My words are failing me today

Mumbai has seen its darkest day in history. The last 48 hours have defined how helpless and vulnerable we as citizens. The metropolis has suffered again, suffered big time.

Numerous people are pouring news channels with comments, feedback, bloggers all over India writing in, asking questions, but is that all we are reduced to? How many more blasts, deaths do we have to witness till we actually live peacefully in our own country?

See again, all I am doing is question. Sitting in my room, in front of the television behind closed doors, what else can I do?

This is more than just security lapse; this catastrophe suggests that our own people are involved. My heart goes out to these brave army men, NSG commandoes and police. Brave men who lost their lives, no matter what rank they served, which caste or creed they belonged to. Where is Raj Thackeray today when as a self proclaimed leader of Mumbai he is supposed to be visiting victims?

I salute the army, NSG commandoes who without fearing for their lives fought relentlessly. My words are failing me today..

Its all okay

Its all okay...I can handle this

STUTI: u think its ok? then its ok..thank you so much for that..and yes that's the only solace.

I don't know should I feel good or bad but yeah I am definitely in better control of myself this time.

And as usual, close ones not around to help me, never mind, getting used to it now...
At the same time i feel the need to apologise to someone...I am sorry!! I can act really stupid at times! I am very very sorry...will try not to repeat the mistake again..mwaah!

Thats about it...feels good now!

?

Its really not a great time to post, but what the heck just one more exam to go. For me today is one of those days that I wanna jump and break into a dance, shout out loud, pass a nasty remark at someone or maybe just climb a mountain. I am energetic but dont know how to channelise this excess????????????

Actually no I am blogging just for the heck of it. Nothing to share, nothing to crib about....just a random post.. Yeah am bored.....I dont wanna give this idotic exam. !!!!!!guess i should have bored in my labels toooo

Two faces

America 1970:- “I am proud of my GAY son,” proclaimed a mother marching with her son during a peaceful Gay Pride parade.

India 2008:- “Centre against legalising homosexuality,” reads the headline of one of countries leading newspapers.

My first target is ARTICLE 377. The centre has once again opposed a petition filed by gay right activists claiming that gay sex between two consenting adults amounts to crime under section 377. It is defined as unnatural. What is unnatural? Curbing fundamental rights of an individual in unnatural, his/her right to express is unnatural and most importantly curbing the right to live freely is unnatural. India never fails to sing praises of its democratic approach but aren’t we discriminating against a population of people who have been robbed off their freedom of being themselves? Besides nobody has been given the authority to decide what is natural and unnatural. My only problem with this is how can one be differentiated on the grounds of sex?

My second target is Karran (Don’t really care about your smartass spelling) Joharrrrr. Agreed he was looking for a window to vent out his angst and feelings but he should have been a little sensitive while doing so. God save us from his next venture Dostana (let’s plan a nationwide ban). Popular cinema has been mean and bitchy against homosexuals and in my opinion all these directors should be sued. It surprises me how could we even tolerate such nonsense on screen. The only sane portrayal of a gay character in a Hindi film was by Onir in My Brother Nikhil.

Gone are the days when homosexuals in our country had to live an alternate life, a claustrophobic life, a life that could never satisfy them. I see more and more people coming out of the closet and more importantly taking pride in their identity. It’s a difficult to be someone else on the inside and put up an act for the world. This existence of pretence and shame may even result in dangerous consequences. For instance the Kandivili boy who hanged himself from a ceiling fan and left behind a note saying he was ashamed of being gay.

In spite of two successful Gay Parades in Delhi and Mumbai, a very large section of the society is still unaware of this issue; it needs rigorous media coverage to initiate a nationwide debate. A few years’ back media strongly supported prevention of AIDS and the same amount of awareness needs to be generated about gay rights. Conservatives need to be gagged and a rational outlook towards this sensitive issue needs to be developed.

Cowardice at its best

Just finished watching 'We the People' and realized how opportunist the media has become. Probably they are even thanking their stars that the Delhi blasts occured on a weekend giving them more to talk about, debate about and run their frigging 24 hour channel. Surprisingly the show was called Delhi blasts: All talk no action, I find a paradox in this statement, if the news channel was so intent on action why couldnt they do a show on how action can be guaranteed rather than presenting a doctored show with only "talk" and no action. Why couldnt better governance, citizen safety be discussed for the benefit of all citizens.
Just a day after the blast, India TV seems to have claimed that Mumbai is the next target....the cycle will continue till some action is taken. Just having stringent anti terror laws in the country and debating it to the effect that nothing comes out of it is not a solution, to follow it and make sure that it minimises terrorist activites is important.

I strongly feel that SIMI or IM (Indian Mujahideen) whoever is responsible for these ghastly acts should be strictly dealt with, the government should be held accountable to the public and the opposition should stop making provoative speeches and help the government is possible and if thats beyond their understanding then they should just keep quiet.

Stuff I love!

Whats up with me?

Well a lot is up...project submissions got over and that called for a night out with my girls. It followed with some more fun here and there and finally when I sat down with my books to study I get a call from Mr. X!
Who is Mr. X?
I met Mr.X more than three years ago and since then we have been good friends. We had our share of silences but nothing changed and I guess nothing will ever change. We share a comfortable, "convenient" and a fun relationship as friends which goes beyond the norms of being just friends. Simply put, we like each other's company. We talk and talk and talk more which happens once in a while and probably thats the reason we enjoy it. Mr.X is one person I know I can count on all the time.

Moving on from Mr.X to my book shelf!
Yes I am in love with my new bookshelf, though I demanded a bigger one, flats in Bombay will never permit me that luxury, unless I marry someone from Altamount road. So as I was arranging my treasure trove I realised I need to fit in 50 other books somewhere.

I am seriously waiting for my birthday. I have big plans this time. I am going to turn 20 and as I will get ready to blow those 20 candles on my cake I have 20 new things to do.

MENTAL CONSTIPATION

It is getting increasingly difficult with each passing day. The more I try to fight, the more I see myself losing. Never in my wildest dream did I think that I will turn into an escapist, but that identity seems to be creeping in. I am thoroughly conscious of this gradual change but helpless to do anything about it. Escaping seems the ultimate, the only solution.
Sometimes I feel miserable for being such a fool, for choosing such an easy way out. But when not a single soul stands by you and you feel as if you are hanging by a twig of a tree from a cliff, all you have to do is fall down, break your limbs or even die. Why I am not entitled to a little happiness? Something that I would want to do, something that would make me jump with joy. Every day brings in the same amount of pressure in college, pressure to perform...pressure to excel, live up to expectations, behave your best when in front of strangers. Behave like a grown up with your loved ones; behave like a mature person with your friends…so when do I get to be myself? Why am I supposed to understand everything? Why can’t I be a little cranky, demanding? Why do I have to always give in to your dumbass excuses? Why why why????
It’s so stupid…today I have to talk to this fucking inanimate blog about my complains? When will all the humans around me clean the wax from their ears and open their eyes? God, please send me one of your trusting angels…please. I need one here very badly! In fact I just realized that my posts have all been very depressing. Aaarrrggghhhhh!!!!

#%$^&%^*^&$#

It took hardly 24 hours for anti social elements in the country to strike again. Yesterday Bangalore was targeted and today Ahmedabad was victimized. As a pattern mostly smaller centers have been targeted time and again. After Varanasi, Jaipur, Hyderabad it has turned to other cities.
In Ahmedabad all BJP majority areas have been targeted and our dear politicians have already started playing the blame game. It’s apathetic to stoop down to such a level where our leaders see election as an agenda rather than trying to help their countrymen. All these blasts are low intensity which indicates that the only aim is to spread panic than cause loss of life and property.
Media also plays a major role in politicizing the issue. Usually in such cases they often dial up the opposition for their strong views on the issue, which further fans the fire. And we as people who sit in front of our idiot boxes are left with the option of wither cursing such anti social elements or of sending smses to television channels increasing their revenue.
It pains me to see how as a part of this system and media I can only blog or debate to vent out my anger.

A shot!!

It’s been quite a while since I have actually poured my heart out. I have a certain problem with explaining people certain things, may be am too blunt, or I don’t make sense, or people just don’t get it. Lot of times I end up getting frustrated putting across a certain point which ultimately drives me to the extent that I feel like jumping off my building or hang myself to the ceiling fan. But it’s quite strange how few people just have this knack of understanding every bit you say without asking for any further explanations. My Devil, yeah that’s you...My all time favourite agony uncle! Love you so much for being there. I know I exploit our association and take you for granted but am sure you won’t complain. Yes it is quite a relief to know that someone has brains to understand what the fuck you are talking about.
In spite of having hundreds of friends, one feels lonely. There have been times when my parents have irritated me or people close to me have hurt me and at such times I have felt highly remorseful. Even to share a bit of that anger I haven’t been able to find a single genuine good listener. I felt as if I was going to burden a person by telling him/her about my feelings more importantly my sadness. So I chose not to let anyone know and tried to be happy. I am a kind of person who wouldn’t make a huge hue and cry about something and even if I do it will always wear off within minutes. Not that I don’t enjoy sharing but the only problem is that people tend to misinterpret my perception of my own problem which later on becomes problematic during the course of the discussion. For example like yesterday I was telling a friend how I seem to have lost few goals that I had set for myself, few short term goals. And he thought I was suggesting him through my example that he is a loser. These are the times when I feel like an idiot for having initiated a conversation.
I think it’s high time I make a list of things I am often accused of:-
“1) You are hyper and very impulsive.
2 You take things on its face value
3) You complain a lot.
4) You think a lot.
5) You need to loosen up a little.”
This is generally what people around me most of the time tell me. I accept everything and I also try to make a conscious effort of avoiding these instincts.

This post was just a random shot. So I wrote about a host of things. Right from relationships, to human behaviour, to things that I observe and the list might just continue till I feel I am drained out. Till the next one…

Cheers

Money minter in the pack :)

There are times when I pick a book not so much for the content but for it's colorful coverpage. Hence at the bookstore when I spotted a Violet-orange book which had comething to do with the IIMs , I decided to buy it. Joker in the pack is one such average book. Two bored IIM grads get together and pen down their experience through the eyes of a middle class boy, Shekhar Verma.
The book did manage to hold me till the end, (Yeah, I was looking for reasons to quit thinking about doing an MBA). And I was successful too. As the book proceeds into the life of Shekhar Verma from Delhi, it talks about cricket, bollywood, the effervescent campus life in a shady college in DU. Then comes into picture his girlfriend who makes it to the IIT and he ends up in IIM-Bangalore.
The book slowly tells the tale of his struggles on campus, may it be to survive a hell week planned by his seniors to rag him or managing to score good GPAs all seems to be an extravagant description of a campus life. Thankfully the authors, Ritesh Sharma and Neeraj Pahaljani, did not rant about Shekhar's break up with his girlfriend of three years, otherwise it would have taken away the little charm that the book tries to spell with its youthful approach
As you read the book soon you realize that it has a few elements that any college going kid would relate with.
So if you have a day to spare, do read this one, not so much for the language but just to flashback in your old times.

Favourite stories

These are two stories I loved working on and which eventually added a lot to my life..
Child's play..

For tourists who like to experience the local flavour with local transport and local food, these enthusiastic kids play the perfect guides on the Mumbai Magic Tour
Hello and welcome to Mumbai Magic Tour. My name is Priyanka and I am your guide for today,” says a perky Priyanka Parit (16), one of the five youngsters from non-governmental organization Akanksha as we start a four-hour journey through the architectural and cultural heritage of Mumbai city. We accompany Michael Corwin, a tourist from New York, as we discover the many facets of the island city before returning impressed.

Meet five teenagers from varying difficult backgrounds, Priyanka, Shirajul Khan, Parveen Ansari, Kavita Pawar and Sana, who have been trained by Deepa Krishnan of Mumbai Magic Tours to work as guides for foreign tourists. Among the other personalized tours is ‘Mumbai Local’, Krishnan’s brainchild that sees these children taking foreigners around the city to experience Mumbai’s unique culture in all its forms.

“I was super-excited when our Didi at Akanksha told us that a tour operating company was going to interview us to be tour guides. Plus we were promised a good amount of money — around Rs 500-Rs 750 per tour,” says Parveen (16), a gleam in her eyes. Parveen says she loves to shop for clothes and accessories but also understands that she needs to support her family as well.

“I always used to donate some amount of my profit to Akanksha but I thought that was not enough. That’s when I got the idea to involve these kids from Akanksha in my project. I interviewed 15 children and selected five of them,” says Krishnan. These five children were trained for three months, during which they received training in diction, language and were also made to learn scripts to be brought into play during the guided tour.

For the tourists, it’s a chance to experience the local flavour of the city along with local modes of transport and local food, with bright and enthusiastic kids playing guides. As Krishnan fondly says: “Mumbai Local through the eyes of local people.”

The voyage begins from the Gateway of India and includes spots like Mumbai University, Mani Bhavan, a scrumptious treat at Swati Snacks, a walk through Bhaji Galli in Grant Road and finally, a peek into Dhobi Ghat.

It’s all about learning for the children. Every tour teaches them to handle tricky situations, at times cater to nasty tourists and learn from their mistakes. Shiraj (19), a first year commerce student, says: “On my first tour I forgot to carry the handouts and script. But thankfully because the tourists were not aware of it I managed my show well.” In tight situations, of course, Deepa ‘Di’ is only a phone call away and always eager to help them.

Narrating another incident, Priyanka says cheekily: “While on a similar tour I had to put up with very demanding clients. They wanted to visit Chor Bazaar and Haji Ali that were not part of the itinerary. They were also adamant about buying mangoes in the off season.” These children are not only talented but are also academically inclined. Akanksha has identified their skills and have channelised them into social work and social leadership.

“I must congratulate Deepa for this concept which is so novel and impressive. I was very excited about it,” says Michael who loves to meet local people of the places he visits. He adds: “It’s good to see that these children are doing such a wonderful job.” At the end of the tour, one comes away remembering what Krishnan said: “After all, everybody in the game must get something out of it.”


A soldier for society..

At the age of 80, this man wants the Indian Development Foundation to continue bringing change through an army of volunteers, not fundraising
A soft-spoken man dressed in a humble white veshti and kurta greets visitors with a childlike smile at his office-cum-residence in Jogeshwari. Quite proudly, he says: “I gave up ties and coats a long time back. I can connect better with the average poor man dressed this way.”

Meet Dr Ananthan Ramakrishna Pillai, president and founder of Indian Development Foundation (IDF), formerly known as Indian Leprosy Foundation. As the organization turns 25, the octogenarian ARK Pillai is readying to launch ‘Project Goodness’, an initiative to make available basic education, health and development facilities to all, through the establishment of additional IDF gurukuls, bridge schools for rag-pickers and street children, arranging health camps and blood camps, honouring leprosy cured persons and networking with other NGOs to achieve the mission.

Having joined Central Railway as a junior assistant at the age of 20, Pillai quit despite successive promotions. “I found a government job to be very rigid and binding. I was over qualified, so I quit the railways and joined Clarion McCann,” he says, simultaneously replying to an email and chatting online with a volunteer. “One makes a lot of money in advertising but when I saw acute poverty around me I felt the need to do something for the underprivileged.”

Born in Malvelikari near Allepey, Kerala, Pillai belongs to a deeply religious family and has an array of degrees, ranging from a Masters in Sociology to a Diploma in Advertising and Journalism. He successfully completed his LLB degree from Government Law College and also finished a management course from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Mumbai.

At age 44, he resigned from his high-paying job and gave up that lifestyle to be able to serve those suffering from leprosy ¿ and the consequent stigma — in India. According to him there were around 4 million leprosy cases in India before 1980. “Due to the social stigma attached to this disease, people used to fear doctors and hence the figures were on a rise,” he says.

Then, in 1984, he and his wife Shyama started IDF. With its meager resources and sheer hard work, it became one of the few organizations working for leprosy eradication. “My family had declared me insane. No one could believe that I had given up my career for a cause that was at such a nascent stage in those days,” Pillai says.

He adds: “Indira Gandhi had given a statement in the United Nations that India will be a leprosy-free nation by the year 2000. That’s when she urged citizens to work towards this goal.” Around the same time, Pillai happened to visit Germany and Switzerland as an honorary member of international NGOs like the German Leprosy Relief Association and Leprosy Work Emmaus in Switzerland. He is still a member of these organizations and has been advising them on various social projects.

“During one such visit, while collecting funds for the India project, I was questioned by a young German on why India cannot generate funds independently. I had no answer,” he says.

That’s how the self-reliance principle of IDF was born. Without taking any monetary support either from the government or corporates, Pillai raised an army of volunteers instead, a network of lakhs of them. After deep research, having concluded that nothing much had changed despite the Government of India and a number of doctors being involved with the cause, Pillai had made up his mind that awareness and advocacy were the key to satisfactory results.

“Dr Pillai is a media man,” says Dr Narayan Iyer, national co-ordinator of IDF. “He has always used mass communication and various media channels to spread the word about the issue. Through street plays and slide shows he attempted to attract the attention of a lot of youngsters from various schools and colleges in Mumbai.”

Pillai also wanted to put to use his area of expertise — management. Today, IDF has more than 15 schools operational in different states and tribal areas and 10 more in the pipeline. “I wish that my young volunteers take forward the initiative I started 25 years ago and continue with their good work,” Pillai signs off, optimistic as ever.

Far away...

Guess this is a season of parting, moving out, going away and distancing. I have been distanced from my blog for quite some time, blame my work! I no longer feel the belonging here anymore, neither do I feel the need to work on it again. But I dont really want to stop blogging. Work has drained a lot of things out of me....few days of rest and I will be back with the same zeal and zest (I hope, I sincerely do).

Life is going to change big time for me. I cant disclose the reason but I am getting worried as and as the day I am dreading is getting closer. I am confused, irritated, unwillingly accepting the situation so that I dont end up hurting people close to me.

C'est la vie as they say in french! That reminds me someone was supposed to get some great French wine for me!! When are you doing that Mister?

Cheers nonetheless...

IRONY!!

A man looks at his devastated home and unwillingly poses for the cameras waiting to catch the right moment. A woman who has just undergone a painful pregnancy in a cab is tired of the shutterbugs. She is so sick of it that she violently shuts everyone out of her room. The poor baby in her father's arms is being tossed from right to left to get that perfect angle, the perfect shot, the perfect light. Its IRONIC to see how the savior of the distressed suddenly becomes this selfish photographer with just one motive- getting the best images for the next day's newsprint.

Its really a very sorry sight. Though I am not blaming our photographers, afterall they are doing thier job. But some amount of sensitivity is required. We journalists claim to reach out to people and bridge the gap between those who suffer and those who provide them the necessary respite, but all of this for more readership, attractive, eye catching pictures.

In fact it will be very unfair to blame the photographers alone. My fellow journalists, may it be print or electronic or even web for that matter, are all running a race. All of them aspire to finish first. All of them want the juiciest information for their newspapers, magazines , channel!

I really dont know how many people will agree with the text above and how many would disagree, but certainly am not too happy being associated with such a state of affair. I might not make a good journalist, considering the views I hold but I will definitely move towards becoming a responsible journalist! I might not get stories brimming with thousand scoops and scandals but am sure I wont earn the wrath of a troubled soul!

SNOWMAN

i MaDe thIs sNOwMan.............:-)

STOP!!!!

We are tired of this constant scrutiny, constant fear of being laughed at, ridiculed and reduced to nothing but a mere toy. Just this morning when I was on my way to college, an asshole passed a comment. I decided to ignore it because I had a 9.16 train to catch. As I reached Churchgate, another jackass passed a comment and this time I was determined to give it back to him. I realised what he said right in my ears after 2 seconds and chased him as soon as i registered those horrible words. He looked behind and saw me coming. He ran and I ran after him, asked for a little help from a passerby but all he did was look at me like a fool. Though I couldn't get hold of him but I was hell bent on doing something about it and hence this post. I thought of calling on 103- the helpline started by Mumbai Police for women and elderly people in city. But it wouldn't help unless I have some proof of the incident.
We have had enough of such nonsense. I am sure many girls and women go through such occurances every day. The ladies compartment in the suburban locals are full of indecent illustrations of nude women drawn on the walls with unwanted graffiti and derogatory remarks. Dont we deserve to live with respect and a little peace of mind?
I urge all men reading this to help women if ever you spot a woman in any of such situation and I urge women to be strong and fight against it.

I DREAD LOOKING BEAUTIFUL,
I HATE THE SIGHT OF MIRROR,
AM HAPPY UGLY, AM HAPPY UNATTRACTIVE.

AM NOT YOUR SLAVE,
AM NOT ASHAMED OF MY IDENTITY, MY GENDER.
AM HIDEOUS AND STRONG.

I WONT BEG TO BE LEFT ALONE,
IT'S MY RIGHT TO BREATHE FREE,
I AM PROUD TO BE A WOMAN..

An urgent Post...

Well I term this as an urgent post because for the first time I am writing about something that I just thought of in fact something that I just saw. It was " Taare Zameen par". First of all a round of applause for Aamir Khan for conceptualising, directing and acting in such a wonderful movie. An excellent film which surely moves you to the core.
It has no usual larger than life effects to it, but on the contrary it showcases the life of a normal middle class couple and their dyslexic kid, Ishaan. It has all the elements of a good movie, which keeps the viewer interested till the end.
There were a lot of natural shots like the everyday routine of a family in a metropolitan, a frustrated kid throwing tantrums and so on. Though the best scene was when Ishaan sees his own painting created by his art teacher and starts crying..The music is also quite peppy and meaningful at the same time. Lyrics by Prasoon Joshi make quite an impact.
It is a must watch for every parent trying to fulfill his/her ambition through their children. Even teachers who think there only job is to discipline kids. This movie is highly recommended by me!!

Beyond words!!

My recent escapade was to Jammu and Kashmir. In spite of repeated warnings from friends and family, in the middle of stark winter I and my folks set out on our voyage. We started from Bombay early morning and by noon we were in Srinagar. It was quite strange to experience two extreme climates on the same day. Thirty degrees in Bombay and almost six degrees in Srinagar. Even the stop over at Delhi was quite pleasant, considering the fact that I loathe the city and especially its people and now the airport too. The center seriously needs to look in. I better get back to writing the travelogue than criticizing the government, something I usually do, of course for the right reasons.
Our driver and our house keeper at the houseboat came to pick us up at the airport. People in Jammu Kashmir are very warm and I could actually feel it in the way they greeted us and spoke to us. Or maybe it is a necessity to polite, considering tourism is their only livelihood. Whatever the reasons are, I enjoyed all the attention I received. We comfortably reached our houseboat which was amidst the beautiful and the vast Dal Lake. It was one of the most striking and serene places I have ever stayed. And we ended our day with a long ride in the Shikara (boats used inside the lake) and just soaking in as much as we could.
The next day we decided to explore beyond the lake and thought of taking the road. It had snowed just a week ago and the chillness made it more evident. So we headed straight to Sonmarg, a quiet and quintessential valley two hours away from Srinagar. We experienced snow covered peaks and the deadly cold for the first time in the journey. The warm clothing we were carrying weren’t enough and we had to hire a couple of coats for each one of us. I seriously wonder how people survive such an extreme climate. Even the soldiers who stand incessantly along the roads, on mountains and valleys to guard the beautiful land are to be pitied about. Yet somehow we forget our duties towards our nation. It just makes me all the more sad. And yes, the security reminds me of how careful one has to be in such a sensitive area. We had to get ourselves checked at every check point on every corner of the town, near every monument. But despite so many efforts these innocent people are not spared by the culprits and die at the hands of terror. Every little town I passed reminded me of something I had read or seen about the place being torn apart with hand grenades and bombs. Areas like Baramullah, Kupwara are often the soft targets for such activities.
The following day was one of the best days. It was filled with a plethora of activities, vivid beautiful spots and lots more. Gulmarg is one of the most visited places in Jammu and Kashmir. Its truly heaven on earth. Serene mountains, tall standing pine and deodar trees welcoming us, it was the most unique and unforgettable experiences we ever had. From skiing to sledging to horse riding we did everything, aah not to forget the Cable car ride. The best part was actually making my first snow man. Something I always wanted to do. It wasn’t a very perfect one though I managed to do a good job. We returned in the evening tired but filled with great awe for God’s creation. Like everyday our cook at the houseboat had made an amazing meal for us, Kashmiri pulao, Dum aalo and maaki dal! In the mornings we often had Kulchas, Paranthaas and ‘Kahwa’ ( tea made with Kesar, Ginger, sugar and water). The following day was spent sight seeing around Srinagar. We saw places like Hazratbul Durgah, Mughal Gardens, Shankaracharya temple, a 14th century structure.



After four days of sojourn in Srinagar, we checked out and left for Pehelgam, ( shephards village). It’s a beautiful valley where temperatures can go down as low as -14 degrees. We had a nice quite time at Liddar valley ( unofficial name). most of the movies shot in the 60s were made in this area. It is nothing less to Switzerland or any land. We just need to break our myths and beliefs about the place and explore it.
Jammu was our next stop and we visited the Vaishnodevi shrine, quite an adventurous trek. And the next day I was back in the hustle and bustle of my not so dear city life. Trust me, there’s so much more I can write and talk about Jammu and Kashmir but everytime I make an effort I fail miserably. You just cannot condense the experience in words. Visit this beautiful dreamland to believe me.
Cheers!

P.S visit the following site for more pictures by me..:)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/loving_the_camera/

ACHIEVED!!! HURAAAAHHH

Turning nineteen wasnt all that exciting as I had imagined it to be. I though there'd be a pool of beer outside my house, I though I would be able to puff packs and packs of ciggies, I though I would be able to do whatever I wanted, I thought I could race my car on Carter road at night, I though I could get drunk and not come
back home at all. Ahhhh. But nothing of that sort happened. All I did was, get up early morning to receive calls from friends and relatives and spent the entire day doing just that. Yeah, not to forget a quiet lunch with friends and a great dinner with my folks. I dont know why I am blogging about my birthday which happened almost like ages ago, but suddenly today I feel like a grown up. More like those magical lightening kind of realizations shown in sci-fi!
Today I feel a heavy responsibility of a grown up, I feel mature and liable. After an year of becoming an adult, I finally feel like one. There is a sense of urgency to do things as if the world is going to end tomorrow. Claustrophobia coupled with excitment and a lot of other things are turning me upside down or downside up or
something like that, something that I am not able to make enough sense of. I feel tormented, frustrated and harrowed to the extent of running somehwere deep inside
woods. Many times I feel the adrenaline rush of sitting on a huge giant wheel awaiting an unexpected rush, a sudden jerk and then a smooth ride. Life has never been so uncertain, trust me. I am sure I am not going to read this blog entry after posting it because it will remind me of all these emotions that I am trying to keep away from. It will remind me of how unsure my thought flow is at this point that there is no distinct connection between how I started off writing and where I am going to end this. But for a change I am not feeling bound, am not feeling ruled. I am typing words and leaving the rest to make some sense on its own. I know I have failed miserably to channelise my thoughts but I am liking this failure. It is more like doing things in the moment, wow!!!! am finally in the present. After 100-150 odd desperate words, I am in the PRESENT.

Cheers!
xx

Moon-kissed beaches!

Now its official, I have a penchant for impromptu holidays and the latest was Kihim and Kashid in Konkan. Just a three hour drive from Bombay and you discover the amazing Konkan coastline. White sand, crystal clear water, hammocks and shacks welcome you as you get closer. Huge coconut trees stand still as you wonder if all of this is for real. I had always fantacized about walking unshod on a beach on a full moon day, and this time I actually did that. I spent almost three hours just gazing at the night sky and listening to the mellow sound of the water lashing on the shore. The silvery beach and the moonlit sky was a perfect location for that perfect kiss that every girl would have dreamt of. Alas! I was all alone :(...


The best of the surprises was the Culaba fort ( dont mistake it for our friendly area Colaba). This is an ancient fort built by Shivaji Maharaj and situated around 500 meters in the sea. So technically you have to wade through waist high water to get there. It is a very tiring task but fun at the same time.

Konkan also gets me excited because of the mouth-watering Konkani food. Right from Sol Kadi ( Kokam buttermilk) to rice rotis to Kothimbir wadi ( coriander patties). After two days of relaxation and laziness, i returned to the humdrum of the city life, something I just want to keep running away from, and am sure I am quiet successful at times!!

cheers