I was going to spend time with a soul friend…

Everything was ready, my backpack was ready, my book and music added, my checklist ticked, alarm set and ticket “assumed”.

Typically before any journey, I have this muted excitement which sends thrills of anticipation of discovering new bits and pieces or revisiting old bits and pieces when one travels..

Being up early in the morning, I was ready an hour early. My train to Coimbatore was at 8:00 AM. With lot of love and kindness, my mother-in-law and Rocks decided to drop me off.

We reached the railway station and I was in the frame of mind to hop on and get into my drifting space of travelopia.

I took out the ticket to check the train number and GUESS WHAT !! my train had already left for Coimbatore at 6:15. All the while I was referring to the return ticket.. GAH !! I was ashamed when the enquiry guy looked at me as if I was stupid to enquire about a train which already left..

For the first time in my life I MISSED MY TRAIN. Rocks was boiling and slowly fuming.. I did not know what to say… Well what do you say ?

Its no use bemoaning the fact that you have missed the train. I just smiled and laughed it away. When I called my friend, she also laughed out loud.. and well I was happier to hear her laugh and my world was better again..

By now Rocky also swallowed his ire and patiently started driving back murmuring under his breath that I could cancel my ticket..

I was keeping my pleasant attitude about this and did not point out until later that one cannot cancel the ticket once the train has left. Ha ha !! But he was only trying to be a man and help me out so I smiled again.

Its no use cursing yourself.. well then I thought to myself… I think I will end up chilling at home which was also fine.

Then suddenly I thought of trying the bus and fortunately, there was only one counter open and Rocks patiently waited till I found one lone old man chewing on tobacco half asleep.. blearily asking me where I wanted to go..

I said Coimbatore and he did say that there was a bus at 12:30 PM. I was thrilled. He suddenly woke up and skipped and crossed the road. I skipped behind him to go to another counter which was also the only one open and got myself a ticket to Coimbatore.

Rocky drove us back home and on the way back we had some freshly made dosas under a huge tree.. and generally enjoyed ourselves… mother in law was very encouraging about the situation and though I was embarrassed… I was feeling better that I would be going on that trip anyway.. and it was about a few hours late.. well all was well.

Rocky kindly dropped me and saw me off from the bus station at 1:00 PM, this time making sure that I left with the bus and not without. Typically IST wise, the said time and the actual time differed. No surprise there..

The bus was comfortable and since I had Seat no 1, I was pretty glad that I could have a wide view of the drive and what was in front of me..

Well the bus started with some nice Tamizh songs. Which was fine. They are pretty cool with fancy DVD with some MP3 CDs ready to be played for the traveler’s hearing pleasure.

Suddenly I was jerked by a song which sound like TITANIC many a times in the lyrics.. It was funny to say the least but I was bright and happy.. so it did not matter.

We stopped at the Bharat Petroleum Eating joint after Krishnagiri. And it was late afternoon. After a quick bite and an empty bladder, the bus started onwards. The handyman very enthusiastically, took out a 5 in 1 DVD and switched on the DVD.

And on came RAJANIKANT with his different expressions and that sultry look of his chewing on his trademark ciggie.

There were some mythological characters, Rajani in modern clothes and role and Rajani in a villager role. As the movie unfolded, I was zapped, sitting in silence, trying to focus on the nature passing by but forced to watch the movie and got caught up in the story which was totally ludicrous to say the least but totally entertaining..

I watched disbelievingly at Rajani making an entrance on a motorcycle with smoke billowing behind him chewing on his ciggie trying to block a truck on the highway at night.

Then he starts beating up people right and left and the fight scenes goes on and on.. Rajani with his white shirt and pant and him beating up some 10 -20 people without his white shirt getting dirty. WoW !!

Then while Rajani is fighting for his life.. in the fight scenes, we have Sheeba ( the somewhat known and forgotten Bollywood heroine) shouting.. “ippdi” !!! ” Sooper ” Soober man” And mimicking her arms boxing the air.. “adi adi ” “Sooper.. ” Then she throws him a flying kiss and Rajni in the middle of the fight, has the time to look sexily at her and take out his distinctively pink tongue and looking at the camera and lapping the flying kiss up like a puppy.. and then goes back to beating up the goons… I was like GAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH and that was supposed to be a hot moment…. GROSSSS !!!! I was having a quiet stomach ache laughing my head off. Oh and lets not forget some 2-3 song and dance routine with him in his white dress and shoes and lots of extras jiggling around with Sheeba and then some more fight scenes.. which made no sense…

To continue and make this short, Rajani gets killed and he floats around in heaven with three guys, one of whom is Chitragupt the divine bookkeeper of karmic accounts or whatever.

Cut to Rajani doing his role as a village bumpkin and prancing around with a village belle. They sing and dance and Rajani gets beaten up by his uncle by a whip and gets poisoned for his property. Then we see the floating Rajani with his heavenly companions waiting for the village bumpkin counterpart to die. Once he dies, this modern Rajani gets transferred to the village bumkin’s body and then he proceeds to do some impossible things like beating up his uncle and aunty with whips, wearing modern dresses and still romancing the village belle. Then he comes to town and somehow gets found by Sheeba and he romances her too.. at the same time.. with the village belle.

And I am not saying anything about the 10 odd songs in the movies which sometimes is close to pornography by their very movements.. and no I am not shocked.. just an observation. At one time, I noticed Rajani just stiffly moving his body while the females falling and touching him all over… to make a dance… GAH !!!

I was also somewhat disturbed by the scene where Rajani does not only beat up his evil uncle with a whip but also his aunt. So well as per the movies, its ok to beat up a woman with a whip and so what.. if she was evil.. That is good punishment..

Well anyway, I will not be surprised if the public ( the mango people) believe this to be true and had a justification in beating the women up in the household..

My head was not making sense at all.. yet I was forced to watch it.. I tried and close my eyes but it did no good.. The driver had pulled a screen down half of the front window so that the passengers do not have a view of the outside and can ONLY watch the movie and clap their hands when Rajani does the beating up or cheer when something happens.. which makes them happy.

Anyway, the movie goes on and on… and many impossible feats later which defy science and gravity, he is left with the two heroines. Then one of the heavenly companions whisper in his ear. He whispers back in two of the heroine’s ears and they both get to maul Rajani at the end and he has a satisfied smile on his face.. This Chinese Whisper session is the climax of the film and I get to see the credits..

I sigh in relief.. but no my pain knew no end… my torture was beginning.

DVD 2 – The tamizh version of our bollywood remake Ghar Jamai. – suffice it to say that it did its work on having my ears and hair stand at my end.. the script defies everything in the name of films..

By the time this movie ended, I am going bonkers.. and just when I think I can breathe, Than tha naaaaaann !!! up comes yet another movie..

And to top it all, everytime some dialouge comes up, the driver repeats the dialogue along with Rajani.. I did not know what to do.. I was I think ready to puke on the drivers head.. or whack him with something.. I had SOOSOOSOSO lost it..

I had to vent it out. I called Rocks up and swore and cursed about the torture and after seeing my wild and mad behavior and hearing the words torture couple of times.. the driver instructs the handyman to switch off the movie.. ( Rocks on the other side was laughing his head off)

BLISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS !!!

But the next hour is full of loud radio music.. which I was ok with and also sang along with some popular Tamil songs.

I am also embarrassed by losing my temper.. and cursing so badly.. which I usually refrain.. but the human mind can only take so much..

By the end of it all, I was zonked out.. and eagerly counting kms on the board till I reached Coimbatore.. 140, 67, 35, 28, … it blurred and I started staring into space and just thinking nothing.. so much was I lost that I did not realize, we had come to my stop… if my friend would not have seen me, or I would not have spied her, I would have moved on to god knows which destination.. and ended up screwing my day royally.

But thanks to all good things that make life easy, my friend called me down and we finally reached her place..

It took me a cup of tea and a good bath to wind down.. and start my weekend…

GAHHH GAAHHH and double GAHHHHHHH !!!!! to crazy movies !!!

I must say that we have to upgrade to headphones connected to the bus TV which allows us to watch or ignore a movie and journey in peace..

Or maybe I should invest in some noise reduction headphones.. the next time I take a bus..

So well, I am fresh and rejuvenated to start another week and looking forward to the usual stuff that happens in a week and another travel.. coming up this time some family time in the forest..

So hopefully you had a lovely weekend.. Have a great week ahead.. It’s a wonderful Tuesday today..

Ode to the man himself.. :

Its titled R K Laxman’s Selected ones.

Lakua, my ancestral hometown, is a small village which contained our ancestral home. It was a ritual or a done thing to visit this place annually, typically during our winter vacations. Shillong had long winter vacations and my folks would take me to Lakua,

Lush green paddy fields, bright orange sky due to ONGC operations happening night and day and the soil yielding oil, the smell of sweet humid air, and little hut like shops, one shop in particular where I would go and sit and get some candies to eat just because he knew my family.

I was the only girl child then and in the line of more than 5 boys.. So I could very well do as I wished.. Not to far off though. There was always someone who would be keeping an eye on me wandering off around the property.

Mornings, I would go to the nearby “Pukhuri” or the pond and watch the fish flit around hither thither. It was fascinating. Though the whole house was “pucca” built but the kitchen like any traditional one would be made of mud and thatched roof. In my head that was one of the most interesting places where all the daughter in laws including my mom would be busy doing something or the other.

I remember my granny would cook for herself and her food would be the tastiest.

I would find my corner in the warm clean mud floor and make my space and it was never cold. It was as if the earth would hug my body and keep me warm.

The house was big and at that time, TV was not yet upon us.

I would skip along the different rooms of the house, sleep a little, play a little and dream a lot..

We would be having our breakfast of milk from our cows and home grown rice items.. And filled to the brim, I would skip around.. The portico was long and airy and it had some antique bits along with my late grandpa’s painting. I would spook a little when there was no one and I would like to build my own dream castles.. Walking and sitting and humming a soft tune to myself… after a while I did feel comfortable about the painting.. It seemed to protect me.. So well, off I would go via the portico door to the yard which would be full of beetlenut trees. I would just love to wander.. Around.. Listening to the silence, then filled with joy at the singing of a bird… it was my fantasy world.. My very own space..

I would skip to and fro and then go to the back yard which had rows and rows of vegetables. Nearby was the Assamese version of the barn. Inside the barn I would chase the chickens.. And then smile to myself.

I came to know a tall dark lady ” Sobi” who would be in charge of our animals and our garden. She seemed scary to me and did not speak our language but she was ageless and timeless, it seemed. She was mystical to me and I would love to go and speak to her and run behind her asking her questions which she would patiently answer. Of course, it was all about the animals and their babies..

She would bring the cows and the buffalos home. She would gather the milk and the eggs the chicken laid and she would also sit by the corner at the end of the day and chew on some wholesome tobacco and I have this memory of her standing at the big gate and looking far away.. As if in a different world. She did not have any family and she just stayed with us.

Sometimes, it would be a warm wintry sunny day when Grandma would want to make “Gamusa”, the traditional handcloth/towel that Assamese people use. I remember her walking round and round the implanted bamboo sticks and weave this cloth.. It fascinated me.

We had the loom too but then I guess I was too young to appreciate that.

It would be a grand day to celebrate days important to us with group gathering at our temple where the villagers would gather to sing the praise of the lord with synchronized clapping and cymbal beating. It put me in a kind of trance. We did not worship the idol on my Father’s side so it was all very different from my Mom’s side who were pure idol worshippers. I would try to sing along with them and clap my hands with them, and without realizing be in a trance along with the group..

Festivals at home would be fun with family rushing around. Many people coming in and out, specials being made. A little me would did not have enough time to stop and wonder. I was too busy flitting from one activity to the other.

There would be an all night kirtan/bhajan “naam” singing with the singers actually dancing with their dhols..

No one would fall asleep and it would last the whole night to the early morning.. Singing songs in the name of the divine, dancing to the name of the divine and then eating… in the name of divine..

Rice would be roasted in bamboo hollows and jaggery and home made butter and curd would be distributed. We would also have meat specials later on.

I would go with my friends to visit different houses.. And all would be extremely hospitable. They would call from afar and invite me home to treat me with their homemade goodies and ask me questions which I would generally answer with a shy smile, looking at my friend to help me out. She was my confidante and my kaleidoscopic looking glass to the village. She would take me skipping with her across fields.. And show me around.. Take me to her small hut and give me savories… and laugh with me and my accent. I generally loved being with her since she seemed to know so much and more so because she was patient with me.

She would show me tamarind trees where ghosts lived. Tell me stories.. About it and a haunted house would make us shiver.. As we walked by.. She would make it real with “real” stories.. I loved it..

She would teach me how to grind rice with our traditional “dheki” and how to scale the “koi” fish with ash. Sometime, I would have leeches stuck to my hand while sorting greens from our backyard to which I would scream and she would laugh and quickly get salt and have the leeches drop from my hand..

Oh joy !! The very memory lightens the mood and transports me to a joyous euphoria… !!

It was always a special time for many years.. And I was loath to go back to Shillong where all things “modern” awaited..

FAST FORWARD to present!!!

We stopped visiting Lakua sometime after my Grandma became sick and everyone shifted to the town house in Sibsagar. Slowly, as the family shifted base, it was as if the life was sucked out of that place. It grew old and shabby in days.. It seemed…

I got busy with my studies and the life started deteriorating back there. Many people died being a part or a victim of the outlawed group.

It was as if a shadow of death and dissent dawned upon this one beautiful place and made it sucked all the juice of life and living literally.

My dear friend is a mother of 3, still has that house but is abused by her husband.. and still living.. she has grown old by many years it seems and the child is lost..

People still live there, farming still happens there but the feeling of being one with the earth is missing.

Money has corrupted many a mind… outlaw activities for the sake of misleading goals corrupted many a house and took away many a professions.. And well it is like just another place..

Last I visited our family home.. It was rented, to some stranger, it was cemented all over.. Made into a modern living quarters, The pond was full of scum and well it was very empty of life..

I understand that we all have to move forward in life.. But have we thought of what we leave behind, our legacy, our very roots that we come from.. ?

Sometimes, I wonder, is it worth all this to leave behind the very connection with nature and earth who so lovingly sustained us and allowed us to grow in it without wasting any part of it.

Sometimes, its nice to be in that ” Once upon a time ” where needs were few, joys were many and life was long !!

It was like I was in the song and I was fighting for my country and as a soldier I was conveying the words.. I was in tears at the end.. it was so overwhelming..

I cannot tell you how it affected me.. but yes till date, this is the song which stir waves and waves of patriotism.. and I am glad I discovered this song when I did…

Kudos to Lataji who can still bring out tears with this song…

So heres to you my country !! I am proud to be one of the many Indians here…

“Composed by C. Ramchandra and lyrics by Pradeep. When in 1962 Lata Mangeshkar sang this patriotic song, it moved Pundit Jawarlal Nehru, the Indian Prime Minister, to tears. …”

Watched the Phir Mile Sur Mera Tumhara Video.. must say it was a nice one..

Image by rajkumar1220 via Flickr

Nostalgic :  Today back home, everyone would be celebrating Bihu. Wish I was with them. Its been years but times like this is when I wish, I wish I wish.. for that warm laughter, exchanging greetings face to face with loved ones, having a feast with the family, generally having that happy undertone of being together. Happy Bihu to all !!!

Excited : to be in this moment. Travel is happening on and off so am excited about that. Not to far away places but lets call it quality travel.. meeting friends and family..

Overjoyed : over a new recipe which I tried. Its very simple and traditional but since I am not an expert at traditional, I was feeling pretty high on getting this done.. More of this on my food blog..

Exasperated : at meaningless text messages or text marketing that I seem to be flooded with for no reason at all. Its like the system has conspired against me to have my cell bombarded for nuts.. I cannot hate it.. since its a part of technology and evolution but heck I do not have to like it either.. Sigh..

Tired : of paying and paying and paying … I am imagining myself to be loan free soon and the very thought perks me up..

Looking forward : To the new house. My mezzanine level got done and it looks good ( at least to me)  Now for the kitchen and then my home office aka misc room and then bathrooms… and well then the whole apartment which I have been looking forward to for so many years.. yes it will happen.. exactly the way I imagined it.. and I look forward to it. Time in this case does not get measured.. it seems to be working on its own version of time.. but heck so be it.. !!

Thankful : for all the good people around me online and offline.. I know I do not meet you often.. but know it that  you are all in my prayers.. and in my thoughts.. I do appreciate your presence in whatever way possible in my life.. all of you inspire me. !!

Thinking : Its time !!!

Praying : for all the souls who have fallen prey to unfortunate incidents natural and unnatural.. Haiti, etc

Glad : that mercury retrograde period  is finally over..  onto some new ventures.. We do have an eclipse which does say that its time to shed the old and bring in the new.. so I am anticipating all new things..

Dreaming : my way into reality…

Missing : Rider Mania  this year but well, I have to choose my misses.. No regrets though !!

Asking :  what next ???

It was a good break and after a while I have started looking forward to the vacation time that we get at the end of the year as shutdown. In the beginning it was not accepted but now it seems its great way of planning some time off.

This time I spent it with family and with myself. It was a fresh change from traveling and being out and on the road, seeing new places and exploring new stuff. Well thats in our blood it seems and we are always ready.

For a change, we planned to be with ourselves and well though it was quiet, it did seem that the time flew by with the blink of an eye.

I caught up with some of my passions, reading books, cooking up stuff and yes learning some new things in the kitchen with my Mother in law.

She was all charged up with rebuilding the ideas with which she used to make her home. The death of my father-in-law had actually left her without the desire to do anything extra or creative and understandably so. But I am glad that she has got the windows of her passion for some of the things which brought her joy and it was just with lot of content and peace that I watched her busy herself with proportions and the steps to create something delicious and it was well appreciated. I do hope that she will teach me more of her skills.

I might just write a book if I get enough material.. on stuff that women simply used to do and yet it would be so tasty.

This enforced the point when I watched Nigella’s show on Legacy where she makes the stuff which her grandmother used to make.

Well its yet another idea which is brewing, besides opening a cafe.. he he !!

Well, we watched some movies.. yes we did..along with taking long naps in the afternoon with the birds… Oh how I loved being lazy.. sometimes..

Avatar was awesome and I did both the 3D and the 2D. It was good both the times. I think its going to be one of those flicks which you can always watch no matter how many times you have watched it.

3 Idiots took the cake. They have left me feeling with good. A good movie.

Mystic River ( on TV) gripped me. I loved watching the story unfold. And how the characters played with the script. It was on my mind for a while. Caught it by fluke. Liked it.

I hope all of you brought in the new year with loads of promises and hopes.

As I sign off for today, this little bit in my mail made me pause.

The start of a new year is a great time to take stock of your life.  Here are some questions that will show you what made you grow in the last year:

1. What made you happy?
2. What energized you?
3. What barrier did you overcome?
4. What changed you?
5. What triggered your creativity?
6. What deepened your spirituality?
7. What kindness did you experience?
8. What did others do for you?
9. What inspired you?
10. What made you feel good?
11. What difficulty taught you an important lesson?

Maybe there were also some dark patches you had to go through. Let the past go: the year is beginning afresh and you can change your life, once you know what you want, and how to affect change. Read on to find a simple way of changing the rest of your life from today!

It’s easy to lose one’s way in life and forget what really counts. That’s why it’s important to remind ourselves of our aspirations as one year segues into the next. Aspirations are the answer to the question: “What do I want to give the world?”, as opposed to personal goals which are the answer to the question, “What do I want the world to give me?”

So, what are your aspirations?

Aspirations and spirituality are closely connected. Because aspirations look beyond the wants and need of the small self, and focus on what each of us can offer the world at large.

If you feel that you have lost touch with your lofty aspirations, and that your life has somehow gone off track, there is a simple way to bring back contentment, joy, and spiritual depths back into your life: try gratitude practice.

We each receive many blessings in life, but sometimes we are blind to the treasures we have. Gratitude makes you feel happier and more connected to yourself and the world. Here are three simple ways to practice gratitude.

Gratitude practice

*  Start a gratitude journal, and write down 3 things that you are grateful for at the end of each day.
* Whenever you have resentful or angry thoughts about a person, think of one thing that you can be grateful for.
* Whenever you feel lonely or unhappy, remember one thing that you can be grateful for.
* Make a habit of telling others why you are grateful to them.
* Be grateful to yourself for your effort and struggles.

You will find that gratitude practice is a wonderful way to revive and deepen your spirituality.

Image by Cookiemouse via Flickr

Well so many thoughts running through the mind..

The past year has given a lot of opportunities in terms of lessons in patience, letting go, resolving so called conflicts, etc..

So though it has been a tough one, I would not write it completely off.

I do like to think that the turbulence in different sets of circumstances.. has made me more peaceful inside.. the more the chaos outside, the more peaceful I have learnt to be inside..

So well, I appreciate the fruits of my own labor . .so what if they were sour … Most of what I have sowed in terms of anger, bad thoughts, conflicts and all the stuff which block my own progress and embitters the soul,… most of it I feel I have reaped.. in the form of various trying circumstances which I know was my own making..

The achievements have been subtle and lasting.. and soul searing.. one that I will not forget ..

Affirmations for 2010

So well, I do not make resolutions per say.. but I will definitely make some affirmations for the present to the future..

• I let go of any remaining conflicts I have inside me knowing that ALL is taken care of.
• I am always with the divine to be on the right path.
• I give love and I receive love equally from souls around me.
• I am not biased with souls who try me patience or repel my soul dynamics knowing that its all what I attract and nothing more.
• I am very happy with what I have and what I deserve to have.
• I have closed circle of conflict (conscious and subconscious)  with all  the souls who I have worked to bring forth this feeling of unpleasantness.
• I am always in love with life and life is in love with me.
• I am always spreading light and joy around all the souls that come in touch with me.
• I am aware of what I am speaking and what my actions are.
• I am aware of my anger and the  negative thoughts that pervade me in times of weakness and I can capture that before it dilutes my mind and I throw it back to the light.
• I am resolving all my past pending karma so that I can move and grow as a spiritual soul..
• All the journeys, geographical, physical, mental, emotional, familial will only and only enhance my knowledge and enable me to journey farther without any detachment.
• I have extreme love and patience for the souls who try my patience and difficult triggers to tempt me to incur difficult karma.
• I do not judge what I do not understand and KNOW that it has a reason to be the way it is ( both people and situations).
• I consider souls who pave difficulty for me, my teachers.
• I am free of my ego which sometimes craves for praise or tempted to blame..
• I am free of all beliefs, from my past life, my environment, my present life, inherited aspects.. which inhibit me to live as a joyous and free soul connected to the Divine.

Well I have many more.. that I keep in my mind.. but this should be good to start with.

Wishing all of you.. a very Happy New Year.. !!

May it bring forth peace and contentment in your lives !!