A Nation in Transit

We are a country born out of a deluge of multi cultural influences spread across a few thousand years. And like every other nation, we aren't perfect. But what we have is a rich history, deeply enmeshed in our modern lives, supported by a tenacious value system and a steady undercurrent of spirituality.

Mark Twain had once called India the "..cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grand mother of tradition..."

- Given the present state of her affairs, I am not sure India would recognize herself in us today.

Nonetheless, the optimist in me would like to believe that beneath all the superficial filth and dilapidated health of its governance, underlying the pregnant silence before the storm, there may be a semblance of a new India waiting to be born.

Tour de Force

Overheard in a cafe -

Few people who appeared to be friends meeting after decades exchanging notes about where they are at this point in their lives. Some talked about kids and families, others about their latest adventure at whatever jobs they were holding. My ears picked up a thread - "I keep going to New York twice every year", he said. "Oh, you must be doing so well for yourself!"

At this point I tuned off and began drifting to the idea of success and its relative perception for people. I am always amused when making a couple of international trips per year is associated with the premise that you must have arrived in life!

Here's my personal barometer for my own success as an individual -

On a Road Less Travelled

When little kids like me enough to wave and blow kisses from their tiny schoolbus window..

When I have more than one girlfriend vying for who drops by with comfort food as I lay in bed thinking I am going to die of common viral fever...

When a long lost friend reconnects with a warmth that is associated with the closest of buddies...

When neighborhood urchins uncharacteristically offer me a solitary Jasmine flower...

When colleagues at work know exactly when I am in need of that cup of coffee ...

But mostly when I get up every morning, with a smile on my face, with a passion in my heart and a song on my lips!

Leaping Back

Its true.

Humans survive. Life goes on. Positivity beats human frailty hands down. Breathe in..breathe out. The mind walks the talk of the devil. And yet, the spirit beats all odds.

What begins as a few body cells fighting for supremacy becomes a battle for survival. The mind revolts and wants to surrender. The body, frail yet fighting still. The spirit rises from the ashes and comes forth to hold the fort and calls out.

Friends, family, strangers...all rally for that one step a day. How strange that when it all appear to be floundering in despair that life suddenly takes on a purpose?! The will to see another day, the call to return to one's faith, the need to smell the roses one more time....ah to be alive!

This one is for my friend L, who is fighting the deadly C - a tribute to your positivity and your strength my friend! I am already making the plans for that trip to Brazil and Mexico with you - you better be ready! Love, Light and Laughter to you. Hugs and oh so many more hugs!

Get well!

..looking through life...

The Quest

Stumbling my way through an insipid existence I always felt the need for a Manual to life. Where all others seem to be doing it effortlessly, even pretending to enjoy the experience, for me living appeared to be a chore that simply had to be done. 

Looking back...that was a million years ago..I am thankful for those moments of constant questioning and the occasional languid season of reckless living. For those were my moments of being born...the soul signaling the I for all that was to come and learn.

"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it." — Rumi

Rapture!

What some see as my adventurous life, is a quest for finding the answers that began many moons ago in another lifetime. I am happy that the trail has led me to new discoveries both within and without. The quest continues....

Soria Moria by Theodor Kittelsen (a painting depicting a famous Norwegian folklore)

My perception of the self keeps changing with my most recent experiences but as of today, I most identify the self with this character out of the Norwegian folklore!

Dieu Merci

The drops come..one at a time at first..silken..shy...breezy. Then all of a sudden the sky breaks out and it began pouring! The rain gods were dancing - a full on hip hop! 

My Frangipani plant

I gingerly step out on my now rain washed terrace to soak my soul in the magic of the Delhi monsoon. The rain waltz on around me and I am removed so far away from any where. A transcendent moment...life stops or moves too fast. I have always enjoyed my humble abode but today, at this moment, it feels like I am home.

 And this is how you find me.

A colourful Odyssey

Your Royal Ride 

"Khamma Ghani Sa" is Namaste with much added respect in Rajasthani. This simple phrase said with the head bowed low down to the waist and folded hands exemplifies the culture and tradition of the vibrant piece of earth called Rajasthan.

As rich and colourful as its history is Jaipur may appear somewhat faded with neglect if your vantage point is only that of a tourist looking for camel rides, snake charmers and pristine locales.

An equally footloose and fancy free friend is my travel companion on this trip. We decided to explore the city as it opens itself to us - with no planned agenda or itinerary.

The pool at The Trident

Jaipur draws you towards it and makes you wonder if you ever went deep within yourself!  Its forts, palaces, bazaars and people all conspire to create an ache for one's roots.

The beautiful palaces, now mostly converted into boutique hotels are awe inspiring. We are unanimous in our vote for the Ram Bagh Palace as the most beautiful and luxurious. We were recommended a visit to Steam - the bogie restaurant at this hotel for an evening meal - since we were not working an agenda we ended up sampling the Polo Bar instead! Both highly recommended by yours truly - a self confessed foodie ;)

Actually glutton would be a better word given the amount of food I consumed on this trip - a visit to the famous LMB restaurant at M.I Road had us gorging on Dal Baati and Gatte ka Sabji..the old and ever famous Niros running since 1949 won us with coffee served in sterling silver tea pots...

...by the end of this Royal treatment I certainly had an ego the size of a bullock cart.

Looking at the world through the view finder has changed my definition of viewing points. 

Johri Bazaar 

From where I stood, the city and its people may still very well be living in 1225 A.D.

The Jai Garh fort had our heart wrung out due to the apathy of the Jaipur Darbar and the Rajasthan Government - the disrepair and neglect is so visible as we compare the vastly majestic stature in shambles with the more celebrated yet a lot less princely counterparts elsewhere in the world.

The Jai Garh Fort

We are told that both the Jai Garh and City Palace are managed by the 'Darbar Sa" - the royal family of Jaipur under a Trust. Obviously their efforts leave much to be desired!

My friend is determined and optimistic that with the right noises we can make them sit up and notice..being the cynic that I have grown up to be I am not so hopeful. I sure would like to believe that this rich heritage is kept preserved for our future generations though...they will surely need wings to fly but will also thank us for these roots to stay grounded.

..and finally!!

Jaipur Lake Palace
photo courtesy @Google

Jaipur (Rajasthani: जैपर Hindi: जयपुर) (Urdu: جے پور) 


Am off this morning for a short weekend break to the Pink City in Rajasthan, India! I have been to the city a few times before but always for work or day long touch and go trips acting as a local host to my global friends. Am excited and so looking forward to capturing the mood of this colourful city and its equally colourful people. 


Watch out for the pictures! 

Longing for a break

The usual spring in my step gives way to a lethargic drag. I bribe myself to get up from the bed every Monday morning and immediately begin to count hours to the next weekend!

Yearnings for a place never before visited...dreams of long rainy/overcast days stretched out like the unending sky...hands itching to reach out to the piles of newly bought unread books...July usually does that to me! 


Out of the many self realizations that have been off late making their presence felt this one hits home hard..!! Whatever happened to the girl who could go months and even years without so much as a blink or a nudge for a break? Now I need a vacation every quarter (well at least once every two quarters!)..

The need to get away gets stronger each week - I am drawing up lists of places that I have visited and want to go again, the ones that I have never been to and the lists keep getting longer every time. 

..a little more time...commitment at work calls..but till then I try to keep my head above the water with memories of holidays past...

Milestone

The birthday morning dawned..fresh and new..carrying with it new joys, dreams and reminders of beautiful gifts of friendships near and afar..... 

Reflections

...The last four decades flew as if I had the wings of a butterfly - the text has been written…the commentary, yet to come.... 

Windmills

I chanced upon this sight on my way to Salzburg (Austria) on a recent trip to this beautiful tiny city............

Windmills

....and was instantly reminded of Sidney Sheldon's 1987 thriller novel Windmills of the Gods. Though the plot of that thriller was far removed from this picturesque scene in front of my eyes..I hung onto that phrase and, as is my nature, relapsed into another happy fantasy!!

This shot was taken from a moving bus across the hazy fiber glass window - you can perhaps guess that from the smudges across the picture specially visible on the clouds.

No photo shop needed as the picture itself was created by a much superior power - I seemed only like an instrument doing his bidding.

Camera - Nikon D 90
Exposure 1/1250s, 50 mm, f/5.6, ISO 200

visita relámpago - flying visit to Madrid

....One foot ahead of the other....the steps ought to take me forward...but I see myself walking back into time.. wondrously looking around ..lost in the grandeur surrounding me. It takes nothing but imagination to strip the neon signs off the facade of the beautifully sculpted buildings and one is transported to the early 20th century Spain.

Despite the macabre tale of modernization written all over this historic city, there are signs that show a culture breathing laboriously yet resolutely amongst its hip people. It is visible in the historic looking McDonald's building that perhaps may be the only outlet of its kind without the customary golden arch. The billboards around announce expositions of art and culture, celebration of sopranos and opera as well the latest Bollywood performance!

I am fortunate to witness one of the operas being played out at the Royal Theatre right opposite the Palacio Real de Madrid. Le Nizze de Figaro ( The Marriage of Figaro) is one of Mozart's controversial plays set in late 18th century. I am more intrigued by the audience sitting patiently outside in the square watching the live relay of the play on a huge screen set off atop one of the theaters.

Gran Via (pronounced as Gran 'B'ia) literally means the Great Way is arguably the most fashionable street in Madrid. Originally designed to be a thoroughfare connecting the Royal Palace of the King of Spain to the other side of the city it originally housed theaters and government buildings and was a place for cultural amusements.

The Metropolitan building is almost considered the face of Madrid for most people. Tourist fill the street mostly looking up to capture the beautiful architecture atop most buildings that fill the narrow street on both sides. A local friend remarks in jest how the locals make out the tourist by the way they look up in admiration and awe at these majestic buildings.

My first visit to the city is another step in my appreciation of the diversity of the human race. The city's people leave you to yourself, almost appearing rude at times as they ignore your presence and your attempts to befriend. Yet their open acceptance of the right of choice of an individual to live the life they want, in the manner they chose to live it, is definitely admirable and ought to be emulated.

As I get ready to leave the city, I find myself already looking forward to and planning my next visit...perhaps one not so short as this one. I am sitting here waiting to board my plane to another city ...wondering what purpose destiny has in taking me to these different places....is this a mere exercise in my education to be more grounded or a need for an old soul to recall or remember...?  

Coming Home

In my pursuit of the enchantments of this world I have been wading my way through living history ..one place at a time..and am having a whale of a time! Yet when the newness of a place wears me down and the strangers start getting too familiar for my liking, my heart begins to long for home....

Electric wires in old Delhi

.......for the familiar idiosyncrasies of the place which has grown on me for the last sixteen odd years.





Each one of its inhabitants may have their own opinion on this city but for me Delhi or Dilli as we locals know it, is one place which is swinging in a time machine. Here you have the swanky modern bungalows of the nouveau rich..over there the famous central business district in the heart of Lutyens' delhi - as much a buzz of modern day showcase of India shining as of her majestic resplendence of 1933...

Sheesh Gumbad

....and then there are these glimpses that make us wonder.....

Bada Gumbad and Mosque

....on some days.... when its 3 pm in New Delhi .....6.30 am in New York........it is only 1443 AD in certain parts of Dilli....!!!...

...little wonder it makes my heart tug?

  

New York contd.....

A city in celebration

Despite its colossal reputation, NY reminds me of a shy teenager, who upon realizing that she is actually a person in her own right goes berserk and wild! The sky high buildings co exist with old Gothic architecture with equal elan...its many parks dot the city, its old fashioned subways - now cleaned up of their not so pretty image - run the city only as a lifeline could. I certainly got addicted to the Metro and would take rides just for the sheer fun of it!!

belief, faith, trust....

True to its cosmopolitan nature, the city is home to many cultures and cuisines. One's ears get attuned to listening in many tongues..from the accented southern American drawl to the far eastern Asian, from the rapid static German to the vastly curvaceous Spanish..and of course not to forget the variety of cuisine on offer...they are all here... stamping the place with their very own character that culminates into this exciting, inviting juxtapose called New York City!

I secretly find myself imagining how it will be to live here as a citizen and comparing it to my relatively sedate life back home..the comparison excites me - as always I get motivated into action by the sheer possibilities :))

Manhattan on a winter afternoon

I click like there is no tomorrow..forgetting to think, to plan my shots, I just click knowing that my time here is finite. Smarting as the cold winds bite into my fingers..my nose a frozen dot on my face.. Later I regret not planning some shots better - some have turned out better than I imagined but others..my hopeful ones..are too simplistic just because I didn't think of taking a step to the right or left - or basically didn't use my one and a half moment that could have made the difference!! Lessons learnt, mistakes acknowledged..I move on.

The city as I see it

Frozen in time

Talking about moving on..I am realizing that is my biggest strength or maybe my one nemesis ..depending upon the way you look at it!

I am grateful for the life that I lead - so much more fulfilled than many others.

Here's hoping this New Year -begun a little differently than others, would teach me to stay grounded and humble, bring in the love of family and friends and above all make me a better person than I am today.

New York



Visitors at Times Sqaure



A city that calls out to you… vibrant and thriving on the massive energy of its people…. designed to make the most adamant of your inhibitions disappear..even if for a little while....its little towns and Burroughs..streets and avenues are a little confusing to a first time traveler to the city but then it gets easily familiar as you feel the city inviting you in with open arms..!

 

I happen to arrive on the last day of December into this city as 2010 was ticking to a close and another New Year waiting in the wings. Like most things in my life, this was not by design. I had planned on being here a couple of days earlier to drink in the sights and get myself organized before deciding upon the most appropriate manner to spend new years’ eve in the city everyone refers to as The Big Apple and of course THE place to be on a night like this. But like most of my other best laid plans, this too had its own mind and so here I am - playing along to the whims of a higher force….

....to be contd...