindset they have grown up with, coming from the same rotting decaying society where the power and the influence decides who is fair. And the conventional wisdom is never to be questioned. Someone who defies the norm is considered to harbor 'the wrongs'. Those wrongs could be violation of body and freedom of some one too. If the victim has defied some norms, it is quite right for the powerful and influential to align the cause of the crime with the victim.

It is spectacularly easy when the one who defies the norms and becomes a victim is a woman. Aligning the cause of the crime with the victim.

Quite interestingly, the powerful and influential can defy the norms themselves according to their own convenience and that would not be liable to questioning.

These policemen of our times are just confirming to the old societal pattern.

Reasons are many.

There is no aptitude required to join any profession in our country. Anyone can join any profession mostly depending on the grades they secure during schooling and later how much influence they have in the recruitment circles. Networking to get the job.

Deep rooted malaise.

Then there are the parents who decide even before the child is born what profession he/she would follow. Many times generations after generations follow the footsteps of parents in joining Politics, Medicine, Engineering, Law, Sports, Business, Police force or Army/Navy/Air force. Ah yes, the three forces also look down upon each other. You are again expected to follow the tradition, in a proud way.

No wonder the Doctors end up being businessmen or shrewd politicians sometimes, Lawyers trade the truth and Policemen join hands with criminals or are found thinking/speaking/behaving like them.

No wonder.

Misplaced talent, mangled beliefs and minds frozen in the stone age can't do any better.

Now, a change is required. Actually an overhaul.

Oh that we all agree but how? How is the change that is so crucial in recent times, would come?

Do punishments work?
Or bullying and blaming on national television or on social media?
Or bringing some systemic changes to uproot the evil.

While bullying and blaming the policeman or any professional who is incapable or is taking advantage of his/her power or position, is not going to work in this kind of situation. The reason is, such policeman have the belief system so ingrained in their minds that they would see the blaming as a dent on their ego and chances are, they would bounce back with enhanced energy levels. The law keeping would suffer and there will be an environment of rivalry between the change seekers and the resistant, reluctant, power hungry, corrupt minded policemen.

Punishments would work

If it is the kind that Ms Kiran Bedi suggested. The annual CR should include a column of gender sensitivity or communal sensitivity etc. If that column is marked negatively, the whole career of the insensitive policeman would suffer and they would all think twice before uttering something like that. Though the deep cleansing would still be required.

Some more ways to bring them to discipline should be looked for. Psychological, behavioral and motivational research can suggest some good measures.

Bringing the changes at systemic levels are so much required in all the professional fields. There should be an aptitude test before joining a profession and there should always be an induction training which includes sensitivity on all issues that affect law keeping in the case of police force. This aptitude test and induction training would help in teaching and medicine a lot too. And politics for sure.

Having said that, I am glad that some of the police officers are making such mistakes. Of blaming the victims and taking the crimes lightly, hence benefiting the criminals to a large extent.

I mean the mindset was always there, they were always reluctant to budge when a woman approached them for reporting a crime, it's only now that they have become vocal about their mindset. Thanks to the curious reporters who have been laughed at for huffing and puffing to find the right words at the scene or either war or elections till now. The spy cam journos have done the rest of the excavation to unearth the deepest folds of a mind of a typical policeman.

This way the malaise that was so deep rooted and yet unaccounted for is being unearthed and there is a talk on how to sensitize the police force. The criminals have always been acquitted (65% of rapists get acquitted by the courts on some or the other grounds) or benefited by the system somehow, to a large extent. The recent vocal behavior of some of the policemen, on or off the camera, has opened the lid off a rotten gutter.

Cleaning looks like an emergency measure now. The need to change is a priority now.

The process, the change, will not be an overnight miracle, but there should be some change in the aptitude and attitude of the law keepers.

I am hopeful.

This post is an entry for Stayfree women for change.

Caught in a wrong warp of time ?

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:13:00 +0000

I felt so guilty for saying no to a lady who ringed my bell just ten minutes back.
She asked me if I needed some pads, when I said no she asked if I needed some lipsticks. My voice raised a bit and I said no I do not want it. Please go.

And then my heart just sank. I saw the lady returning , she had a slight limp, the way arthritis makes older people walk. The lady was about fifty five I noticed. My immediate thought was why is she doing it? She could have done something better. In a better way probably. She is carrying a large bag on the shoulder one side and a hand held jhola in the other hand, probably lipsticks. Henna dyed hair and empty large eyes.
Voice was very polite. Beta pads chahiye?

A no and then a stronger no from this door...please aap jayiye...

I felt the sinking some more. A thought came she might be hired from someone to market these products. Or she might be buying these from some wholesale market and selling to meet ends. I was thinking why some people keep struggling this way while some others make money almost instantly. Why there seems to be no rhyme in such comparisons.

May be this is her time to learn more about the world.
Or there is a realisation she still is deprived of.
Or a reality she has been in denial of.

I just prayed for her to find a new way to reach where she wants to.

Solving the puzzles, one at a time....moving to a happier life...wishing you all the same...

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 20:35:00 +0000

Some mysteries and puzzles of life just bedazzle you with the intensity they come with, you feel blinded yet awakened somewhere deep within. Finding a clearer view of what just flashed before your eyes takes a longer time sometimes. And a life time sometimes. I so wish to adjust my eyes to this kind of dazzle as soon as I can do, the universe has it's own plans though.

Two years ago, when my prayers were answered and my angel was called back, I was just puzzled by the timing. Deep in my heart I knew it was designed by my angel herself. She did not want her mama to be lonely ever, even on the dreaded day, so she ensured she will be surrounded by some friend's good wishes on the day and the next few days every year. No matter who remembers and who doesn't, who chickens out to talk to a lowly voice, there will be some oblivious voices chirpily wishing and uplifting her mama's spirits ....year after year, right at the time when she needs it the most.

Her mama was puzzled, as it seemed like slipping into a dream or waking up from a dream suddenly. It was like we were holding water between our palms and it just trickled down when we woke up.

I used to a have a recurrent dream in my childhood days that Santa or someone similar has given me something precious and I am holding it into my palm. Tightly secured, fearing I would loose it as soon I loosened the grip. Every time I would suspect it was a dream and that my fists would be empty when I wake up, yet I would keep my fist tightly closed to protect my gift. And every single time I would find my fist empty when I woke up.

I had the same feeling just 5 days after Christmas that year...I was so possessive of her and she was gone in an instant and it felt like she slipped off my tight fist without my realising. Like I just woke up to a dream with empty hands, still feeling that touch on my skin.

Puzzled,baffled...flummoxed.....just about the timing. The result, the day and the final moment was very much in my awareness but this timing was puzzling me really. It is opening up to me now, block by block as I understand what it is that she wanted. She, my gift from God himself, wanted her mama to wish the world for a happy new year every year.

It just happened to me that I was feeling it hard to wish everyone on facebook or on my blogs or even through texting as I never want the wishes to be empty or fake. If it doesn't come from the heart it is not to be communicated for me. And it was not coming form the heart till now. I was even finding it tough to reply the wishes sent by dear friends. At the same time it came earlier than the last year on this occasion...... even though I am all alone at home this time, the husband being away for work.

And then I realised that it would now come naturally to me as it used to be...wishing everybody honestly , heartfelt wishes.

See me next year friends...my angel has done a miracle for me.

Her mama is growing rows of flowers and sending you all heartfelt wishes for the year to come.

Building brain power...Turning grey matter in to gold...a useful book for parents and teachers...

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:44:00 +0000

Do you think you know your brain well ?

I know your answer...you really can't know your brain ever in absolute terms. But we can all try and know more about how it works and how we can train it to work the way we want it to. I have always been into training my mind in order to sail through difficult waters, many people do that on a subconscious level to achieve day to day goals and to scale new heights of success.

I have been a teacher for almost a decade and have experienced how you can make the kids learn things easily if you can make them visualise the forms they are being taught. If you are able to make a three dimensional picture in the young student's mind the lessons are imprinted in their mind for ever. Arousing the curiosity also works wonders with young minds when you are to teach them about a complex topic. We should let the creativity of young minds loose to make peace with the logic they are exposed to.

As Dilip Mukherjea rightly says, "The ability to apply logic in our thinking is essential, But it should not dominate our mode of operation when the need of creativity beckons."

I always keep looking for literature that talks about mind, brain and the infinite possibilities associated with this one gift of God to humankind ...that was the reason straight away showed interest in reviewing the book Building Brainpower by Dilip Mukerjea when Blogadda informed the same.

Human brain is such a bundle of miracles, with infinite ways to train it to perform in numerous ways. This is what I always have believed in, many of you do i know, for me it was more in a spiritual way during the last couple of years. The immense possibilities with the functioning of brain mesmerize me whenever i read about the way it works at the crossroads of it's synapses. The book introduces a layman about brain as an organ first, the parts I skipped reading as I have read those details with great interest in my student life and there was hardly anything new to know.

Brain mapping as a tool to train the mind is comparatively a new idea for me, especially the way it is explained in the book. Dilip Mukerjea has done some wonderful illustrations by himself to explain how one can map all the information about a particular subject with the help of a diagram using different colors and some images to help the brain remember every single detail. Receptivity of he brain can be enhanced many folds as the book says, 'Brain blooming' or 'Brain blossoming' are the new terms for 'Brain storming', quite literally. Through 'Brain blooming' more thoughts are generated and appropriately assessed.
Isn't that a wonderful thing to practice.

The illustrations and the brain mapping techniques can be really helpful for students, parents and teachers and I think there should be workshops for teachers to train them how to use brain mapping as a tool in teaching. The book discusses how colors and doodles can help in the learning process as well as using key words when memorising a piece of information. In my experience, the doodles we make during lectures, the jokes the teachers cracks while teaching and even the music we listen during self studying helps the process of cementing the information in our brain. To be dug up later whenever required, or better to resurface by it's own whenever required.

Reading is actually a dynamic process in which our brain converts symbols into ideas. How a string of words gets imprinted into the brain like a thought process, like an ideology for life or simple wisdom to live life. The book comes with some interesting anecdotes about the reading and memorising text, much for the students if they takes pains to read a hefty book like this. It will be worth the pain for those who learn by memorising and for those who are learning in a training atmosphere, be it a school or a trainees camp. The book gets a little boring for self learners i must say.

Yes, the book looks more like an academic journal, might be scary to look at but keeps you engaged if you understand the working of brain as a constant firing of ideas and emotions. Understanding the brain makes the first part of book if you are interested to know the biology. There are some worksheet type exercises in the last part of the book, which you might find boring again, but could be helpful for some kids and young students.

A great book for those concerned with teaching and training. As i mentioned, more for teachers,parents and students in that order , knowing students need to be inspired by the teachers or parents.

Dilip Mukherjea runs Buzon center at Singapore and has written many books on mind mapping, fast reading and memorising techniques etc., and this book includes almost every element required for a methodical learning. I wish the book was written in a more engaging way , I could read because I have interest in the process of making the brain more and more productive. Overall a good book I must say..

This review is a part of Indian bloggers book reviews program by blogadda . Participate now to get free books.

doors of the past...

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:40:00 +0000

Walking on the streets of Banaras is never a dull moment. A lot of chaos ... all kinds of people belonging to different centuries brush shoulders with each other and talk in different languages. Still understanding each other. Some quadrupeds pushing through the human types or chasing them. We were walking towards pizzeria one day when we saw a foreigner running with his fancy running shoes on , with a steady speed meandering through the maze of all the centuries walking on the narrow lane. A dog got curious and started following him with a warning bark. That guy who was wearing smart looking running gear, stopped , bent down, picked up a stone and gestured to hit the dog ....The dog stopped , stepped back and the foreigner resumed his run.

Both of us( Arvind and me) were smiling seeing this how each one on the road is conditioned to this kind of chaos and everything goes on with a smooth precision.

I found this door on the same street which leads to Assi ghat starting from Nagwa , where we saw the dog chase ...there is something to stop and gaze every few steps .... or I am an eternal romantic....who knows better :-)

Many foreigners live in this side of the town as they come and settle down for studies and for spiritual reasons too. My favorite authors Robert Pirsig and Inez Baraney have lived and walked in these streets of Banaras and i feel a connect when i read their stories. Many of the Hindi laureates have lived in this city and their stories are full of life, a timelessness is what i witness in their works. This city and it's streets are timeless. Modern and ancient exist together and meld together like they were born here... together.

This interesting door was closed and looked like as if the building is abandoned. But i saw one of the doors ajar when we were walking back from pizzeria . Someone certainly lives inside this historical looking home.

There was a sliding iron gate inside this frail damaged yet strong old wooden door to indicate someone has made it habitable for a modern life. Or a life hung between centuries.

Or a timeless life.

This is the feeling i always get whenever i visit the areas around the ghats... there is a certain rhythm in the life in this place which cannot be explained in words. You have to spend an evening on the ghats of Ganges to experience that.

Doors is the topic of today's Thursday challenge and when i saw it on Bikram's blog i was just reminded of this old wooden door from a timeless street in Banaras.

I really want to visit many more old cities of India as the few i have visited till now seem to be having the same kind of soul. A sense of belonging , a sense of being connected and a sense of walking through the same doors we get in such cities...

worship them but don't have them...

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:20:00 +0000

Some Hindu mythology terms used in the text...

Kanjka ...a name given to the young girl avatar of the goddess Durga.
Devi ... goddess
Pooja ...worship.
Halwa poori and chana ...the traditional dishes made as an offering to the Godess.
Maha astami ...a auspicious date in hindu calender
Navratra...a nine day period in hindu calender when Godess Durga is considered to visit the worldly ...

The day of maha ashtami during Navratra is considered special for worshiping the kanya roop (young girl avatar) of the Devi. Young girls from all over the neighborhood are invited and worshiped, their feet are washed and they are seated on a decorated place and offered the traditional halwa poori and chana. They are worshiped like any other God, in this case Devi (goddess). In the northern parts of India, young girls are called Kanjka on this day, Kanjka is the name given for the young girl avatar of the Goddess.

I witnessed something very obvious which has happened in our society recently. Still it remains oblivious.
Early in the morning i saw a middle aged lady searching for kanjkas in the neighborhood and muttering how there are no kanjakas 'available' these days.

What i see in my neighborhood is that people call the daughters of maids and other workers to perform this pooja which is considered to bring good luck and prosperity (all kinds of worshiping is done with a sole purpose), the maids bring a group of young girls with them, often all the young girls from their locality, and they visit the apartments one after the other.

Now , don't get me wrong as i do not have anything against feeding these young girls(from slums) and offering them some gifts on this occasion. I myself used to invite many of my friend's daughters and some maids' daughters (and sons too) for maha ashtami pooja some years ago and it used to be a great picnic for all the kids. For me it used to be a nice get together of kids which my daughter also enjoyed and many kids would refuse to go home.

I would come to what came upon me today seeing that middle aged woman asking for the kanjkas .... Aajkal kanjkan milti hi nahi hain ( these kanjakas are not available these days)... I was reminded of a day when i overheard this lady advising another younger pregnant lady , asking weather she has got the 'tests' done. She was saying ...hamare zamaane me to ye test hote nahi the to humne kuchh nahi kiya, ab toh mauka hai , beta hi kar lo .....(these tests were not available in our times but now you should try for a son as there are options).....A quick flash back flickered before my eyes and i have been thinking about the morals we have as a society.

Incidentally , the trade and practice of sex determination and preferential abortions has picked up in the last decade only , may be a little earlier Although there were other practices like killing the girl child after birth in some parts of the country but this particular 'sex determination test' thing has made it more convenient for the people who think that aborting a female foetus is not murder and there is nothing wrong in doing that. I will talk about this mind set a little later, but this sudden unavailability of kanjakas (young girls during navaratra) is a recent phenomenon. I guess girls aged below 10 would be even lesser in numbers than the already skewed gender ratio.

Interestingly , the gender ratio doesn't seem to be affected amongst the slum dwellers . Is it due to the unavailability of means for them or ignorance of such 'divine facilities'. Or it is due to the fact that their social fabric is different from the mainstream society . The woman is often the sole bread earner and worker by all means. Or just more working hands irrespective of gender. They seems to be the providers of Kanjkas of maha ashtami for a long time to come. Idols for worships come from the most unlikely places and go back to the oblivious life they live.

How the same people who worship the kanjakas whole heartedly are the same people who advocate those 'tests' and advice young couples to abort a female foetus . Isn't that shocking? I wouldn't be surprised to see the couple who chose to abort a female foetus , inviting young girls and worshiping them for the prosperity they thought their own daughter would have hindered.

I am talking of my own experience...
I have seen people of my generation (earlier i used to think our generation is the one who would bring change)
justifying sex determination and female foeticide. It was numb shocking for me to see a friend of mine whose family includes 4 doctors and a lawyer, choose to abort a female foetus...which would have been her second daughter. Yes, i am ashamed of that friend of mine. It was even more shameful when she tried to convince me how there is no life in the foetus till.....

I will tell you something even more shocking. This was a person who used to talk like an activist, talking about women's rights all the time in our college days and rebelling against every restriction she thought society is putting on women. The question is , how these people turn deaf and dumb when it's their turn to act. They want everything from the society, condemn the society when their own conveniences are denied and bend the moralities in their own favor whenever required , for their own convenience. Are we a nation of self centered people? Pointing a finger to others when norms are inconvenient for us and keeping our eyes shut when we ourselves do a crime....

And we worship the kanjka.....

And i question the activist types more.....just because i have seen more fake activists in my life.

Do we use activism as a means to make the societal fabric convenient for ourselves only ?
Do we work from our own side to make the societal structure conducive for overall growth , including equal rights for women and children and for other people deprived of human rights?
Do we know that demanding for equal rights and working for equal rights could be more result oriented if we would have worked for self empowerment and awareness (i would call it awakening) ?

I was just thinking if today being maha ashtami , some people might have performed this pooja first thing in the morning and went on to do this business of sex selection as their 'job' .

Or in some family the discussions of aborting a female foetus might have been hush hushed just for today or they might have gone ahead with their plans after performing the pooja at home...

I am wondering.....

For those who want to know....

noreply@blogger.com (sangeeta) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:04:00 +0000

Why the Himalayas and what made me try this .....

Considering it was such an exhaustive cycling expedition and i am no cycling expert I was very reluctant initially, to talk the nitty-gritty of it.. True that i like doing so many different things , some of them very enthusiastically but i end up being an average performer. Not that i regret being an average performer, but an average performer is not the best person to tell the stories of how to do things. An average performer can just tell how to plunge into something even when you don't really want to win. How wanting to do something can be a winning feeling. And more than winning the battle or reaching the destination , the journey can be a test of your limits too. Average performers learn to be contented even when they take breaks and are clubbed with the laggards. At the same time you, as an average performer, overcome the odds and 'stay there' even when the difficulties seem to take your spirits off your mind . All said, after seeing so many excellent performers zip zapping past me, i think i can tell what i didn't have. Years of practiced stamina, that tidal volume they had. But still i could cycle , at my own pace and cover unbelievably long distances ...racing was not on my mind anyways.

I knew i had very limited time and still i wanted to give it a chance, that could make it more interesting for the people who want to know how i prepared for an extraordinary cycling expedition like this ...a couch potato sprouting legs to peddle and expanding lungs to inhale....:) It was unbelievable for me too...

There was much more i learnt during this apart from cycling fundas and performance-fitness strategies.....And here i am , a reluctant learner ...sharing my journey with you. I realized that a basic threshold of fitness was required of course, but there was much more to it.....

I would quote a discussion i was having with one of the organizers travelling with us on the expedition . This gentleman was complaining about how the newbies and amateurs are not suitable for this kind of torturous cycling event , he told me he was disappointed and even angry to know that someone has just learned cycling for 15 days and has come for this expedition. I asked him what if the girl in question was fit enough to pull it off as this journey was more than just cycling as i felt. He shrugged and gave a half smile , let's see ...

Needless to say , the lady in question was a 43 year old yoga teacher and she cycled so well till the end. I met another woman who learnt cycling just for this event and did very well with good energy level throughout the expedition. This woman is a doctor and had traversed the same route on a motorbike 4 years back and that time she had learnt to drive a bike just for that . Indicative of the fact that it's not the vehicle you choose to go there , it's your personal grit against adversities and love for nature combined which takes you through the most treacherous roads of the world.

Having said that, almost all the girls i am i touch with, feel that there were times when they thought why did they decide to go for it , The tough uphills , scorching sun and declining pO2 ...it was an extreme concoction.You need to carry your own water with you and many of us didn't have the camelback hydration packs, most of us used to carry 2 liters of water , our bottles tucked into the clamps and yet we needed to refill the bottles a few times. A dry mouth , breathless lungs and oxygen deprived muscles , all of that could be a recipe to disaster. The muscles and joints can get injured very easily if not warmed up properly before starting , can you imagine there was hardly time to warm up before we started our daily spin?

Your muscles need to be warm to perform well and your joints need to be warm too before starting and imagine after a night in the tents , often sleepless , a reluctant visit to the open air or pit toilets , quick brushing and a quicker breakfast ...repacking your bags and loading them into the truck and getting your gear ready for the daily pedaling. This was in such contrast with our daily workouts,with proper warm ups-working out in the luxury of abundant oxygen-proper fluid intake-and then a relaxed cool down session. And REST . There was practically no rest between those long hours of cycling daily.

It was getting more and more difficult daily and as soon as we reached Sarchu , many of us required Oxygen and one of the participant was recorded with a pO2 of 40% ( normal value is 80-100%) A very handsome doctor treated us at Sarchu army hospital BTW... It was so heartening to see the participants getting up and getting ready to cycle again, and no , it was not because of the handsome doctor, it was what they had come for, to challenge their own body and mind. Many participants required the services of the accompanying ambulance and started with the cycles as soon as they felt better. It was the place to see a bundle of highly motivated people.

Was i really ready for such a tough task of my life? Not really . Not when i got to know about it through IHM.I was really very uneasy about my fitness levels and whatever i could do in the two and a half months i got for my preparations for this event. Needless to say, i started spinning on my standing bike the day i decided to go. I was very reluctant because of my long years of being a couch potato when IHM asked me for the first time. It was after a long telephonic chat with her friend Anita Rao, who is also one of the organizers, that i decided i should go. She is one great motivating person and i fell in love with her from day one.

The feeling to challenge myself had awakened . Then came the wanting to get back to my fit days. I had seen many mental challenges during the past years and this time i wanted to challenge myself on a different turf.

Okay , so this old standing bike was dusted and pulled up in the middle of my dining space and thus started my 5-10 minutes of spinning after every hour or so. Being breathless in the first few days and then getting my breath back as the day passed , i started doing my pranayam and yoga stretches too for one and a half hours in the morning. Do i need to say i started feeling a lot better on energy level front. It was not difficult to cycle 50-60 kms a day almost daily, sometimes even more. It was later to be revealed that in the mountains, this much energy was to be exhausted in just 30 kms and we would need to push more every single day.

How fit i was before this expedition?

I used to do an hour of morning walk cum bird watching in the morning earlier , with a good session of gardening (read handling the hoe and repeated squatting , weeding etc. , getting myself dirty in the process) once a week at least. A few yoga stretches now and then and some ten minute sessions of pranayam thrown in time to time. My standing bike was masquerading a hanger in a corner all these years , now it was time to place my butt on it . And what a discovery it was , i never knew cycling for long hours can give you serious butt issues to deal with. I realized i needed some basic equipment for cycling. A gel padded saddle cover and a gel and chamois padded cycling pants were bought and started my cycling practice , mostly within the confines of my home. Delhi roads are scary for a cyclist and i didn't want to buy a cycle till i was sure i would continue cycling , and i am still not sure of it :)

I did cycling on the roads too , some 3-4 days for 2-3 hours each day . It was on a borrowed racing bike which was more than 30 years old and gave me knee pain because of it's chain being faulty and other issues i could not diagnose. Some knee specific stretches were included to protect my precious knees . All of these exercises were self motivated and found on the internet thanks to the age of google. I was not in a mood to go out of my home much and to invest too much into it for some reasons .Somehow i still wanted to be in my comfort zone probably while preparing and yet i had to go out and challenge myself with all my grit i thought i had...how this affinity to my comfort zone was challenged you already know :)

A great deal of online research led to discoveries of good stretching techniques , cycling equipment and packing essentials. It helped a lot. Being a beginner and a first timer i was curious to know more about the other people who were going for this expedition ,i made a facebook group to interact with people who were going on this prestigious expedition. We shared our exercise regimes and lists of packing essentials, tips were exchanged about what kind of padding in the cycling pants were suitable for us. Turned out that the chamois padding is better for long duration cycling expedition like ours. Some home remedies for joint pains and mountain sickness were exchanged and travel plans were finalized. The bus we boarded from Delhi, turned out to be a college excursion like experience as there were 16 cyclists from our group and 3 Australian cyclists who were carrying their own cycles in the boot of the bus. Interestingly those Australian cyclists were planning to cycle from manali to spiti valley and then move on to srinagar but seeing and knowing about our group prompted them to cycle till khardung la , we used to meet them every day. They probably proceeded towards srinagar after that.

The expedition was a huge learning experience, discovering myself a bit more and discovering people around me a little bit more too. Being with the most natural elements of nature comes with a lot of surprises and a lot of spiritual moments , a lot of introspection in a human mind . Feeling like being just a speck of dirt on the face of Earth and still having a place of my own and a consigned work of my own.

On a lighter note , there were many villagers we found till Keylong , who asked where we were going. After knowing we were going to Khardung la , many of the girls were asked why we are going on cycles .....

This kid came to me asking to be photographed and wanted to see how he looks in the camera. His father asked me where we were going and why on bicycles. How some questions are tough to answer and we have to look away with a smile :)
This cute kid wanted a bicycle and wanted mine , i made a false promise to come back to him.....How we make false promises to kids . I had to say similar things to many kids we found during the Kullu to Solang nala via Manali ride, that was our first day of cycling and we found many slate roof houses and many women and children walking past the roadside , that day was the happiest day of cycling , if i forget making false promises to those innocent kids.

Not for those false promises i made , but i want to go there again for sure.....my soul is craving for it....