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Caution: Long blog post ahead! Well, travel is an enriching experience. For me, travel is meditation. It is the best kind of therapy. Travel is not about going away from home. It is about making another one! Which is why, I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel to the mystic land […]
Having just returned from a fulfilling trip across the eastern regions of Himachal Pradesh, I am filled with memories, awestruck by it’s beauty and gripped with nostalgia even as I write.
A detailed post outlining our adventures in the mighty Himalayas is very much in order. However, there is something that I would like to share with you before that. Something that was symbolic of the entire trip, to me.
Most of us have our best and worst moments after every journey. But there is more to that. We also have this one thing- an experience or an object or a person- that becomes symbolic of the trip for us.
For me, that was river Satluj (Sutlej) and her tributaries.
The river managed to capture my heart as flawlessly as she changed her form – first as the mighty Satluj, then in the form of the beautiful Baspa, then as the serene Spiti and ultimately in the form of Pin. The virtuous river had so many roles to play and yet, she played each of them with unrealistic ease!
For me, the Satluj was the epitome of determination. Delicate, yet strong. She had made a place for herself in the mighty Himalayas..or rather through the mighty Himalayas, hadn’t she?
So even as I flip through the pages of a magnificent Himalayan experience, I cannot help but pen down the awe I feel for Satluj.
She appeared, almost out of nowhere
Chaste and clear, Blue and bare
She saw, she observed
She looked like she had her doubts
But faith was all we had.
She swerved, and we followed
She curved, and we wallowed
She turned, and we blundered
She danced along, and we only wondered.
She changed her form with celerity
She tiptoed away, with grace unparalleled
She returned when she felt like, with a mystic air
She touched us, almost
and then she left again with a teasing stare.
She ran at first, but then slowed down
She was fierce at first, but then she wore a mellow brown
She wavered at first, but then she never left our side
She was aloof at first, but then she also kissed goodnight.
She called us, with one flirtatious stare
She made us follow her, with a promise unsaid
She advanced slowly at first, and then all at once
She had befriended the mountains and the clouds
and also the glistening rays of the sun.
She kept her word and our hand she held
She stayed with us, right until the end
At the end of our sojourn, she stopped in her track
And then she took the final turn and never looked back.
The glorious river!
PS: Detailed post coming soon!
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“Giving frees us from the familiar territory of our own needs by opening our mind to the unexplained worlds occupied by the needs of others.” – Barbara Bush This year, I had been waiting for Santa on Wheels (SoW) since October. Having missed it in all the previous years, I just knew for a fact […]
Hello All!
I know I have been terribly late with this blog update.
I know I haven’t filled this space in the longest time (The blog archive speaks for itself).
I know I have had this writer’s block. Again.
It has been very disappointing for me, too…not writing and all.
So here I am, filling you in with all the happenings of the last two months and letting you know that I *am* very much alive, and kicking! 😉
So while I was combating the writer’s block, there was another form of creativity that I (re)ventured into – Art.
Having not touched a paint-brush or crayons or paints for almost six years now, taking to art was a welcome change!
I could feel the creativity inside me and even after all this while and it just made me so happy to get back to doing something that I always loved back in my school days!
I ain’t no photographer (which means the photos are unedited and badly clicked), but here are a few photos of what I managed to do during the last few days! Dekko Dekko!
My first work, after six long years 🙂
A mug and a marker is all you need!
And finally…diwali cards and goodies!
So maybe you should try getting back to doing something that you really loved, once upon a time? A few years back, or maybe when you were a kid? Cooking, sewing, playing a sport that you no longer play, photography, feeding stray animals…just about anything!
Because when you do that, the flow of creativity will be unhindered…and the happiness that you feel will be real! 🙂
Creatively, until next time (which will be soon!)
Kalindi
Every day, hour after hour
you travel, you pray, you eat, you talk, you study, you work.
But sometime, take the time
and sleep…because
that is when you meet yourself
you meet the real you..
No false promises, no fake smiles, no pretense
no worries about how you’re dressed
or if your shoes match.
sleep…because
that is the window to your soul
and you know
who you are and what you want.
And I think you should sleep…because
that is when your thoughts come alive
your thoughts and feelings, yes the very ones that you had buried
deep, deep inside the darkest corner of your heart.
Sleep…because
suddenly, your life has meaning
you are in your truest form
unconscious, but yet so full of awareness
and your body,
it thanks you for the love and the peace.
Sleep…because
that is when you dream from your heart
you dream every dream
no you don’t analyse how it is
big or small, meaningful or meaningless, happy or not
you just dream
because every dream is in its purest form
Sleep…because
it gives you the courage you always lacked
and you dream
and you hope for your dreams to come true
if not all, then at least one.
Sleep…because
it stops your head from racing
temporary, but it is rare
it gives you the solace you sometimes crave
Sleep…because
it teaches you
that after every night,
there will always be another day.
Live in the present,
for just like your dreams,
the past, no matter how good or bad,
you will always forget.
Please note: This post is not written with an intention to give a detailed account of my experience of Vipassana. Not only is my experience very personal, but it is also inexplicable! Words cannot do justice to the beautiful time spent there.
Before deciding to go there, I had managed to read a few blog posts just to know others’ experience of the course.
Now, after having attended the course myself, I feel that many posts on the internet are not only misguiding, but also very discouraging.
However, I beg to differ. I write this post with an intention to share the beautiful experience with you as crisply as I possibly can, to clarify a few doubts that you may have about the course (my folks had plenty of doubts! So I’m guessing that others may have the same questions playing in their head, too) and to do my bit to encourage you to go for it in case you are planning to!
I know this comes in very late, almost a month after I attended my first vipassana meditation course. But then, better late than never!
Course duration: 10 days.
Location: Igatpuri
So now, first things first.
1. What is Vipassana?
Vipassana is one of India’s most ancient techniques of meditation. It means to see things as they really are. It was rediscovered by Gautama Buddha more than 2500 years ago, and was taught by him as a universal remedy for universal ills i.e. An art of living.
(source: www.dhamma.org)
2. Why did I decide to go there?
Well honestly, I didn’t go there for any particular reason. I just wanted a break from the monotony of my daily schedule and wanted to spend some time with myself.
Over the last year, I realised that I had such a hectic schedule and such a busy life, that I hardly spent time alone because I always had something or the other to do. I had begun to dread spending time alone. I couldn’t even think of spending time without my phone or a book to read or a movie to watch or the laptop. Basically, I hardly spent any time in solitude and neither did I see any chance of that condition improving anytime soon.
So my only trigger to attend the course was to experience living on my own without any connectivity with anyone else, without my phone, without any books and without anything else to do.
Some time alone, just with myself. Without having to bother about anything else.
3. My experience, in my words:
When I shared my plan of attending the 10 day course with a few friends, I got three kinds of reactions:
a) From those who had not attended the course before: “Why do you want to go for it? Sudden plan? Do you have any problem?”
b) From those who had attended the course: “It is a wonderful experience! You may feel like running away on the second or third day, but hang in there! You will absolutely love it! ”
c) From those who had not attended the course, but planned to attend it soon: “Go for it! But will you be able to live with absolutely no contact with anyone you know? Let me know how it was! I want to go, too!”
To begin with, for me, it was the best ten days of my life! The experience, in more ways than one, is inexplicable.
On Day 0 (the day of arrival at Igatpuri), I was pretty much blank. I didn’t know what the course was going to be like, I didn’t know anybody there and most importantly, I didn’t have any expectations from the course. The no-expectation bit came from the fact that I didn’t go there with an intention to solve any physical/emotional problem or with any other pre-determined reason.
After having spent all my years in living the typical super-fast life of an average Mumbaikar, Day 1 made me feel like time had stopped! I remember looking at my watch at regular intervals, only to see time move at a snail’s pace! At the end of the day, I was so sure of one equation: 1 day in Igatpuri = 1 week in Mumbai. Yes, that’s how long the day was, in my opinion. I kept wondering how I’d pass the next 9 days if time had decided to go so slow.
Fortunately (or unfortunately, as I would later realize), Days 2 and 3 passed swiftly. I realized that I may have found Day 1 slow only because of the sudden change in routine. Days 2 and 3 were passed with dedicated practice and constantly being in a state of self-awareness.
It was on Day 4 that we were introduced to the technique of Vipassana. The remaining 6 days were spent in slowly understanding the technique more deeply and practicing it more diligently.
Of course, the end of each working day was marked with a 90 minute discourse from Shri S.N. Goenka-ji. Conducted in different languages (for the benefit of students coming from diverse backgrounds), these discourses gave us a deeper insight into the technique of Vipassana and the art of living.
So here’s my public reply to all the aforementioned reactions and concerns:
a) I didn’t go there to solve/cure any ‘problem’. You don’t have to be unwell or ill to go for vipassana! It is an art of living. A way of life! It is not a hospital to cure ailments and illnesses. You going there does not mean you have a problem! I went there to relax and to spend some time with the one person that I had always ignored all my life – myself. That’s it.
b) Yes, it was a wonderful experience and I did love it! Throughout Days 2 and 3, I kept waiting for the ‘I-want-to-run-away-from-here’ feeling to come to me, but it just didn’t! I was enjoying every moment in the beautiful campus and not once did I feel bored. No, not even for a second!
c) Yes, everyone should experience it at least once. I survived without my phone/book/laptop/internet/family/friends for 10 whole days. In fact, I did not miss any of them at all! By the end of the course, I almost forgot what my phone looked like, too! Which is good..because just like me, the phone also got some well deserved rest! 😉
4. The challenges I faced:
Honestly, there were none. The Assistant Professors (APs) were extremely knowledgeable and were always available for any help and guidance. They were open to discussion (we had special time slots arranged only for Q&A as well) and I managed to get all my doubts, concerns and questions answered.
Adjusting the body to the revised schedule (waking up at 4 am everyday) and to new eating habits (breakfast at 6.30 am, lunch at 11 am) took some efforts. But it was only a matter of a day, after which all was well!
5. What kept me motivated:
From the time the course began, I was sure of one thing: If I was investing 10 days of my time (missing work and without any contact with the family) in coming all the way to Igatpuri, then I’d much rather do the course properly. I made sure to follow all instructions and all rules as sincerely as I possibly could. Also, I was very determined to experience the benefits of the course. I knew for a fact that I just had to be there!
Also, a couple of friends had already the 10 day course before me. The fact that they completed their courses successfully much before me proved to be a major confidence booster!
Last but not the least, the weather! Having gone there in the last week of June, the weather was just perfect! The lush greenery, fog covered mountains, fresh air, beautiful rains and pleasant atmosphere only magnified the effect of all our meditation!
6. Some points to remember:
PS: I would really want to thank my parents and brother from the bottom of my heart for being completely supportive of my decision and encouraging me, always.
I would also like to thank them for making sure that I enjoyed my experience! They did not call me up in spite of there being an emergency at home only so that I could have enjoy the benefits of Vipassana. Thank you! :’)
Another big, big thank you to my friends – Sneha (for helping me get an independent accommodation and for being super enthusiastic about my course) and Gnanesh (for always encouraging me and for coming all the way to drop me to Igatpuri!).
A big thank you to everyone else who helped me attend the course in any way whatsoever (that includes my boss for approving a massive 10 day leave! :P)
And…thank you, Universe!
PPS: If there is anything else that you would like to know about the course, please feel free to ask! Would be happy to help! Good luck! 🙂
Because every road will take you to a beautiful place 🙂
He rushed out of the bathroom. Five past nine. Gosh! He was late.
He couldn’t miss meeting her today. It was an important day at work, but she was his lucky charm. He glanced at the clock from the corner of his eye as he brushed his hair.
9:15!! Time was flying today…faster than it usually did. But then time always played these sly games with him every time he had to meet her. Conspirator!
He couldn’t be late today, no. She hardly ever waited for him. She had left him and gone alone in the last two days. He couldn’t make it three days in a row. No, he just couldn’t.
The wall clock seemed to be glaring at him, as he began to hunt for a decent pair of socks. 9:25! Shoot. Why did hostel life have to be so messy? He made a mental note to clean the room up and re-arrange his cupboard. Grabbing his bag and the keys, he raced out of the building.
9:28. He was too late for his daily share-a-cab routine, he realised. He’d have to hail a private cab. Over-budget by Rs.10 early in the morning, he thought. Sigh. These calculations always played at the back of his mind. He hated it.
He briefly glanced at the sea that he was used to seeing. Perhaps the only posh thing about his hostel was its location. He couldn’t help but think about her as he continued gazing at the vast expanse of blue water on his left. Honestly, her usual maroon-red dress code was so repetitive. He was bored. He hoped to see her in another attire sometime.
9:35! Oh no! This Pizza by the Bay traffic signal always played a foul game with him. Hmpf. He’d have definitely jumped the signal had he been driving, the angry thought occurred to him. Maybe that is why he wasn’t, he smiled to himself.
9:37. He was racing against time. As he waded through the sea of office goers at Churchgate station, his head was throbbing, too. Will she be there, or won’t she? Will she? Won’t she?
Running past the overly crowded ticket counter, he stopped abruptly to look for her. Panting, he was trying to suck in all the oxygen he possibly could. But the strong aroma of coffee made it so difficult for him to breathe. His shirt dripping with sweat, he stood there. Defeated. Still panting. Bending to hold his knees.
She had left.
ANNOUNCEMENT: Andheri ke liye 9 bajhkar 38 minute ki 12 dibbon ki jalad local aaj deri se chal rahi hai. Yaatriyon ko hone waali asuvidha ke liye hume khed hai. (The 12 coach fast local for Andheri, leaving at 9hrs and 38minutes is running late today. Inconvenience caused to passengers is highly regretted Continue reading
So, when was the last time you thoroughly enjoyed yourself, or laughed, or smiled?
Does our daily schedule leave us with no time to feel good about ourselves? Is our life so hectic, that we don’t even remember what it is to smile?
Come on..nudge yourself! When was the last time you smiled?
Do you smile a cheeky smile when you realize that you’ve overslept, and will now have to run out of home or walk that extra mile?
When have you read the newspaper..and smiled because you realized that there was nothing worth the read?
Do you try to smell the morning breeze..the dew, the trees, the leaves and sun..and hug nature with a smile?
How many times have you tripped on that stone that you promised you wouldn’t oversee, but still smiled to yourself because it tricked you once again?
Of late, have you looked into the mirror and smiled, because you thought you looked great?
Have you missed a bus or a train and still smiled to yourself, just because you let all the bad luck drain?
You pass your school and college. Do those memories come flashing by and make you smile? 
The street kid at the signal you always pass..maybe he’s waiting for you to high five him someday..and wave off with a smile!
When the little boy down the lane wishes you a good morning, do you greet him back with a smile?
A nice memory come flooding into your head in the train. Did you smile to yourself without any apprehension of how (silly) others may think you are?
As juvenile as it may sound..when your crush passes by, do you do as little as, blush with a smile? 😉
Or did you indulge yourself at the coffee shop with your favourite drink and some yummy cookies..and did you smile after spending with yourself, some quality time?
Have you fought with your family or a friend, and yet had the courage to walk up to them, apologize and make up with a smile?
Or have you had to overtime..but still smiled to yourself..just because you had nothing better to do?
You meet your favourite people and aimlessly pass some of your precious time. Do you *still* smile and appreciate yourself for letting out that inner child?
The mother has cooked the food of your choice at home, after a long and tiring day at work. Do you feel happy and thank her with a smile?
How many times have you smiled innocently to your strict teacher or the grumpy boss and made him feel awful for being mean to you? 😛
Every day, every moment..we have so many opportunities to smile!
Maybe, the world won’t be that boring a place if all just got up and smiled! So smile, and have a good day 😉
Photo credits: http://www.mixedplateblog.com and random google finds.
Ok so there are days when you wake up and the first thing you do is..SMILE. Well, for me, today was one such day.
I am yet to understand if the early morning ‘smile’ is any kind of indication from God about how awesome the day is going to be, but if the ‘smile’ can really turn the day into being anything close to today, I’d smile to myself every single morning!!
So just because I am hyper-ventilating already and this post is coming at the cost of some much needed sleep (and not needed dark circles), let’s just get to the point : Discussing how fantabulously awesome my day was!
1. Went to college after so long! If meeting all my friends after two months made me so emotional, I wonder how I’m going to deal with the void that sets in once college ends..which is like in 3 months 😦
2. My audit place had a diwali celebration today! Besides the fact that everyone was dressed in their blingy best and kuch kaam nahi kiya and I took a half day and left office due to lack of work (for once), MY AUDITEES LOADED ME WITH DIWALI CHOCOLATES!!! Now, can it get better? (Ans: Yes 😛 )
3. Went to Prithvi theatre to watch a play- Between the Lines. This was the first time I was watching one! So my excitement obviously knew no bounds – I’d been *waiting* to watch a play since ages AND I was *finally* at Prithvi: One place I was longing to visit!!
Yes, so while I wait in the serpentine queue and strategize about how to get the best seats in the theatre, someone shouts ‘Dia Mirza!’. That one shout was enough to have all heads turned towards the pretty lady.
Once we got in and found ourselves some great seats, just a cursory glance behind made me realise that there were so many stars – not just inside my head – but also on the seats behind me! Vishal Bharadwaj, Alyque Padamsee, Prasoon Joshi, Ila Arun, Dia Mirza..all together!
Just when I finished whispering to my friend about Vishal Bharadwaj sitting right behind us, the audience suddenly started clapping. On looking up, we realized that the subject of all the adulation was none other than Mr. Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan! OH MY GOD.
Although, I’ve never been much of a ‘star-admirer’, seeing Mr. Bachchan there just got my eyes popped up wide open (quite literally!)
His stature, humility, how he smiled at the fans and everything about him just had everyone zapped! Of course, the first thing I did was to tweet about it 😛
Donning the ‘English Vinglish look’, he humbly obliged fans with autographs and handshakes during the break while the awestruck audience just stared at him or discussed his movies.
As soon as the brilliant Nandita Das written play ended, almost everyone in the audience started following ‘Big B’ on his way out.
Boy, believe me, this was the first time I experienced the ‘papparazzi’! A wall of sophisticated cameras and ultra enthusiastic fans gathered around the gates, eager eyes waiting to catch a glimpse of the man himself. Once Big B was out, the media guys went berserk with the ferocious clicking of their cameras and fans running up and down to catch a glimpse of India’s favourite star.
Withing no time, Mr. and Mrs. Bachchan disappeared into their car – away from all the frenzy and away from all the starstruck fans.
I don’t know why, but star presence hardly affects me. But then today was something different altogether! Getting to meet and shake hands with Amitabh Bachchan is a big deal, after all. Again, smiling days like this don’t really happen all that often. But then, today was one such day 🙂
Photo credits : Trilok Ashpal..thanks to his iPhone 😉
Just general notes I’d like to make in public. Yeah. They’re absolutely not related to the title of this blog.
1. Did you, by any chance, happen to see the sky today? Boy! It looked beautiful, as always. 🙂
2. Dear awesome new shoes,
I paid a bomb for you to look awesome on my feet. NOT for you to give me those painful and ugly shoe bites. No.
3. I saw Vicky Donor today! SO what if I went to watch it straight from work along with my auditee? At least I watched it! Hah.
4. Will I ever get to watch a match LIVE in the stadium? Well, if they keep selling tickets costing 500 bucks for 1500 in black, maybe I never will.
5. Oh yes. I watched two awesome movies yesterday – The Departed and Following. If you haven’t watched these already, then go watch. NOW.
6. Another general question – Do stat auditors *have* to be respected more than internal auditors? That’s a rhetorical question. DOn’t answer. Please.
7. My next post will probably be a poem on stars or something else more Luna Lovegoody.
8. And if you think I need to stop this torture and go get a life, then maybe you should pray to God to give me a little bit of sarcasm, too. I’ve been praying for it for quite some time now.
Not that I want to be nasty or something, but I’ve just generally been wanting to drip with sarcasm ever since I started reading Ashish Shakya. You won’t blame me for that, I’m sure. Being mean is fun sometimes, isn’t it 😉
9. Some posts don’t have a reason, nor do they have a story. This is one of those.
Bye Bye.
Happy reading. Happy praying (sarcasm, remember? *runs away*)
Postcards and poems 