Wonders of India Foundation

It takes a UNESCO World Heritage for (most of us) to sit up and take notice of the historical, sculptural and cultural wonder that India was!

You know what's sad? It still is a wonder, if only all those monuments, temples that lay scattered across the country, unheeded and empty, were considered 'wonders'. In few such sites, there's nothing more than an ASI board (with paint all chipped off and gone) flagging the site as a 'Historical and Architectural Site'.

There's a leaf to draw from the Seven Wonders Foundation- to start a Wonders of India Foundation that takes charge or atleast, make this most neglected treasure of India a furore of/ for attention!

wars of life

its like nothing gets done and there is so much to do.
and yet you have done so much in one day.
fought egos. fought self. fought destiny.
fought the pit of one human against the other.
its a fight all along, isnt it?

the sun has set. has the battle come to a standstill?
no, the sun has moved on to another battlefield. and the battle is still on.

the flickering light of hope is dancing to the wind, a whip of the wind and the hopes are all lashed.

i either quit the fight or fight the quit. or better still, learn the art of war.
battles after battles, wars are to be won.
glorious wars against this world.

passing thoughts as the day comes to a close...

In this lifetime, another day, this day has come to a close.
With some hopes crashed, some that blossomed and others that lay still, lurking for faith.

With new lessons learned and some unlearned,
some forgotten and some taught- lessons of love, lessons of life

This day has come to its fag end-
With some bonds endeared, some distanced and most, paid no heed to

This day was survived.
This day was lived.

a bunch of kids, grassfarms and a sunday

a bunch of kids- throws up more emotions in me than anything.
they are a bundle of innocence, insight, deep observation.
they laugh openly, and when they cry, even when they dont want to show it, their eyes do.
they are a fountain of energy which must and should go into play!

and kids in an idyll, peaceful spot at the government school of grass farms cannot make it any better.

so this sunday, not very far from the mayhem of city walls, grass farms held a memorable waiting for this weary soul. a bunch of kids (on a photoshoot), a rare good being- senthil- the photographer who agreed to give his time, space, energy and expertise probono to photograph these children on their most natural self- my day is instilled with a soothing hum in my being.

post the shoot I just had to break free. I cycled with these kids... took them on doubles, played with a just-born 2 day old lamb, who had not yet been named....I christened her Lakshmi and the farmer, joyfully called her 'Lakchmi' :P , slept in a village bus stand on a stone slab with the canopies above me n cool breeze just soaring my spirits.

kiddoscope-

dilip- he just wudnt stop wheeling the tyre all around the place. he wanted to be everywhere and in every frame :) and he pretty much was.

jeevita-
a cycling expert, she taught me to make a garland out of the gulmohar's flower leaves. she learned to make it outside the school where plenty of these flower leaves generously drifted off the tree. I cant put it in words, what she said with so much pain which she had let go.... she said ' yesht hoova bidtittu akka, adre kadad bitru gidana'. Translated from Kannada to English ' It used to give so many flowers akka (elder sister) but they cut the tree). And she continued to teach me to make the garland, now that she'd found those flower beds this day.

dont go away...

dont go away
continue to cast ur magical spell
the present of the past
has become the magical spell of today.

you came victorious to your beckoning lot
calmed them with your all-pervading cool breeze and soft colors
you make it seem like its yesterday, magical.

its a sight and feeling i want to forever hold-
the trees swaying in the cool but forceful breeze
the birds in control of their flight, playfully spreading their wings in joy... flying
the palliating sky that beckons us all to do no more harm
i bask in you
somehow the churlish rickshawallah overtaking from the left, the vagrant bikes criss-crossing my way,
the mayhem of today
leaves me unaffected as i continue to bask in u

its a sight and feeling i want to keep for years to come
but i know, in few days you will be gone
though very generous, your mercy is conditional like everything else in the confines of this world

we will sweat and toil in shadow-less lanes, sans calm breeze
the birds will not play in the sky, they will hunt for trees to perch and a voice to chirp
the sky will rage its indignation
and we would have lost yesterday
get vanquished with the magic that vanished away

I just penned this on Bangalore. The last few days have cast a pleasant spell of weather, recreating the magic of yesterday's Bangalore. I hold on to yesterday...

broken silence

broken silence and the soundsurround me.

on the weekend that passed by-
the nesting bird-couple that coo (through the night they are having a family) .
siddhu on a debate on cricket controversies being aired on NDTV (from the neighbours')
the honks from the nearby main road.
a beep on my mobile (i got a message!)
winds. trees swaying. leaves dancing.
thunders. followed by rains.
drops of water falling outside my window.
thoughts, in my head. (they criss-cross from person to person, thought to thought... endless!).

on a monday morning-
alarm rings non-stop (i keep snoozing it)
reminders of meetings.
the nesting bird-couple that coo (through the night. they are having a family) .
some U2 and coldplay. Followed by Venkatesha Suprabahata or Brahma Samhita.
knocks on the door (the help's at the door).
in office- everybody's on the phone, pretty much yelling.
i hear the keyboard as I type (No i dont jarr my finger, its the way the keyboard is :) ).
my phone rings.
construction works.
people gossipping. Laughing.

the unwinding silence, long broken, long forgotten.

Heal

Feel the wind on ur face. Heal.
See the skies, stars that twiknle all night, some shoot and some forever shine. Heal.
Hear the wind, it makes the trees sway and dance. Hear the waters that trickle, drizzle and shower. Heal.
Touch the love, in the smile and in the eyes. Heal.
Time will heal, and you will feel my love. Heal.

an old saying- rephrased

it's a small world is 'the' most common phrase u say when u catch up with old friends in new lands or meet friends of common friends.

but that phrase is most appropriately going to be rephrased-

... from "its a small world" to... "its an orkut world!"

it rained

the winds blew.
and took with it the raging heat away, though momentarily.
raised a storm of dust.

the winds blew.
brought back with it, the pleasantness of yesterday's blore.

the winds brought the rain clouds.
it poured.
it cooled.
and brought out muck from under (un)impressive cityscapes
it stopped to pour.

the wind settled.
there was calm. n the night ahead.

and the fan tried hard to blow some wind.

Yes, I would if I only could...

Meaningful music, has become so rare to come by these days. Anything meaningful, rather.
For now, singing my song by Simon n Garfunkel for the moment-

EL CONDOR PASA (IF I COULD)

I'd rather be a sparrow than a snail
Yes I would, if I could, I surely would
I'd rather be a hammer than a nail
Yes I would, if I only could, I surely would

Away, I'd rather sail away
Like a swan that's here and gone
A man gets tied up to the ground
He gives the world its saddest sound
Its saddest sound

I'd rather be a forest than a street
Yes I would, if I could, I surely would
I'd rather feel the earth beneath my feet
Yes I would, if I only could, I surely would

In the summery summer

Cocunut water.
Evening breeze.
The koel calling.

What a respite these are in these enraging summer times!

Now I tag Apoorv and DK to summery summer...

Express Highway

The drive on Express Highway en route Khandala is a quick, efficient and sure shot way of a good break from the city walls.

That's another attribute (of the hazaar attributes) that sets Bombay apart from other cityscapes. Though the nerve centre of a country's economy and entertainment network, just a small battle through the gridlock and out you are, on the considerably handsome roads of Express Highway, on the roadtrip to usher a rush of nomadic veins.

And the kind of music system that my brother's car has, only makes the roadtrip all the more exciting and memorable.

Under one of the three tunnels on Express Highway

A view of the Express Highway and the lanscape its set in from a viewwing point at Khandala

Random Notes-

-The Express Highway is at its best lanscapes right after the monsoons, as it stands all green in glory.

-My fav lap in the drive has to be the tunnels!

- While driving over the quaint town of Lonavla at night, it looks likes the milky way has come down all the way, glittering and dedicating itself to the travellers on the road (haha i call this license in poetic thinking :) )

The Hindu

Its back to meticulous and scrutinous reading of newspapers and magazines.
It doesnt seem to have changed, that Hindu is, by far the best.

May 1st, May Day- I really liked the pic indicating an old man, way past his retirement age, doing neck-breaking work for a living.

On the cliff of Malshej Ghat

How many times we plan!
The bunch of us wanderlustbugs, who just want to set our feet on treks and adventures all the time or else dream endlessly of those distant hills, mysterious mountains and that hidden adrenaline-rushing adventure.

Many of these plans never fructify, but those that do- remain etched in mind's eye...
of which Malshej Ghat comes brimming in my memory.

The supposed farm stay turned out to be more than we could ask for, with Mrin's uncle taking us around some of the most beautiful places nestled in the niche of their farm surroundings, in the precincts of Malshej Ghat.


I cant forget the evening walk-up the ancient Anjaneya temple.

The pajama party thereafter, in the farm.

Lying on the grass and star-gazing, with the dawgs, those adorable dawgs, sitting by us and wondering what on earth we were looking up at/ for!

The curvy drive round the carpeted hills early next morn, upto the point where we soaked, soaked in waters that fell on us like mercy-showers. And D and i sang away, drunk on life!

And then the spicy warmth of the hot, crunchy vada pav, the taste of which is still lingering in my taste buds.

And that walk to the edge of the cliff, where we sat, sat still and calm, that brought all apprehensions mundane and existential to a peaceful standstill.

And we just gazed in silence, humbled by the breathtaking green scenes that stood before us, most unassumingly yet magnificiently.

And I sat there and made a secret prayer, clasping my hands (am sure all of us did hehe...!), that I would go there again, someday.

But with the list of places to travel that are just piling up and time not only shrinking but also running out.....

...... Malshej Ghat tell me, do you see me coming to you?

Travel Tag

"So if you could go anywhere in the world where would u choose to go?"

Apoorv just tugged a travel tag...

That not only reminds me of the places to go but also that its been REALLY long since I did any travelling. More than a year I think. Shame!

So, on this sultry afternoon, in solatary solace, i make a wish to be there sometime....soon-

Valley of flowers, Himalayas

what is it?

what is it?
writer's block? or the applied etymology to blogging- blogger's block?
whatever it is... i cant get to terms that its been a while since i really wrote out something (anything!).

this time around i need a magic potion to defreeze the numbness in my fingers- to write, to jot.

A to-do list

My list of concepts, projects and tasks not only seems endless but is difficult to keep track of.

I need a to-do list! and that's again part of my to-do list!

U, Me and Everybody

One mind. Many thoughts.
One face. Many masks.
One truth. Many perceptions.
One person. Many personalities.
One dreamer. Many dreams.

Common sense is uncommon to have.
ROAD SENSE?????
More so!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ode to these days

Ode to Monday-
fingers jammed with cold
mind jammed with grumbles
sunday was so humble
now am lifting dumbles
with munday(ne)gambles

Ode to Tuesday-
tuesday has me on toes
with never ending woes
here my grumbling goes
yet another day of heavy dose

Ode to Wednesday
wednesday sets me in tune
with the week's sa(n)d dunes

the cold morning greets me
with a headache that teases me
all i can think of is me
and everyone seems to be like me

up and about i run
as usual in no sun
light rays from the comp
make me want to stomp

masks i want everyone to remove
and make them bare out their hoove
rather be a matador
than a masked actor

i need time alone
but in this crowd iam thrown
like the salon
where ugliness is beautified
and beauty is denied

tell me how far is the bay
until i swim to reach sunday

Ode to wednesday evening
wednesday is over
but my work not over
when will it stop to hover
i want to go undercover.

:(


Ode to Thursday evening
thursday has me dumb
cos i have become (dangerously) numb

i have withdrawn
as i dont want to be drawn
into an abyss of the mundane lawn
i want to rise in dawn

and feel that sublime calm
and dew drops in my palm
that will be a balm

for a soul in such curry
and never ending hurry

sunday's a distant thought
friday and saturday i still have got
that has me in a knot
in which iam caught

i can breathe no more
i want some musical score
that has my heart leap
out of this creep
of the week's perennial weep

Ode to Friday
Fridays had me fried
Like mexican tomatoes that are sun-dried
I can't fathom how much i've tried
To make this heaviness subside

The week has been eventfull
I need to see the glass as half full
If I see it as empty
I will become hefty

With lots to achieve
But nothing to believe

Now I know one thing- all days are friedays
Its upto me to make it a sunday