The little inspirations.

Sigh! Unfortunately almost all my recent posts start with me cribbing about not writing regularly enough. And here I am doing the same yet again! Well, I miss that about myself, whatever be the reason! Busy lives, blocked mind or just sheer laziness! I have been slagging a lot, and it must stop! Better sooner than later!

Just the other day had got me thinking! Had a deja-vu kind of situation. Got off from an auto just outside my gate, when some didi of my society boarded the same auto! The only difference here, the didi who I had come across a few years back, had said a few words to me before she got in. Well, what she said had made my day, and remembering it still does! She had said, 'Read your blog, you write beautifully!'.

Well, don't wish to brag here, but used to get complimented back then, when people didn't have as easy an access as is today. Still, I had a few dedicated readers, and a tiny number of fans maybe! And maybe not even for the fans, maybe I should write again, for myself! I'm not poetic, but maybe writing as me, would bring me back the me who gets lost in this fast life of ours!

And after thinking all about it, just when I was sharpening my head to come up with something, I got a second dose of inspiration, one of my students told me after a conversation, that she has read my blog! Well, it was a good feeling! To be such an irregular blogger, yet being read. And again that little conversation kicked in me a little bit of inspiration!

It's just wonderful how people can rekindle something, which was kind of losing it's light! Lucky to have such people and readers in my life! I know I've said this a million times, but I'm going to write regularly. This is indeed what I wish to resolve right now! Well who wants to wait till the new year's eve!?, Right!

Let's just hope that I'm always reminded of these little inspirations.... 

Monsoon trek to Sarasgarh!!!

As the monsoon sets in all I can think about is wandering the Sahyadris, meeting new people and having fulfilling weekends. In order to have one such fruitful weekend I attended a monsoon trek to Sarasgarh organized by YHAI Kandivali on the 28th and 29th of June 2014. Sarasgarh is one of the twin fort located in Raigarh district of Maharashtra, Pali being its base village. It is identified by its four pinnacles and hence was mainly a watch tower to keep an eye on the area around.

At 10.30pm on 28th the group departed from Borivali, picking up members along the way. As the bus left Mumbai and Navi-Mumbai and zoomed towards Pali, thereby reaching the destination at around 2am. We were supposed to rest and catch up on whatever sleep we can for an energetic morning! But, anticipation and excitement caught the better of me and I could hardly catch upon 40 winks. Nevertheless I was energetic and enthusiastic the following morning.

After a wakeup call at 5am, we freshened up and few visited the Pali Ganpati Temple in the village itself, which is a very well known pilgrimage. After a sumptuous breakfast of ‘pohe’ and tea at a local vendor, we huddled up and formed a circle, where we were given instructions and every member gave their own brief introduction which acted as an ice-breaker for all the people gathered.

Once the introductions were done and a small talk was initiated, we started to move towards the hill. Initially covering up a long road, we walked and then slipped into an almost negligible path which led into the woods, accompanied by three village dogs. We started moving upwards, climbing, walking in the morning sunlight with talks and laugh along the way. We were consumed by greenery by our sides and beautiful flowers too.

We kept on moving simultaneously consuming a lot of water, as the humidity caught the better of us and we had to make up for the water lost due to perspiration. Nevertheless, we continued to walk, eventually taking a break on a small plateau like flat along the way. Where we rested, took a few selfies and groupies and after feeling refreshed moved on towards the top smiling and patiently waiting for us!

With another stop along the flat patches which became a great avenue for photographers again feeling newly energized we started moving, that is when we saw a cloud of fog moving fast and covering the mountain, the whole view somehow was so tempting that the gang wasn’t just walking but sprinting in the upward direction.

Once most of the hill was climbed, suddenly the smiling uphill changed to a steeper smirk. But that smirk didn’t dampen the spirit of YHAI-ites, instead we moved ahead feeling even more determined to reach the top. After one such rocky patch, we reached the ledge of the mountain where along the corner there were long steep never-ending steps. There was also a cave and a water tank at the base of the steps.

After a few more photo-sessions, we set off along the steps marveling the workers who carved them out of stone and also people who used the steps daily. As the steps ended, we reached the entrance doorway of the fort! Feeling at peace we moved further and further climbed a set of few more steps, covering even more difficult steep patches of rocky terrain. We reached the highest point! \

The humidity might have drained away water from our bodies as well as from our sources. But, it felt amazing to have finally reached the top.

We gathered near the temple and sat for having our much-awaited packed lunch. After a lot of food and fun sharing, when finally our stomachs and our hearts were full, we relaxed simply cradelled up in nature and conversations which gave us back all the energy that was spent in the climb up!

We were then given up a lot of information of the fort history, along with a view to the other of the twin forts, Sudhagarh as well as a view of the ‘Tail- Baila’ which was used as an office in those days. Finally full of food, energy, conversations and information, we started our walk downward. But, not before we patted our own backs for reaching the top a little before the stipulated time! Well done gang!

We finally started moving back towards gravity. That is when the difficulty arose, because the steep difficult patches seemed to mock even more, especially to those who were afraid of heights. But the troop leaders, just warded off the demons and made the whole journey downwards seem like a cakewalk. The water resources had dried up till then, and so the walk downward was rushed as the sun was up and high and was sponging away whatever water our body tried holding back.

With dry throats, but with a determined heart we moved further and further till we reached the base village, where the locals supplied us with a lot of drinking water without hesitation, even if they have to undergo a lot of efforts obtaining it!

We also had lemon juice from the local vendors once we were on the streets again, which brought a smile sprinkled with refreshment along with every sip. I enjoyed every sip looking at the mountain, which seemed to wink at me, appreciating the efforts and conveying his regards for a lovely company!

The happily ever afters!

Just a month back came to know about the 'conscious uncoupling' of Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow! I had not just received a shock but a feeling of doom had filled my heart! 

Am I over exaggerating! No, being a die hard Coldplay and a Chris Martin fan, I always believed that what they both share in that decade long companionship is what I would want in life! 'The happily ever after'.

And the news made me think..do they actually exist!? Fairy tales have them right! But isn't 'fairy tale' just two fictional words put together! How can they be or mean anything real! 

Then why do we listen to all these? Why are we made to read them! Don't you think we would be better off without them? 

All these questions made me think that is when i settled on the answer. No! We need them, to learn early in life with good there is also a bit of bad in the world. How we should make the right choices in life! But in all this we misinterpret the end... 'The happily ever after'. It doesn't mean that now after a certain event life is only going to be happy and all sorrows have ended. But it means, that life is a journey and even if the story ends it would go on. And as it goes on, we should always be optimistic that whatever the turn of events that occur in the process, we are going to be happy! 

So happily every afters are not just a happy ending! They mean a happy and a hopeful journey! That journey we call LIFE! :)

Of TV Shows and Me!

Let me first confess that I'm a Television-holic. I can't be termed as a couch potato. As consistency bores me very easily. So I can't just sit there lazy and still like a potato for long. But, nonetheless I love watching television. I love to watch sitcoms, television series, cartoons, travel and food shows, knowledge and science shows, music shows. It's great to catch some classic movies, and at times if you tread lightly along the 'soap' channels, you might come across something interesting on those when soaps are on a break :D :P
Among the list, movies are top fav, but they are enjoyed better at different platforms. So the next in line are sitcoms and tv-series. I can watch them once, I can watch the reruns! Never getting tired of them. Of course I've a long list of my favs, fav charfacters, fav quotes, fav soundtracks, etc!

But, when i say, 'tv shows n me' I mean to talk about the effect they have on me. Effect, as in I know they are just meant for entertainment, Blah Blah! But yeah, in my case what I watch has some kind of effect on me. And I guess many would agree to that! And that effect differs from person to person!
I'm a hopeless romantic and have always been, so for me, it's the relationships, the hook-ups, the break ups the simplicity and the complications that make me want to watch them, especially the re-runs.
While I watch there are always characters I relate to, may or may not be the protagonist! Out of the options I make my choices, and hope that the character would go for that too (don't forget I believe we think d same)! But, a show being a show keeps the whole chemistry hanging seasons over seasons! Never really settling into a happily ever after, keeping always the door open for a world of dreams and hopes to be built by the audience, namely someone like me :P

If you really think of it, the situations are not even remotely similar to what you experience and still.....! At times, you love whatever is going on, at times it sucks how conveniently a certain potential candidate is given a gray shade so that we instantly hate that character! And the protagonists gets the happily ever afters!
In all this turmoil, we become engrossed and the end is what affects us at an even more different level. Of course after all these years of hanging emotions, you want the character to do what you would've! But when that doesn't happen! It disappoints you to the very core! Making you Blog and talk about it excessively how it could've ended done better! But in the end, we are reminded that it was just a story and was going to end the way it was written all along! Well that's what reality is all about right?

Your request timed out!

Well.... to begin with! I'm kind of ashamed with myself. Of course for the only reason that I did not stick to whatever I said in my earlier post!
Just before I signed in to put down my thoughts. I thought I should not completely overlook that my blog had a dry spell when I'd promised heavy rainfall!

Anyways, many thoughts for a new post popping up! Don't know if I would blog excessively this night, like I used to as a teenager! (Not that it was excessive enough :/ ) But surely, planning to increase my posts in the long run not just by the number, but also the frequency!
Wish me luck :)

......Downloading.......

            Finally after ages I open up my blog! What for?....to post of course!! To post wha??....well I'm not sure.
My fingers linger over the keyboard.....thinking, rather processing....thoughts to words...thoughts to words.... I glance at the time displayed in the corner of the screen....hmm.... not enough to put down all these thoughts!
            I move my hand over the mouse, see what my last post was, a poem talking about how uninspired I felt! But today, it's not the case, rather I feel totally inspired, ready to put down my thoughts in more than a million words. Might be because of the changes in life, positive, negative, all kind!
                  But as I said, not enough time! Will come back with nice interesting posts, Hopefully! Till then, wait till it's downloading.... ;)

Where can I find my ......Inspiration!!!

Inspiration,

Here, there, everywhere...

I've looked,

But it's nowhere!!

I'm looking within,

staring at the mirror...

But,

The spark has lost somewhere!!

I wish,

I could get it back...

Feel the rush,

When I'm on track!!

That,

Stupendous flow of words...

Emptying,

My heart in one go!!!

I wish,

I could write a cute prose...

Or,

A long poetry expressing my woes!! ;)

But,

All of this has lost somewhere..

Not really knowing,

If I got anything to share!!

Adios Pune!!!~~ The journey ends here!!!!

               The journey of M.Sc. has finally come to an end! All this time I just wanted to get over with it! But now all I feel in my heart is a void, vacuum, emptiness. It just doesn’t want to accept that within a week all that would be left of me and pune would be just some memories scribbled on pages, frozen in pictures and few inscribed in my mind! Suddenly, I realize this city, this life has grown on me, and it is not going to be easy to just detach myself from it!

                The best way to describe my life here would be by relating it to a ‘journey through a tunnel’ and outside this tunnel was my life in Mumbai! Just like every journey I was very excited to have this ‘novel’ experience.  I started off, walking a few steps, I got scared! The end was nowhere in sight, it all seemed so bleaky and dark! I was worried, I wanted to give up and run away! And when I was almost about to make a run, a light just glowed and encouraged me to just have faith and walk! With the guidance of that light, I walked!! Slowly more lights glowed and the journey was not all that bad! Some stayed glowing and warm till the very end, some were there for some days, and some just flickered a bit! Even though they weren’t always glowing, I knew they are around and in case of extreme darkness they would just light up :) as the 2 years went by more and more such lights got added, making this journey memorable! (Here ‘the lights’ refer to all the wonderful ‘friends’ I met). And thank you all for the light and warmth you’ve given me!

                Now I’ve reached the end of the journey! I stand here, at the edge! The world outside seems dark and directionless all I want to do is hold onto this familiar tunnel of mine, don’t want to let go off it! Buy reality will make me, and the journey further would begin on a new hope!

                Whatever the future holds, I’m really happy for gaining this experience, these people and this knowledge! At times i regret having taken this decision in the first place, but nothing beats all that I’ve gained by choosing this journey! I’m thankful to the city, and especially my friends here, will miss you guys the most! I hope you miss me and my drama too!! Adios!!

-_- zzzz -_-

Stifling a yawn,

I wipe off my eyes!!!

Heavy with drowsiness,

I look at the time!!!

PARALYSED,,,

Are the hands of the watch,

It shows 5 mins,

But I’m sure an hour has passed!!!

I look around,

I look everywhere,,

Trying to remember,

What exactly is this place!!!

I wake up,

I realize.

It’s just another lecture…

Freezing up time!!

Fly high!!!

I’m a bird,

Up in the sky,

Flapping my wings hard,

To go high!!!

Against the wind I course,

I feel free…

I fly higher,

Just to be with me!!!

Swooping down on the sea,

I let the breeze detoxify me!!
Splashing waves….

Wash me off my negativities!

Up I go again,

Feeling new!!

Knowing that life,

Would now have the groove!!

Upon a hilltop I safely land,

And start off with a new dance!!!

MYLO XYLOTO \m/

Reading reviews about Mylo Xyloto I was really worried if I've taken a right decision by booking a pre-order release of the same! But then I thought, reviews are not meant for true fans! And now I can proudly say, I'm a fan too! Well, I loved every song, and I feel 14 songs aren't just enough, I WANT MORE!!!!!! I can't really choose a favourite among all the songs! I listened over and over again (enjoying every minute of it ;)) still can’t really place my finger on one particular song! I guess you should yourself listen to each and decide for yourself, and maybe help me too to pick one! :D

FLY AWAY!!!!

Life is so hapenning,

But nothing new…

I’m so busy,

Yet nothing to do!!!

I’m in a crowd,

Yet I feel so left out…

I seem calm,

But all I want to do is shout!!!

I’m in a new place,

But I’m sick of the very same…

I walk here everyday just because I can’t fly away!!!

~~~HAPPY NEW YEAR~~~

Finally, I take the the effort, to blog! After almost 2 months comes my post! Well, what took me so long, as usual, LAZINESS, or to put it poetically...

I don't feel inspired!!!

But this excuse won't work this time, whether I feel inspired or not, I decided I won't forget the year 2010 and will surely give it a farewell, a farewell it deserves, as I stand here beyond all odds, 'alive and kicking'!

Talking about the year, I can say it was one of the longest years of my life! January 2010 in Ruia seems to me like ages ago! My posts, Esselworld, monsoons seem like I've been talking about something that happened years ago! But no, it all happened in the happening year, 2010! It mus be well experienced by most and many, that when you are enjoying, time flies by, and when you are not or when you are having a bad time, seconds seem like hours!

Maybe that was what made me feel so. Of course, the year wasn't really a bed of roses for me! If I compare it to a roller-coaster, as I usually do, it was full of ups and downs, obviously normal for it, I mean, that is how they are, sometimes up, and unexpectedly, zoom you come down, that freefall, that feeling of helplessness! I've been experiencing this for many years now, (like everyone else living), so I don't have any issues about that feeling of helplesness, I now sort of know how to deal with it. But, I was thinking of the feeling I had when I was on the roller-coaster, in 2009 I was screaming with joy and fear, but this year, maybe I was nauseatic, because, my insides didn't quite agree with it's twists and turns, maybe! But anyways, however it was, good or bad. As usual I hope and pray to God, even though everything that is hapenning may not be good, but surely it is Happening for the best reasons!

Talking about the year, I cannnot forget the people who were a part of my life in this year, surely many new, plus my family, friends, and all of those who really made a difference, made me smile, make me think sensibly, made me ward off those demons brooding in my mind, those who adviced, helped, gave me gifts, lifts and treats! Basically all those who made me smile atleast for a millisecond in these 365 days. Thanks for everything, maybe I'll never show how thankful I am, But, trust me I am a lot more than I can ever believe I can be!

Finally, I thank the year, because in spite of all the fights, tears, illnesses and accidents I stand here 'alive and kicking' wishing everyone A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

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!