Straight into the Shining Sun

Was listening to Pink Floyd last night and some lyrics really touched my heart.. 

Where were you when I was burned and broken 

While the days slipped by from my window watching 

Where were you when I was hurt and helpless 

Because the things you say and the things you do surround me 

While you were hanging yourself on someone else's words 

Dying to believe in what you heard I was staring straight into the shining sun.. 

Lost in thought and lost in time 

While the seeds of life and the seeds of change were planted 

Outside the rain fell dark and slow 

While I pondered on this dangerous but irresistible pastime 

I knew the moment had arrived 

For killing the past and coming back to life.. 

I took a heavenly ride through our silence 

I knew the waiting had begun 

And headed straight.. into the shining sun..

No need to say anything else right? There are some days u feel so lonely.. Even words wont come to keep u company...

Last Lear and Mustard Sauce..

O, how much more doth beauty beauteous seem

By that sweet ornament which truth doth give!

The rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem

For that sweet odour which doth in it live.

But, for their virtue only is their show,

They live unwoo'd and unrespected fade,

Die to themselves. Sweet roses do not so;

Of their sweet deaths are sweetest odours made:

And so of you, beauteous and lovely youth,

When that shall fade, my verse distills your truth..

- Shakespeare, Sonnet 54

People say beauty is ephemeral.. but it need not be so.. u can catch a glimpse of it and keep it forever stored in your memory to relive it day after day.. every day for ur whole life.. u can add to the memories and increase your treasure every moment of your life..

One may find beauty in unexpected places, as I found out today.. the breathtaking view of the monsoon sky and the joy of dancing in the first rain.. I saw it in the dark visage of a fisher-woman with a careless flower tossed in her hair.. it was there in the words of Ashok C. Banker's Ramayana that I read later in the day.. i encountered it again in the innocent eyes of my best friend's baby.. and it was there in the happiness on the face of another friend whom I met after ages..

I found beauty in the fragrance of mustard sauce that lingered on my fingers hours after I had had lunch.. it was there in the impossibly brilliant portrayal by Amitabh Bachhan in 'The Last Lear' and it was there in the kohl-lined lotus eyes of Shefali Shah and in the the anklets adorning her feet..

There are so many such moments which have stayed with me over the years.. the broad smile of a lover when u make a surprise visit.. the first stolen kiss with all its anxiety and excitement.. the silent tears shed while separating from a loved one..

The cold winter day spent with a good book tucked under a quilt.. the chana jor garam and bhutta enjoyed while seeing the sun go down in the Arabian Sea.. and many many more.. I intend to hold on to all these for ever.. and remember them forever.. for they are a source of beauty in my world.. and like the bard said, I'll be 'Painting my age with the beauty of thy days'..

Mumbaicha Assal Raja!

'Mumbai conquers fear and rain for Ganpati' said the TOI Headline.. 'Fear Factor fails to dampen Mumbai's spirits' another said.. It seemed like Mumbai was running on the power of faith!

Indeed it was a day of expressing faith..

Faith in God, faith in the system, and faith in the ultimate victory of good over evil.. after all it was just yesterday that Delhi was rocked by 6 powerful blasts killing 24 and injuring 97 innocents!

Mumbai had been warned - it was a sunday and the day of Ganpati Visarjan where lakhs of people gather on the beaches - the opportunities were just right for terrorists to strike! But Mumbai kept its faith in Ganpati and soldiered on. Bracing against the heavy rains and hoping against hope that nothing would happen in the city today, people ventured out of their homes to bid adieu to their beloved Ganpati.

 

Anant Chaturdashi is the last day of the Hindu festival of Ganeshotsav. The festival actually started on the 3rd of this month which was the Ganesh Chaturthi. According to beliefs, Ganpati was born on this day and on Chaturthi, people welcome the Lord into their homes and hearts while the immersion of idols takes place on 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th or 11th day.

The immersion is a way of saying goodbye to the Lord who descends down on earth from Ganesh Lok to partake in the festivities. We invoke Him and He willingly comes and stays with us but when the time for his return comes, He returns to His abode. Earlier, the idols used to be carried in palanquins but now Ganesha is taken in beautifully decorated trucks and floats. The smaller ones are taken in hand carts or are placed on the backseats of cars.

Large processions of devotees accompanied with live bands and drum beats sing and dance, sprinkling Gulal and amidst fireworks proceed with Him to the water front. I particularly remember the Mahalakshmi temple float from my earlier days in Mumbai and the way me and my friends from Nair hostel used to rush to join the parade and immerse ourselves in that awesome trance music!! Traffic is thick with large 'floats' packed with dancing men and women and the huge Plaster of Paris idols depicting Ganesh in a hundred poses..

This is marked by the ritual of immersion which is not without its share of tears! As I was walking on the beach watching different people bidding their farewells to their beloved god, I saw a lady from a nearby jhopdi crying when she let go of the Ganpati idol her famliy had brought for visarjan.. it was almost as if she was saying her goodbyes to a cherished family member..

“Ganapati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Laukarya” (O Lord Ganesh, return quickly the following year) chanting this, the followers bid Him farewell. Lord Ganesh returns to His abode taking away all the unhappiness, obstacles and troubles of His devotees, promising to return again the next year and He sure did relieve us of a tense day. This ten day festival can be best understood only by experiencing it first hand.. the sights, sounds, and sheer madness of the final day of Ganesh Chathurthi is too difficult to capture through pictures or describe through words..

 

 

 

One can see the spirit of Mumbai come alive in this grandest of all festivals! 

There are people volunteering with the police working to prevent any disasters from happening, there were boy scouts lining the roads at Versova maintaining the traffic.. people had put stalls outside their societies to serve water and 'vada-pav' to devotees thronging the beach.. at Byculla, the procession of Lalbagcha Raja was greeted with a huge floral garland presented by the Muslim community there who distribute sweets every year to the Hindus in the procession..

I saw a Bihari family bring their small Ganesha sitting in the lap of his father Shiva as a child in the lap of his own father looked on.. there was a Punjabi society and a Sikh family with Ganeshas of their own.. it felt good to see so much harmony, love and devotion all around.. it truly was a beautiful experience and an example of Mumbai's resilience and determination to fight against all efforts to polarise it in the name of religion, region, caste and language! 

Move-over ye politicians with vested interests, Mumbai is tougher than u think and more united than you want to accept.. and for all Mumbaikars, Ganpati Bappa is and will always remain the Assal Raja of Mumbai :)

Ganpati Bappa Morya Pudhcya Varshi Lavkarya!

Yoohoo monsoons!

Hey people whatcha doing..

I have been totally utilising whatever free time i get!! Went to Karnala yesterday :)

Its a beautiful place for trekking especially in the monsoons.. As you make your way through lush green jungle, you will hear the peacocks crying to the clouds or encounter the numerous crabs inhabiting the trail..

From scenic walks with spectacular views of the valleys below to the challenges of the long trail and reaching the fort at the top, Karnala is one of the coolest hiking destinations. Plus the awesome rains added to the experience, making the whole track more slippery!!

Trekking is one of the best ways to stay fit plus you get a chance to spend some quality time together with Mother Nature which provides an antidote to mental stress :) So hope you all are sufficiently inspired to go out and take advantage of the roaring monsoons before its too late!!

Not lookin for Someone

I'm not looking for someone to talk to,
I've got my friends, I'm more than O.K.
I live my dreams but it's not all they say,
Still I believe I'm missing something real..

I need someone who really sees me,
Don't wanna wake up alone anymore,
Still believing you'll walk through my door,
All I need is to know it's for sure,

Then I'll give all the love in my world...

An Indian Summer

Woah! what a month this has been! Didnt get the time to even log in once.. but i m kinda enjoying the whole corporate work culture thingy and having fun too! Today we had a party at Firangipani, it was sort of a fairwell for the other interns who will be finishing with their summers soon.. and i kinda hope mine gets over soon too!

There has been a lot of learning in this one month and a lot that i need to do in the coming one!! The experience was great and so are the people in my team.. and there's the constant anxiety of not being able to perform as per my boss' expectations.. hope i am able to do justice to my project!!

Just wish to get out of the tie and formals though and go back to wearing capris and jeans again ;o) 

One year down, One more to go..

Whew!! I am finally thru wid d first year :) Still feels like a dream though.. kaise gaya ye time i have no idea.. but it sure was a great year wid lots of memories - bitter as well as sweet.. all the realities of life i had forgotten have resurfaced in one form or other.. so it was a kind of revision of my life upto now..

I met many new people good as well as bad.. made a lot of new friends, had a couple of crushes, been in relationships, bunked a few classes (and attended a few), had parties, had studies, had hours-long chats, had cryptic replies, had break-ups, had reunions..

Have burnt the mid-nite oil seriously as well as had night outs just for fun.. as i said it has all been a recap of my life.. 

Hope life continues in the same vein and m looking forward to the summers in Glenmark now :)

Holi Hai :)

HOLI HAI!!!!

Got up in the morning to the noise of this slogan around me!! getting up i covered myself in oil and went out to face the forces ;) this year's Holi was rocking yaaron...

Let me first share wid u some gyan about Holi..

Holi actually starts the night before with a bonfire made up of all the dried leaves and branches left through the winter. It is a way of clearing these and making way for spring. Metaphorically though, the fire is meant to signify the destruction of evil - the burning of the ‘Holika’ - a mythological character.. The heat from the fire is also a reminder that winter is behind and that the hot summer days are ahead..

The following morning begins with worshipping Krishna by lovingly smearing his idol with ‘gulal’ - the colours used to play Holi. This is a festival that is as much a gateway to celebrate the arrival of spring as much as it is a way to celebrate the season of love..

This is where the celebration with colours comes in. The riot of colours follows a revelry of colour play and takes place amidst the sprinkling or the shower of coloured powder. And when this is combined with water it is anything but a damp squib. Everybody is welcome and everybody is pardoned for his or her revelry.. me and a bunch of friends went over to a pal's place in ville parle.. we started wid gulal, graduated to drowning each other in color with the help of a bucket and finally finished with water baloons!!

So may we be pardoned too for having an overdose of Bhaang, Bhangra, Colors and Masti today :)

Bura Na Mano Holi Hai!!

Another year older..

Another year older, 
I grow even bolder, 
Its nature taking its way, 
I grow and learn and feel great, 

 Another year older, 
Hurting fires now just smolder,
 Letting go of past pain, 
Living life and feeling sane.. 

Another year older, 
A tear on my shoulder,  
Another day, Another moment, 
Another chance for improvement,

Another birthday is inching closer but when i look at myself in d mirror, i still see d same old me... I don't feel a day older than the time when i was in junior college.. it still feels like yesterday when i remember the college days, the shift to Mumbai, the times spent with friends, the fights wid lovers, the studies, the exams, the masti, the magic...  

Another year older, 
Pages added to my folder, 
 Life has not been so bad, 
I'm happy more and less sad..  

Another year older, 
 I think things follow His order, 
He's got more for me yet, 
And It'll be even better I bet..  

Another year older, 
I'm glad of who I am and wonder, 
So I don't mind writing this birthday rhyme, 
I've lived my life well till this time..

Aaj fir..

Aaj fir udasiyon ne, dil pe dala dera,

Utha zamin se koshish ki, udne ki ambar ki oar,

Bahut kacchi hai lekin, mere hauslon ki dor.

Kadam mud gaye udhar fir, mila thoda sukun wahan,

Ja baitha us sahil pe, dubi kayi kashtiyan jahan,

Thodi dur hai aur raasta, jata jo kshitij ki oar,

Kuchh lamhon ka hai faasla, dhundhun kya wo antim chhor?

Prayatna kiya mann ne bahut, badhne ka aage do kadam,

Shayad aaj mita hi jaoon, bandhnon ka ye bharam,

Darta hu lekin, kya ye saahas kar paunga,

Kyunki ye janta hu main,
Do kadam badha to dub jaunga…

New Year.. New Beginning..

Beginnings they say are arbitrary..

Sometimes we are too close to things to see them.. Sometimes we are too far away.. We choose starting points when in fact every single moment that is, exists in the context of every single moment throughout time that precedes and follows it! Its a tapestry with no beginning or end and even if we like to believe that our stories start at a certain point, the truth is, it is a long eternal tale..

The Story of Man

Life is the story of man-

of His life that remains unsatisfactory

of His love that remains unsatisfied

of His dreams that remain unfulfilled

and of His death that is mercifully unconditional...

Heron Ryan beautifully writes.. "I should probably not say these things, but if i dont, i'll just become a spectator watching the events in my life unfold rather than being the person experiencing them!"

In some ways, aren't we all like that? we see things hapening we have no control on.. we see people slipping out of our lives and can't so much as raise a finger to stop them from leaving..

And sometimes, when i get something back, i kinda feel as if all this is just an elaborate illusion.. but then, life has so many harsh realities that i dont mind being in the grip of Maya for a change!!

Sometimes the Snow comes down in June

This winter Sun that warms my soul,

Stirs up memories of pure gold

Cherished love, emotions bold,

And some feelings never told..

These misty nights, pouring rain,

Paint reflections on window panes,

Chilling the body, melting the heart,

Missing someone away, afar..

This fresh cut grass reminds again,

Those walks in woods holding back pain,

Gentle breezes rustle and sway,

Bringing back memories stashed away..

This togetherness, those times spent alone,

Someone who knew me, and still was my own,

All times of joy and pain that cloud the eye,

I'll miss them forever throughout my life..

Legend of Prince Rama

Praise be to the Lord Almighty whose name let even rocks float on the ocean! Vijaydashmi marks the victory of Lord Shri Raam over Ravan.. The imagery of this final part of the Ramayan is beautifully reflected in these words by Romesh C. Dutta.

Still the dubious battle lasted, until Rama in his ire,

Wielded Brahma's wrathful weapon flaming with fire,

The weapon that Agastya had unto the hero given,

Winged as lightening dart of Indra, the fatal bolt of heaven,

Wrapped in smoke and flaming flashes, speeding from the bow,

Pierced the nectarian navel of Ravan, laid the demon low,

Voice of blessings from the sky fell on Raghu's valiant son,

'Champion of the True and Righteous, thy noble task is done!'

Beautiful words that capture the essence of the battle.. the vivid teachings from our epics all guide us to walk on the right path.. only by serving the path of righteousness we can achieve the Lord..

'Mann se Ravan jo nikale Raam uske mann mein hain!!'

The Journey of Life

Sometimes it feels reality is just an illusion and 'free-will' a charade created by the Gods to mislead us into a sense of having control over our life..

We are victims of Causalty, the slaves of Karma, all along trudging the path charted for us by destiny...

We may try to escape by surrounding ourselves with others, by drowning ourselves in a sea of humanity.. but all the time the emptiness inside our heart just keeps on growing...

Perhaps every life is just an arduous journey to a solitary destination...

Each path in life is lonely, but then... you need not walk it alone!!


From - Sadhu- The Silent Ones

Chak De India!

Young Team-India has done the unbelievable! They have snatched victory out of the hands of the gods of fate and done so with their effort and perseverence...hats off to the captain and full marks to the team for their incredible victory over the arch rivals...

Chak Diya India :o)

Michhami Dukkadam :)

For those who r wondering what it is, its the beautiful Jain tradition of asking for forgiveness from all and granting forgiveness to all at the end of the Samvatsar each year..

It is so difficult and painful to hold someone out of your heart.. how can u hold on to that pain, that resentment even a moment longer? Let go of ur fears, ur doubts and for this moment, this point in time, touch them with ur forgiveness and allow urself to be forgiven..

I forgive all living beings i have interacted with; May all of them forgive me...

Mikshamami Dushkritam :o)

First Night-out in MBA

Did my first night out yesterday!!! never thought there wud be a day when i wud spend the whole night at the lib and that too for studying!!! He he things do change sometimes i guess :)

Jai Hind!

One moment has the power to create history..

One idea has the power to inspire millions..

One person has the power to change a nation..

YOU are that person.. I am that person..

On the 60th yr of our independence, its time to celebrate this indomitable force, the power of ONE! Let us all join our powers to create a better future for our NATION

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY :)

Bought the first book in NMIMS :P

Hey I bought my first book for the Management course today and also issued my first book from the library!!! U might be wondering what is special about that, but the truth is I m the last person from my batch to do it!!!!

Hmmm... guess some people never change :)

Words are all I have..

As I officially start my blog today, was wondering why does one write on a public platform?

Is it the desire to pen down ur feelings.. the ones u r too scared to share wid anyone else? there is a strange comfort in writing down all you feel here…u don’t mind if some random person stumbles upon ur most intimate secrets.. coz there are words u cannot say, feelings u cannot express and guards u cant let down when u r talking to people in person.. u strive to maintain that image of invincibility and try to protect urself from the reactions of those around u..

Sometimes u just want to be kind… not wishing to drown ur dear ones in ur sorrows.. u might not even want to accept that u r feeling low.. not willing to accept that whenver u feel u hv got over a particular phase of life, a single thought can bring it all back crashing on ur head.. numbing u into silence.. pushing u into d oblivion..

A random thought, a random fragrance, a random look from a stranger may bring out that which u had hidden in the deepest recesses of ur soul for an eternity.. the walls that u had built around u come crumbling down with just one glimpse of a picture, one hello from that voice and one memory of that touch.. ur eyes sting as the tears try to force their way out.. u may not be able to share it with anyone.. but u may write.. and write again to let it all out.. to relive it again and again.. to never let it go..

For all that u are today and all that u will be tomorrow.. is a result of all that u have been in the past.. it is a mixture of all ur feelings, all ur hurts, all ur happiness.. all d good and d bad times.. all that loneliness and d occasional smiles.. all the devotion and an occasional deceit.. all d words said in anger and d ones said in passion.. its who u are.. its who u have been.. and its who u will become tmrw..