Kashmir and I am

For more than a quarter of a century I had never ventured beyond South India. When a friend of mine suggested I visit him in Kashmir I took it up without a second thought. The date was set to co-inside with the tulip blooming. Spring in Kashmir is unlike anything in India. As I gaze out of the tiny window from the plane a whole new world unfurled in front of me. A realisation that the cloud mass is actually just a line of clouds stopped by a massive range of snowcapped mountains brings geography lessons on the might of Himalayas to mind. The huge carpet of yellow sesame flowers is like watching nature's own version of the famed kashmiri carpet. The crisp mountain air rejuvenates the soul in a manner no medicine ever can.

The tranquil mood as I get out of the airport is disrupted by the heavy military presence and the constant undercurrent of fear. However, a drive around the centerpiece of srinagar - the serene misty mystical Dal lake - instills a state of surreal existence. The overpriced ride on a Shikar suddenly feels priceless as I float along on the mirror finished surface. A walk around the Mughal gardens is like a sneak peek of the opulent times of the mighty kings.

For a flavor of the local, there is the famous Rogan Gosht for the meat eaters and the lotus stem for the herbivores. While the kashmiri Kwava - a delicate saffron infused golden yellow tea with almond flakes - is a treat to the senses, the salty herbal tea refuses to go down without a fight. The coveted Pashmina, the hand woven carpets and carved walnut furniture are wonderful heirlooms. The saffron and walnuts need to be savored in the short run of life as is a visit to the valley at the head of the mighty nation.

As I sit in the theater watching the movie "I Am" it suddenly dawns on me the enormous void in the hearts of 300000 odd kashmiri pandits who were forced into a mass exodus. Working in IT and watching people relocate all the time and a thought floats, "My roots". Are childhood roots important or can we grow new ones like the aptly named runners of plants? I guess each individual has his own behaviour. Yet, on reflection, roots are still needed no matter what.

The looker

I have gotten into this habit of looking at my phone and my gtalk messenger every now and then. It's because of sheer boredom. I wait for someone to think of me, call me, sms me or ping me and start a lively conversation. Just a distraction from the mundane task of sitting around. I should get over this and start doing something. I have like a myriad of hobbies to keep me occupied but I seem to have taken up the worst ones, procrastination and feeling low. Gonna actively work on changing it. Wish me the best! :)

Oh ya I get tired of waiting and call/sms/ping someone myself.

Absurd.

moments

A snap of a couple sitting on a bench in lalbag shot by the "then" one...
A bracelet given by the "then" next one...
The dosa joint frequented with the "then" yet another next one...
The bench in 4th block with the long conversation late evening with some other one...
The chocolate bar gifted every meet by...
The cute funny tamil song introduced by...

The long passionate sweet loving hug given by them all....

The tear drop that forms at the thought of it all....

Ive something to tell you...

My work life has seen me getting close to 3 women. All are now far away on different continents and all of them quit IT and are now full time housewives. In the past year or so I have see this line on the gtalk window from each one of them. Instinctively I know what's coming. :-) While I am happy to hear it, I am also gripped by anxiety of the things to come, if it will be alright and all that. There is also this tiny feeling that there is going to be someone else who is going to take up a lot of their time...some of it time that would have been my time with them. well...life goes on. It time I got used to the distance.

post op

It's been almost 3 months since I had my hernia repair surgery done. I still get pain once a while and most new movements always result in some sort of pain. To make things worse I have sprained or whatever the other side too while driving the car! And today I wore a smaller pair of pant and when wearing the shoes I kinda I guess pressed the muscles in the healing area a bit. The damn thing is hurting since morning! I get quite worried when such things happen and to make matters worse I read all kind of crap on the net that gets me even more worried! God I think I should live with a doc! I need constant attention! :) And oh ya ive been soo restless cause of the worry that I just want to go home! God! ammmh!

the wintery summer day

It's been hot as hell and April is still a month away. Bangalore, the then garden city that didn't need even a fan in peak summer, today has A/Cs running around the year. In an unexpected but pleasant change, the last two days have seen the mercury fall, almost 6 degrees. Sitting in the middle of the southern peninsula, I can smell the heady scent of the rains soaked earth far away on the eastern coast.

Nature beckoning, I headed out to do the South Banglorean thing. Hot crisp dosa and a by two coffee with a friend at the famed Vidyarthi bhavan in Gandibazar. The fragrance of the garlands - hung on the road side trees for sale welcomes - the foodie in me.

Riding back was a relaxing enjoyable experience. It was as if the tensions of the city were some how removed by the calm soothing weather. I can't help but let nostalgia creep in - of the days gone by when Bangalore had a lot more of such days.

The Bull ride

After long, I had a lovely experience that made me wanna blog.

A friend of mine has got a new bike, a lovely Bullet electra with a thump that thumps up one's heartbeat. We decided we would hit the roads at night, being in Bangalore traffic is something that can kill the joy of riding even a "Bull".

A short ride ended up being a ride all the way out on kanakapura road till the AOL ashram. We crossed the bustling city streach and voila! The nearly empty, tree lined, winding road; the heavenly vault with the cresent moon, twinking stars and the bike head light leading our way; and the pollution free, warm, summer air united the heart beat with the thumping of the bike and the chords of nature.

It's been many years I went on a long ride being the pillion. It's been a decade or longer I sat on a Bullet. It was a first time experience riding out of the city late in the night. As we returned home, I was strangely at peace but I only wish...our highways were safer at night.

Im begining to wonder that we are indeed thankless

Mumbai terror blasts. The news channels have been raving abt this and blaming everyone from Pak to Politicians to People. In all this we forgot to say thank you to those who came forward and saved hundreds of lives. Be it those commandos who faced the enemy or the doctors who worked 3 days without sleep. All that we like to do is point fingers and blame. Can we get any less thankless? The media was all hyper when pak media blames them but why are they not showing images of doctors saving lives or the wounded commandos taken care of? And just say one word, "THANK YOU" for saving so many lives, for being brave and facing the enemy and bringing it to an end.

yet another ad with a missed attention to detail

Recently I saw Amir khan in an ad where he is washing utensils for his wife. I am not very sure but I vaguely recollect he had split up. Anyway, the actual annoying thing was that he had the tap running as he was just scrubbing the plate and talking into the camera, and the water was flowing in full force!! Why waste so much water!!! :(