Why

The word that does not always get a response
The word that does not always get the right response

I wonder why, I wonder how, I wonder what made you think the way you did
I wish I knew, I wish I had the answer.
But, there are things beyond comprehension.

I wonder if I will ever know!

Q&A

Are you angry?
No

Are you hurt?
Yes

Are you sad?
Yes



But then, you never go beyond the first question.

March 27 - It’s a beautiful day!

It's one of those days when I am walking around half asleep and the next moment, am running for my camera :)

I woke up early - lay in bed feeling the chill morning, listening to the sounds - and decided to get out of bed close to 6:30am. I opened my door to go outside and my next reaction was 'Wow! Where's my camera!!' A super-beautiful sunrise was happening - with the clouds around - it was such a pretty sight.

It's one of those days you begin your day with a heart filled with praise :)

Each one of us today will at one time in our lives look upon a loved one who is in need and ask the same question: We are willing help, but what, if anything, is needed? For it is true we can seldom help closest to us. Either we don't know what part of ourselves to give or, more often than not, the part we have to give is not wanted. And so it those we live with and should know who elude us. But we can still love them - we can love completely without complete understanding.


-- from A River Runs Through It.


How true is that in your life? How much do your closest know about you? And, how much do you know about your closest ones?

Random Musings!

Am sure you know Big Ben - standing tall - cloudy sky, bright sky, dark sky, grey sky, blue sky - it is there always tall and strong. People look up - ya, that's how it is - you got to look up if you wanna see the beauty.

Ever imagined what it is like if Big Ben walks away? Can you imagine people's reaction as he walks across the sea, across the oceans, to a land far far away - so far away you can't see Big Ben anymore...No more pretty pictures, no bells ringing, no landmark, nothing to see but a plain piece of land!

And I Will….

I follow the night
Can't stand the light
When will I begin
To live again?

One day I'll fly away
Leave all this to yesterday
What more could your Love do for me?
When will Love be through with me?

Why live life from dream to dream?
And dread the day when dreaming ends

One day I'll fly away
Leave all this to yesterday
Why live life from dream to dream?
And dread the day when dreaming ends

One day I'll fly away
Fly, fly away

I drew the lines!

Jan 31 - I went from


To

The Daffodils

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upen that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

-- William Wordsworth

A well-known poem, The Daffodils, was one of the poems I read in class X. I found the poetry book among other things when I was clearing up my desk back home. For me, the daffodils are my travel adventures. I can be on my own on a quiet day, immersed in my memories and travelling on my own - once more.

The Year Gone By!

Yes, here's one more nostalgic post! The first milestone was 1 year in Hyd - yes, Jan 8, 2006 was the day I landed in Hyd wondering what I've gotten myself into, doubting my sanity, my ability to cope, and wishing I had stayed back in the great land of Chennai!

And then, days flew - as it can happen only when you work, work, and work - and then travel whenever you are free! It was the end of 2006 when I got to know quite an illustriuos friend... :) someone who made me walk around the biggest exhibition in Hyd before inviting me for his travel adventures. And there started our travelling spree - visiting just about every place around hyd!

Half way into the year, it was time to move to a new team, a new product - keeps you busy and learning for a while :) and, at the same time, makes you miss your buddies! It was a year of changes with friends across floors trying to stay in touch, catching up for lunch... and ended the year on a high note with my best friend's desk quite close to mine! What a joy!

And then came Hampi-Jog Falls-Hogenakkal - after much preparation, the trip was one of the most memorable! The trek to reach the bottom of the falls, to be surrounded by walls of rock and stand there in the midst of the mist and the rain - is something to be experienced!

As if I had been too happy all along, there came the lull and swept me away! Fell in love and fell out of love too... Don't wanna make the same mistake again! never ever....

Made new friends, got in touch with old friends and really, really old friends - thanks to social networking! I never thought I would get in touch with my classmates after 14 years of silence! Oh, the joy of getting in touch with old friends! ... and the sadness of losing friends... and the mystery of people who are friends one day, not so friendly the next, friends again a few days later... Why do I even put up with them? I don't know!!

Got a lot more online presence! A few blogs and, finally, a website! Though, not completely functional yet :(

All of this interspersed with visits to good 'ole Chennai ... the beach, Spencers, City Center, Coffee Day at Anna nagar... meeting friends, shopping till I dropped (quite literally!), fainting at a bus stop and getting hurt as if I fell from a bike!....

It's been a year of brands, electronics, and going online big time - right from purchases to payments - all without a credit card :P ... a year of delayed train arrivals, some crazy travelling, sleeping in a car, watching the sun rise over a dam... and some photography along the way!

Just as every other year, it was full of surprises that made me happy, and disappointments that drained me away! But then, the year ends on a happy note and let's me look forward to the next year - I've travelled far and wanna travel more... I've taken risks and will take more... I've learnt and will learn more...Wonder what 2008 holds for me!

Oh Santa!

It was the day before Christmas – Chennai was decked up, carols and Santas everywhere…the bus stopped at a signal and I saw this Santa in front of a shop – complete with a mask and an obviously artificial bulging belly.

I couldn’t help but wonder what was running through the mind of the man dressed up as Santa. Dressed as Santa – standing in front of a shop, doing the dance quite monotonously, waving at the passers by, watching the world around on a shopping spree… what was on his mind? Did he celebrate Christmas? Does he have enough to shop for himself and his loved ones? Does he see the number of people coming to shop and wish he could too? Does he wish he was as happy as the mask he was wearing?

Doesn’t it hurt to do that monotonous dance and wave all evening? Doesn’t it hurt to stand there and have people ignore you? Does it hurt to stand there and watch the world go by?

Bhongir Fort

A long weekend and I was raring to go someplace. I managed to convince my friend to get out on Saturday. When we found that the Bhongir Fort is just about 50 kms from Hyderabad, we decided to take our cameras out and go for a ride. We set out around 10am and after Uppal, it was a drive along the Warangal road – quite a pleasant ride with the rail lines along the road. It was quite a sunny day – though there were a few clouds.

We reached Bhongir and tried to find the entrance to the fort. If you reach a spot that doesn’t have the tell-tale fort walls, you’ve reached the entrance! We crossed the road, and started climbing this huge, single rock in front of us. After a distance, you’d find the steps! My friend was already cursing me for suggesting this place. Here and there, we’d find a shady spot – a welcome relief from the sun – and we’d sit down for a while to rest there. Once you’re up there, you can see the entire town – the bus stand, the railway station, the surrounding fields, and hills to the distance. It was quite a beautiful day – I’ve always loved watching the shadows of the moving clouds and that day was a treat for me.

While we rested half way up, we began to wonder if we should even go further. There was nothing up there – at least, nothing to indicate the presence of a huge fort – and, in front of us, was this huge hill (rock?) to climb! Yes, set your expectations right – this is no big fort. Especially, if you’re an outsider (like me) and you’ve been to Golconda, don’t imagine a similar fort. This one is more like a little outpost! We finally decided to climb the hill.

A few feet away, the rock had flattened out and there were these little structures here and there. We also found a cannon – and took a few pictures there. Further up, you’d find steps carved into the rock – makes walking a li’l bit easier. However, there are places where there are no steps and you are on your own. Finally, we reached the top – and, well, there wasn’t anything impressive. Other than a tower, a few remaining walls, and a newly built building, there isn’t much out there. So, after walking around for a while, we decided to get back.


On our way down, we stopped for a while near those walls – one of those walls was high enough to block out the sun – seated there shaded from the sun, watching the clouds go by, and watching a few other people who had come to visit this place…I got all those pretty blue sky pictures.

There is “Danger” written in quite small letters (in my opinion, not at all attention grabbing). If you are not careful, you could walk over a patch of grass to find yourself standing at the edge of the rock – with nothing to stop your fall. Though, you’d have to go out of your way to stand at the edge :)

After relaxing there for a while, we got back. An hour later, we were back in Hyd :)

Finally... Be prepared to climb this huge rock – without steps at places
Carry enough food and water
And you’ll find nothing but a view from up above.
A great place to get away and relax – nothing more, nothing less.

How to reach (Google Map): It is about an hour from Uppal X Road, Hyderabad. As you ride along the Warangal High Road, you can’t miss the fort. Of course, the town is named Bhongir (also known as Bhuvanagiri)

From Bhongir

Right and Wrong!

"I went over just about every argument that we'd had. I had said he was careless, he said I made simple problems have difficult solutions. I said he never planned, he said I obsessed to the point of killing all spontaneity. I said he was selfish, he said I worried over him to the point of suffocation....and may be we were both right and that was why we were wrong for each other."

-- The Bonesetter's Daughter, Amy Tan

Pichavaram - The Mangrove and The Beach

September 16, 2007

After a few days of uncertainty and some last-minute planning, we were off to Pichavaram, a mangrove near Chidambaram (Click here for Map) - 250 km from Chennai,
a place featured in The Road Less Travelled.

We started on Saturday afternoon – to Chidambaram. It was a typical Chennai afternoon - hot and humid. After a not-so-easy journey of 6 hours in the bus, we got off at Chidambaram around 9pm. Oh ya, we did play bluff and I wasn’t good at it (well, I get to say that I am not good at bluffing!).

It was a rainy night and we had to walk to a couple of hotels to find a place. Finally, we got a place, a li’l away from the bus stand (Thanks to Simon’s call to one of the hotels earlier that day). The next morning, we walked down the road to one of those small hotels, had a quick breakfast, and then, we waited for a bus that would take us to Pichavaram.

Once we were out of Chidambaram, it was a typical rural scene – fields that stretch afar, a narrow road, few people walking by, children playing... soon, we were at Pichavaram. Quite a small place and all that you can do is go boating and get atop the tower that serves as a viewpoint.

First we went on the boat ride – into the mangroves. It was good – but could have been better. It looks like a lot of research happens there – you’d find the botanical names of trees written on small boards.
It was over too soon and we were left wondering where to go. Though the article in Hindu mentions a ban on photography, we were allowed to take cameras and were even given a ticket for the camera (Rs. 50 for a camera).

We asked the people at Pichavaram for other places to visit and got the way to the nearest beach – get off at the next village and, about 4 kms from there, we’ll have to take a boat across the backwaters to get to the beach.

At Killai, we were wondering - Should we walk? After the walking we did in Yelagiri, I was sure it would be interesting. There are things you can see and observe only when you walk – you can stop and talk to the people, walk around and observe as they go about their day…But then, Amit didn’t want to walk! So, we got two cycles for rent (no questions asked, no security deposits!) – and I got a free ride :)

And, there we were, cycling along the village road towards the backwaters – wondering if we should step into someone’s house and ask for a meal! Soon enough, we reached the backwaters – and there was this guy waiting in the shelter nearby who offered to drop us on the other side for 20 bucks each. We left the cycles there, and off we went – with no idea of what was awaiting us on the other side of the backwaters.

We were told that people used to live there before the tsunami, but no one lives there anymore – and the place did look like it was hit pretty bad in the tsunami (2004) – even a board that said, let’s grow more trees and reduce the impact of the tsunami; warning signs saying do not let the animals graze here or do not chop these trees – a grim reminder to what these people faced a couple of years ago.


Soon we were on the other side of the backwaters – our boatman left us there saying, get back to this spot and I will come and pick you up. So, there we were, on this island, not another soul other than the three of us, and no way to get back other than wait for our boatman!

With what seemed to be like a grove was on our left and an endless stretch of sand to our right – we walked towards the sea. If you ever visit Chidambaram and love being on a quiet beach, you should visit this place. Am lost for words to describe the moment when we came upon the sea – as a Chennaiite, I’ve been on the beach quite often – but the Chennai beaches are crowded – and can be dirty too! Here we were, on a quiet, lonely place – clean and calm… it was simply beautiful….It was a mid-day siesta out there – right below the mid-day sun, we were out there at the beach. Thankfully, it was a cloudy day and we weren’t at the mercy of the sun.

Soon, it was time to get back – to go to the other side of the island and wait for our boatman. While we were walking along the grove, we decided to explore – we thought we’d find someone living there – or at least a locked house. What we found was a grim reminder of the tsunami that hit this region a couple of years ago. There was this house standing in the middle of that grove – more like an outhouse – windows and doors stripped, yet heavy things like the grinding stone remain – well, not so long ago, it was someone’s front yard.

Time to return – our boatman coming to get us back to mainland. We returned the cycles and walked around a bit before we took the bus to Chidambaram. After lunching at a crowded restaurant, we got back to the room and we left around 2pm. Plan was to take the 3pm bus to Chennai – which would not happen. Thanks to the weekend crowd, something we forgot about, all buses were full. So, if you are planning a weekend visit, and traveling by bus, one, you’d be better off getting into one at Chidambaram, and two, you better leave a little earlier. If not, book your return tickets at the earliest and do not wait till you get out to board a bus.

In short, a great weekend getaway – especially if you want to get away from the crowded beaches of Chennai and want to explore the countryside. Just remember to book those return tickets!

From Pictures from Pichavaram

The Conversation

The lady came by and said, 'Sister, do you know how to reach Parrys from here?' [For those who don't know, it is a locality in Chennai]
'Am not sure which bus stop, but most 7 series would take you there.' said the girl.
She said, 'No sister, I want to know how to walk there.'
When the girl said 'Oh, you can't walk that far - it is quite far from here,'
the lady said 'I have to meet my brother-in-law and I don't have money for the bus, so I have to walk...'
So, the girl gave her money for the bus fare...
The lady was thanking her - 'That's ok' the girl said and the lady thanked her again and started walking faster.
A couple of steps ahead, the lady said 'Don't mind, sister? I am going to meet my friends first. I'll then go to my brother-in-law's place... don't be angry, huh?'

Of course the girl wasn't angry - just that she wonders every now and then, why this lady said that - just being honest?

My First Google Map

That's right... I created my first map ... So, now you know where is Pichavaram :)

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=100271555603318388215.00043ab796abc8157135d&t=h&ll=12.200524,79.977722&spn=1.634829,0.598755&output=embed&s=AARTsJrxWB4SJb1L8gXutIxog_ErOX_gFA&w=425&h=350]