No place like home...

The last blog seems so rushed! I’ve just tried to finish sentences, and have written sentences after sentences with no link at all. Well, this is what an empty stomach, tired eyes, and bored mind can come up with! Well, I was for a very long time in a cyber-café and just had decided to finish the article off!

Anyways, bragging about this city, I’ve so started liking will be done some other day! Actually, as of now, I’m missing my hometown! My home, the privacy of my room, the comforting presence of my teddy bear, the shoulder of my dearest friends, and the so unnerving yet comforting concern of my parents!

Missing you all a lot! Now, I’m just waiting to come home! Today can be called a day, I realize

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

♥♥♥Pune♥♥♥

Pune is the so called cultural capital of Maharashtra, and when I told people I’m going to Pune for my post-graduation, I received a mixed opinion about the city. Some said, they just love the city, and all its qualities, and lifestyle. Some said, it’s a beautiful city, with some weird people. With a baggage full of advices from friends and well-wishers, I myself come in this city, to see what kind of a city it is!

Well, the city is as mixed as its opinions. First opinion was that the city is slow, but slowly I realized it’s not slow, it’s just a little laid-back, and don’t know why, even I like the laid-back attitude, and even I’ve become little laid back. The climate is one thing you’ll like, it’s nice and dry, and in monsoons, just a shower of rain, makes the city nice and cool!

One thing I noticed about Pune that there are very few of Pune-ites and more of migrants, coming here for education, jobs, etc. These migrants also include foreigners. Also, people of Pune are great foodies; they love to eat, because they enjoy flavors. And I bet, most of people’s salary is spent on eating outside.

One thing I noticed, that people in Mumbai have a mindset that, people in Pune are rude and just not co-operative. In fact 90% Pune-ites I’ve come across, including my classmates, are just too good to be those typical ‘PUNEKARS’. Agreed that there is that 10%, who are typically rude and bad, but they are not included in my friends’ circle, in fact such people are nowhere close to me, you’ll find such people only in areas, they are famous for, called as ‘Peths’. Otherwise, the city is full of pretty nice people.

Come to talk of friends, I’m just plain lucky! I’ve got lovely classmates, and friends. They pick you, drop you, and give company when you feel lonely, show super-cool destinations for eating, waste your time, trouble you with messages, and typical ‘Punekar taunts’. But they’ll always be there when you need them. Life wouldn’t have been the same, if I’d other people instead of these cartoons. Thank you!!

Let’s see, till now life here has been very nice, with nice adventures, and wonderful experiences, with its ups and downs also. With some quarrels and clashes too, but they are a part of life, and a part of me!

My life has always surprised me, has changed always. Even now it’s going to change a lot. I just hope I adapt and survive easily through these changes! Life is after all ‘SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST’

Good-byes......

Just have no idea from where to start it’s been so long I haven’t blogged, exactly the same time when I’ve so much going in my life, starting from the time I came to Pune for my post-grad. Life can be highly unpredictable, and my indecisiveness just contributes more to it.

The last time I’ve blogged is about the trek I’d been to, I remember when I was telling my friends there that I’m really going, I’ve cleared the entrance, none believed. Somewhere even I didn’t believe in myself either. I took admission, that is when I knew I’m surely going to Pune, still my friends, and even my parents didn’t believe. They had to believe when I started all my packing a day before.

At times I feel like a criminal, for leaving my friends and family, but I know it’s stupid! Even though we are far, I know they, their thoughts and their wishes are still with me. Basically, they are with me, even when not around me.

The most difficult part was telling close ones good-bye, and ‘I’ll miss you’. It’s a lot easier to say, I’m so happy I’m finally getting rid of you! But there’s one thing I like about a goodbye. People close to us, realize how life will be difficult without us, and in the last few days try to show all the love they have for us!

Such are goodbyes, a little sweet, a little bitter, and a little salty due to the tears, but so full of emotions, that they can keep you alive in a new city till the time you make new friends in a new place!!!

Up and down the valley....

The problem with plans is that they always turn out as flops. So this time when we decided to go for a trek, I thought not planning would be a better option. So, this time, nothing was planned, until the last minute. The previous night, people were informed, and all those who could make it at such short notice, were finalized.

The destination we’d decided for our trek was ‘Peth Fort’ in Ambivali village. We went by train to ‘Karjat’ from there; we took a 6-seater auto, and reached at the foot of the hills. Well, the start wasn’t that good. It was all bright and sunny, and I thought, we are going to get exhausted just by climbing all the way. We did, when 50% of it was done, we were breathing and sweating heavily! When we reached a plateau, we rested! That is when the climate changed!

Suddenly, there were slight showers, superb wind, and fog everywhere. We took some rest, clicked pictures! And had an amazing time till we set off again! This time happier and fresher, as the climate had just made us felt better!

After a glass of refreshing lemon juice, we set off! As we walked, the top tempted us more, and we just walked wherever we could see a path! The fog intensified, that is when it felt the most thrilling. Suddenly flashes of ‘Pandora’, ran through my mind, felt as if I’m in Pandora, without even the machine or the Na’vi-human hybrid bodies. Later we came across a pond in which we spent some time, and decided that while returning have fun in there.

We went further, through, the fog, where we could hardly see anything in front of us, just tried walking along the path at our feet that was the only thing visible. Finally we reached the village, and at the exact foot of the hill we wanted to climb. But we did a mistake, instead of looking up, at the top and decide the direction; we kept on continuing the path beneath, and ended up on a mountain opposite the peak we had decided to go on! We realized that we had come on a wrong mountain, when we reached the top there and saw that there wasn’t any way to get to the exact opposite mountain.

At first we were disappointed, as we could not make it to our goal. But come to think of it, we took the road less traveled, where, none other than some cows and buffaloes and their caretakers-the villagers come. There we met one such villager, and he said, he can show us a short-cut to reach, and he took us through that way, he cut short a distance of half an hour to 15 minutes. He didn’t took us through the pathways, he took us through slopes, and we could see he would climb down a slope like he’s climbing down some stairs, and we too with a lot of apprehension, and not so confidently, walked down the slope.

He left us at the foot of the hill, and told us this is where you went wrong. As we did not have time to again climb all the way to the top, we thought better, and decided to return, as we wanted to catch the last bus from that place.

We walked some more, stopped at another plateau, had food. And started walking again, walking down at times was nice, swift and easy, but after a while, pressure on toes, along the stony pathway was really painful and tiresome, still we walked along. Stopped at few spots, rested, clicked pictures, and walked till we came to that pond. At first we were just resting as if we are in some spa, and getting a pedicure done. But then, one friend started splashing water, and the next moment, everyone was splashing water, and after some time, we were literally sitting in that pond. It was really great, refreshing, and fun!

We left the pond, and started walking down again, this time determined, not to stop anywhere, as we might miss our bus. So we did, we walked down all the way, reached the foot, waited for the bus, barged into it, reached Karjat station. The ride till the station was very bumpy and it made me feel giddy and nauseated. Then, we got freshened up at the station, ate some ‘famous DIWADKAR vada pav’ and finally, the train left karjat and we were home after a 1hr 45 mins journey.

Along with the journey, a wonderful day came to and end. We still have these memories, and photographs, that will stay in mind as lush and green as the mountains were!

Cheers to all these years in GD!!!!

My vacation has been going on since April, but it’s now that it’s just few days back it’s started feeling like a normal vacation to me. Reason, is very simple, every vacation since I was 13 I’ve spent it with Neha, and now that her exams have finished, it all seems normal. These days, I’ve started spending my afternoons with her, and we also have our usual post-dinner walks! I really enjoy them all!

Vacations mean a lot to me. It takes me back to all those days. Life in GD has always been special, and it doesn’t seem like 8 years at all! We have played ludo, cards, attended drawing class, watched movies, made candles and last but not the least gossiped, chatted for hour’s altogether. This was usually the afternoon programme. What was even more exciting was the evening programme. The evening where we, (now, 'we' isn’t just Neha and me, it includes a group of people along a varied range of age) but still “WE” used to come together and play! Those days can easily be classified as “Freakin’ Awesome”.

The games we played include Badminton, Kho-Kho, Dog N the Bone, Dodge Ball, Carrom and last but not the least, and the most unusual and the most played was “Bhoot-Bhoot”. Playing that game was like playing the staple game, like the trademark of us GD people. Day was never complete without it, and it had quite flexibility of rules, so it was one of the best! Everyone had their way of playing it, usually I used to stay hidden, so long, that people would forget I’m hiding, they would finish the game, and I would still be hiding. Some had the knack of making the one with the “dine” run behind them a lot before getting caught! And obviously, one person just loved getting caught at the end of the game and would be the ‘sort-of hero’. No need to mention the name, I Guess!

Apart from the games, those parties used to be fun too. We had great reasons for partying, other than birthdays, a party to mark the start of a vacation, one to mark the end, and many such reasons. Parties were fun-filled and food-filled too and obviously filled with the energy of GD-ites. I also enjoyed staying among the elders, and listen them talk, even though I understood nothing of it.

Loads and loads of things made the vacation special. But there are few memories, which time hasn’t faded yet, and every time I think of them a smile creases along my lips.

· I remember I’d played so badly once, that, my pink t-shirt had become completely brown from behind

· Obviously, we all weren’t always in harmony, and during one such argument, one of the guys had sarcastically suggested I use ‘boric powder’ to improve my complexion, basically to look fairer.

· I’d once been advised that I’m among the good players, and while playing kho-kho I should avoid the corners. ( I felt very proud of myself at that time )

· I’d won first prize in slow-cycling, and it had just been a year, I’d learnt cycling.

· All the dance performances I’ve done at every function/party :P

· The first performance by GD boys on the song from the movie ‘Kaante’.

· How all the guys used to dance wildly when the light used to be switched off in a party.

· All the names I and Neha were called by!

· The picnic at the resort! And the singing of the songs in the bus!

· The first time I’d watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone at Vaidehi’s place.

· Those choreography and drawing lessons.

· Lessons learnt at the same class, other than choreography and drawing :P

· Every Holi since we first started playing.

In fact, Holi is the only time now, we come together like we used to. I couldn’t play it this year, but I’m always eagerly waiting for the next Holi, till then GD people ‘KEEP ROCKING’ like you always do!!!! Cheers to all these years in GD!!!!

Heart Rules.....!!!

My recent fascination has been with reading palmistry. Well, it isn’t a full blown, in depth knowledge of palmistry, which might help or rather predict the future. Instead, it tells us about one’s qualities, or characters based on the structure of the hands, and the placement, length, depth of the lines creasing your palm.

As far as it goes, believe it or not, it has some resemblance to the reality. I don’t say that it’s perfect, but surely is quite close to reality. One thing that I noted that might be of interest, that two contradicting qualities might be present. As in, one feature might say, that the person is an extrovert, while other feature might say that the person is an introvert, basically, both features co-exist. Does that mean that the concept is bogus? I don’t think so. I think people aren’t BLACK or WHITE, they aren’t good or bad. They are shades of grey, the goodness and the badness is just comparative. It’s for people to choose which shade of grey they prefer, the lighter or the darker!

The hand mostly dwells on matter such as, life, heart, and head and how they influence each other in each other’s presence. This brings me to something. Many a times I’ve experienced a thing, which many people might have, we get confused when we have to take a decision between the head and the heart. Technically speaking, the heart just pumps blood, and brain does all the thinking part, still, there are some things that quite don’t resonate with your brain, but resonate with your heart. Some part of the brain sends some hormones, or signals to the heart, or whatever biochemistry takes place in there, it makes the heart want something else from the brain. To make it simple, however clichéd it may sound, let’s just say, most of the times it gets difficult to choose between the heart and the brain.

Some prefer to listen to the brain, and some prefer to go with the heart. But, that doesn’t distract me, everybody’s different, and they choose what they want. But, it really saddens me, when people say that those who listen to the heart are weak! They think, that they are weak, that they can’t control their feelings, heir heart. Well, I think it’s the exact opposite case. I feel, those who take decisions more with the heart are stronger, because they are ready to take the risk! They don’t mind plunging into something, even though the calculations tell them that it’s going to be difficult, even though they know that they might be hurt in the process, even though the possible outcome may not keep them happy. Whereas, the head-counterparts, I believe are weak. They calculate, they ponder, they fear the consequences, and they prefer the safer way out.

Obviously, there has to be some limit when it comes to taking decisions by the heart, when it’s concerned with moral issues, and what’s right and what’s wrong. I was just talking about those little decisions of your life! Do what your heart loves to do! Keep it happy! HEART RULES.....

HAPPY MONSOONS!

Finally, after all the wait, June came in as it should always have been, perfectly normal, with a light drizzle on the first, and a nice shower on the second day of the month!

Well, it wasn’t romantic or wonderful for me when it started raining. In fact, all the windows were closed, I’d just finished watching a movie, and was surfing channels mindlessly, and was waiting for sleep to overpower me. As I was doing that, I heard some noise. I thought my brother is up and as he’s opened the door of this room and it’s the A\C that’s making the noise. I became a bit apprehensive, as I know he would scold me for not watching anything in particular at that time of the night, (the rule is, watch a good movie or sleep). So I waited for him to say something not turning behind to see those sleepy eyes watching at me with disappointment, that’s when I heard a rumble! Then I realized that it’s something different, I look up to see his room which was closed, and I realized, that it’s the sound of the rain, not A\C and the cloud just thundered, causing the rumble.

That’s when I lost control, I just ran up, and out into the balcony, those blissful drops! That’s when some sense knocked onto me, I closed the window of my room, my brother’s, turned off the television, the lights, and all ready, to get wet in the first shower. Technically it’s the second, but as the first was just a drizzle, that can’t be considered as a ‘shower’

So, there I was out under the sky wide open, the rain pouring, wind blowing, and flashes of lightening which made the city visible for just a flash of a second! My heart screamed out, and the voice came out of my throat, I screamed, not waking anyone up! That’s what I love about showers, when you scream; it’s you who get to listen to it more than anybody else. As it was past-midnight it was an added advantage. I danced, in the rain, sang on the top of my voice, it was energizing, as if my soul had been thirsty for this, since a long time, and the thirst finally got quenched!

Then the intensity reduced, and after some time, very softly, the rain stopped. I went over to my room, sat near the window, looking out, as far as I could see! The wind was still blowing, and every blow just felt cooler! My memories took me to last year’s monsoon. Last year, in the first shower, Neha had joined me; we had such a great time! Then, came to me was the day I’d been to Worli sea-face. Everything came back, that rain; that wind, those walks, those waves, and finally, the hot-hot Domino’s Pizza while dripping wet and ruining the floor of their outlet. :D

That’s the specialty of monsoon, you can enjoy it all alone, with a friend, with a bunch of friends, family, and also with “that” someone special. I’ve always been a romantic, and the climate was perfect to think about it! As I sat there, I wondered, how wonderful it would be, to stand there at the sea-face and holding the hand, of the one you love most. Imagine, your hand being held by the one who loves you the most. Imagine he’s holding your hand, not because he knows it’ll make you feel good, but because, he fears, the rain might take you away and needs to hold onto you! Someone’s who’s holding your hand, not fearing even if he has to hold your hand for a lifetime, not thinking whether this hand, the feel of it really fits into his ‘perfect’ or not. Someone who just feels safe holding your hand, who feels as if he’s on the top of the world, not because, he’s holding the most beautiful, the most wonderful, the most wanted person. But no-one else was ever so beautiful or wonderful for him. Everyone is going to meet such a person in some point of their life. That doesn’t stop us from enjoying the rain. As I said, we can enjoy rain with anyone, everyone, or no-one.

Enjoy monsoon to the fullest, have some fun, if you don’t like getting wet, enjoy things related to it, like, hot tea, coffee, pakoras, music and everything. Let’s hope this year’s monsoon is not as dry as last year. HAPPY MONSOONS!

Memories...

I am surprised at myself! I still haven’t blogged about my memories, my college days, and all that nostalgia! While I was going through the journey, I looked back, and reminisced those moments, and controlled so that I can save all up for this, for the final one! The best one! Even in the post dated march 3rd, I’d mentioned I’ll talk all about the nostalgia after I’m done with my exams.

It’s been more than a month since my exams, and I still haven’t blogged about it. Rather, the truth is I don’t feel like it. I don’t like to think of it, and surely it isn’t just my laziness, it’s something more. Something like a fear of nostalgia! I’m not sure if such a thing exists, but I feel it.

I don’t feel like treading over the memories, I even thought of reading through some pages of my diary, but I avoided doing that. I fear the tears it would bring in my eyes. I fear the pain I’ll feel when I’ll think of those memories. I know relating those memories to pain is really disrespecting the situation. But, I’ll feel the pain, not because I had a great time then, but because, I am not having, or possibly may not have such a great time again in my life.

This is wrong! It’s like not having faith, not believing that if life has been good once, it can’t be better again. But, what if life has been best! Can something be better than the best? I don’t know!

Maybe, I was just habituated with Ruia-life, constantly surrounded by my loved ones, my dear friends. If not surrounded by them, then surrounded the atmosphere that made Ruia so special, so different! Suddenly not having that around me, makes me little uneasy, maybe! But, I need to get used it, I need to learn, it’s in my heart, it’s with me, even when not surrounding me.

In the beginning, it was very difficult to make myself understand, the three years have come to and end. That, such a time may never come in my life again. But I’ve somehow convinced myself, and as of now I want to stay away from the memories, till I become strong, strong enough to make more memories. Till the time, let them ferment. Then again, some day I’ll open this barrel, and drink in the sweet memories and enjoy every sip of it!

ESSEL-WORLD.....ESSEL-WORLD....

Essel-world…Essel-world…..This is the jingle ringing in my head whenever I think of yesterday. Yeah! I’d been to essel-world yesterday. It was an awesome day! Amusement parks are always awesome!

We were just the three of us, though more would be merrier, it was absolutely worth it. Vacation-time charges are higher than the usual; still felt we got more than what we paid for!

We had a lot of time, but the afternoon did not go that well, actually we just went ride after ride at the beginning, and I got a bit queasy, eventually, threw up! It was mostly the summer heat acting up! At first, it dampened my mood, I was embarrassed, and felt like a total loser, that I could not bear the rides. But then, I wasn’t going to let it ruin my mood for the day! I reminded myself, that I would be a loser if I don’t take it sportingly; I took rest between whenever I felt the same and continued having fun in the rides. You might have experienced, once you throw up, you feel nauseatic all the time, and another ride, would just trigger off another round of throwing up! So it did, I must’ve thrown up at least 4-5 times, and I don’t feel like a loser, so what, yes, physically I was weak! But, I don’t mind, because just accepting it, makes me feel like a winner.

But, things improved as the evening came along, the sun stopped torturing me with those strong waves, and I really started feeling fresher, and as we’d already done almost all rides once, we could decide which to repeat. Repeating is fun! Repeating rides consecutively (Read, jumping out of the ride immediately after it stops and standing in the queue again) is even more fun!

The most thrilling ride according to me was, ‘THUNDER’ and the most fun was ‘AQUA DIVE’, due to the heat, it was awesome to get drenched in that water over and over again!

The ride back from Essel-World to Gorai back in the ferry was even more memorable! Cool zephyr blowing, night sky full with stars, crescent shaped moon smiling at us, and nice mushy songs playing on the radio and my closest friends close to me! It felt as if this journey should never end! But journeys come to an end; there is always a destination which makes the journey even more intriguing! Because, we know, it’s going to come to an end, we just have to live every moment, enjoy every moment, not worrying how it would be after it comes to an end. Reminding me one thing, life, also, is pretty much similar, we just have to enjoy, without worrying, what the future would bring in!

All in all the day was awesome, wonderful, complete ‘PAISA VASOOL’, best way to spend a holiday and I’ve no regrets for the day, and the best part is that it also taught me small bitter-sweet lessons of life!

Victory over laziness.....

I’ve been experiencing this, since childhood. And maybe, those who are reading would agree with me. Exams are the time our brain is highly creative.

I’ll tell why I’m saying this. It so happened that during exams, I had come up with real creative topics for the posts on my blog, I’d come up with the idea of actually making a new blog, and lots other things I can do over the vacation, to keep myself busy. But as a matter of fact, if you see my blog the last post, it hardly shows ay signs of active posting.

Examination time, was exhausting, so, as they got finished, all I wanted to do was to take rest! But my ‘post-examination commitments’ did not let me do that for a week! After a tiring week, I decided I would take rest! I told myself, “take rest, do hell with the rest”.

But that rest was a seedling, it seeded laziness in me. That grew onto become a monstrous tree in me, making my brain heavy with its huge branches, and feet heavy with its roots. All I did was watch TV, surf mindlessly, eat, sleep, and chatter along with friends! Whenever I felt that I should use my brain a little more, I used to start reading a novel, and even an interesting one would make me sleepy within minutes. I used to give up on that too!

Then one fine day! I was remembered of my plan to be blogging super-actively in the vacation. So, in the browser I enter the address, and the page comes up, I take a look at the post, I scowl for not writing and thinking of what I should be writing next out of those many possible options for a topic. Still undecided, I open Microsoft word, look at it, sigh, look left, look right, ponder over the keyboard for a while, sigh again, and close it, knowing that the brain isn’t really in the mood for thinking.

This went on for quite a few days, but not today! Today is no ordinary day! Today I decided I would conquer and surprisingly, I did! Just happy for myself! Let’s see I could write a post, now I’ll try my best to clear up the backlog!

Till then have a great time!