The Making...

My quick visit to Kodaikanal

You know you have an awesome trip when you can think about it and smile when you are alone, when you can proudly tell the story of your trip to others.

Also, most of our memorable trips are those unplanned crazy trips! My last minute planning.  Everything uncertain! It’s just the passion to travel, to see more, to explore more keep the travel enthusiast like me going!

It was a sudden and solo trip, the destination was unknown even 24 hours prior to my journey. That’s typical me. However, luckily I froze on Kodaikanal as that’s the only place I got a ticket available for my journey. The much awaited long weekend caused all the tickets sold for almost every destination. Everyone had planned their trips much in advance. However, I was lucky enough to manage my tickets and stay as well.

It was a mad evening. Seemed everyone in Bangalore just wanted to rush out of the city! To have fun, I guess nature added some heavy rain to it! The traffic didn’t seem to move after a point of time. I booked my ticket with KSRTC. Well, the rain caused a stagnant traffic for hours! I had no other option but to get down from my bus and start walking towards my bus stop. Needless to say, it was an ultimate chaos! So many people, drenched, confused – looking out for their respective buses! The whole road was jam packed and all the buses reached late to the stand! Amidst the huge crowd and chaos I thought I was lost and almost missed my bus. However, I thank my angels to delay the bus till I reached. I boarded the bus pretty much on time, taking my comfortable position at a window seat and cherishing each droplet of rain outside the window.

So my journey starts with a rain drenched window seat!

The bus travelled smoothly. Stopped in between for food.

When I got up in the morning, I was at Dindigul. The fresh breeze was so refreshing that I almost forgot the delayed tiring journey!  I could smell only peace and serenity in the air, away from the hustle bustle of the city. I could see the clouds, I could see the greens and I could see happiness!

I reached Kodaikanal around 11am. Had booked a budget guest house, almost 3.5km away from Kodaikanal. I prefer budget trip than a lavish one. Well, during the bus journey I met a stranger who became an acquaintance. We shared the seat next to each other so yes we did chit chat a lot! He knew the local language so helped me in talking to my guest house, fixing up a cab for my guest house! Usually when we travel alone, we get to meet people with kind gestures. 

Well, I reached my guest house – far from the city, amidst mist and greens. I somehow liked it. A small room with basic amenities! It was cold enough to let me get into my woolens. I saw many bikers from Kerala staying there. Most of them were college students coming from in and around Munnar for a biking trip. Amazing, aint it?

Few hours later another friend of mine joined me from Chennai! Had a quick lunch– some porotha and fried chicken. Tastes average, however, when hungry everything seems heaven. After a happy tummy, we started towards Kodaikanal, it was raining – how beautiful it was to see the floating clouds and the rain and in between the mist! The green hills covered with mist looks so mysterious, calls us to discover some unknown treasury. Calls for some imaginations and fantasies from my childhood indeed.  

The walk till Kodaikanal was beautiful – rain drenched road, rain drenched flora and fauna, and the fresh, soothing freeze – for that very moment it seemed if there could have been the moment of absolute peace and happiness, this is the moment! Being a photo enthusiast, I could click some nice picture of the rain drenched flowers. We saw some local vendors selling local fruits – it amazed me to see the vibrant colors of the fruits starting from litchi, passion fruit, castor apple and many more. I believe, the vibrant visual of the fruits made me hungry for sure!

We walked till Cockers walk, St. Peters Church and then to Kodai Lake. And guess what did I see there? Cycles! Yes you can hire a cycle and roam around the lake. Quite fascinating for me, reminding me of my childhood days of cycling freely, happily – no rush, just to enjoy the breeze.  Well, before we could take a complete walk of the lake, it started raining. A very heavy rain!!! So we took shelter under a shop there. There are many Tibetan shops of homemade chocolates, spices, woolen clothes and food, of-course! We bought a big and beautiful, colourful umbrella and started walking in the rain. It’s fun to walk in rain, half drenched and somewhat trying not to get drenched. We had food in the local shop and bought some fruits in case we feel hungry later! While walking, I found a shop near Dominos / HDFC which had dream catchers too. I have been looking for them for quite some time however didn’t find any! Well, I didn’t buy it as I didn’t like the colors. Never mind.

While returning it was almost 6:30pm and it was dark. The smell of the rain, the chill in the air and the mist was still there in the dark. We started walking and as we crossed Kodaikanal market / bus stop, it started becoming dark – pretty dark! Then came a point where we could not see any light so with the help of mobile we kept walking knowing any wild animal might just cross the road, can be anything! Heard some wild animals usually take a stroll in the dark! Scary, yet adventurous! However, managed to get a lift from a kind couple in a while so my heart beat came to normal!

The night was cold enough – it was still drizzling outside. Somewhat mysterious – a layered silence and the hush hush drizzles! Anyway, a sleepless previous night and quite some walk made me sleep like a baby.

The next morning was beautiful. Got up earlier than expected!! Not quite me who is a late riser. However the enchanting sun and its warmth kicked me out of my bed filled with some enthusiasm. The day started with the some at the local shop. Trust me, the tea there is quite good, my kind of tea, more milk! I like tea that way.

My trek enthusiast friend guided me towards Dolphin Nose through the curvy roads – the hills, the water falls and the pines! The morning mist made everything look like a pure bliss. The last night’s rain drops were fresh on the pine leaves, the wild flowers and on the grass as well.  The chirpy birds surely can make anyone’s heart sing out loud. So did mine.

We walked approx 4.5km to reach Dolphin nose. It’s called Dolphin nose probably because of the shape of the rock.  It’s some 6600 ft deep. The view can just take anyone’s breath away. The lush greenery, the floating happy clouds and some distant village – a complete fairy tale panoramic view of life, of peace, of silence.  A moment to live within.  A moment to live for. A moment to cherish forever! It made me felt calm like Buddha. Spent quite some time just breathing. What a beautiful feeling to do so. The best part that we reached early morning and could spend some time there. It rains usually post 10:30am. Usually!

Another thing that tempted me the most is the colourful fruits there! Starting from litchi, passion fruits, apples, oranges, carrots so on and so forth!!! Without giving it a try how could I come back? It’s a sin! Yes, tried passion fruits! It’s fun!

After returning to out accommodation, we hogged as if we are starving for quite a few days! Nothing like crispy and hot dosai, tea and alu puri! Yes, all that we ate in breakfast. After freshening up, the walk started again for upper lake, pillar rock and suicide point.  Few kms walk and then we realized somehow we had lost our ways! Less time as I had to catch my bus that evening and it’s just few hours to go! Walked and walked, by then I was kind of tired and more than that lazy!

Upper lake to me was not that impressive, I had better view of Naini Lake at Nainital! That is always in my mind. However, we could not trace a single cab to hire for rest of our so called sight seeing! And then came a point that we found a cab who agreed to help us completing the rest of our journey. Well, another young solo traveler was traveling in the cab, same purpose! Made me quite happy to see there are some crazy people like me who can travel alone for their passion to see a new place! And it took few seconds to start a conversation with him! Best part was he was form Delhi who is working in Chennai! So I could connect well so as my friend! The rest of the journey we made together – suicide point, Guna Cave and Pillar Rocks. Guna cave again had nothing to see! The cave is now well covered for safety reason. It looks very ordinary! We went to pine forest and I could click some baby monkeys with their mothers! Protective, loving and caring mothers. Doesn’t matter a monkey or a human or anything – the motherly feelings I guess the same everywhere – its universal. The best view till now was at Pillar Rocks! Three giant rocks standing – covered in mist and clouds. I was happy clicking. The place was crowded and I found my stranger friend whom I met in bus while coming to Kodai! Well stranger because he still was stranger and friend because we had by then grown a little bit of feelings of friendship. Thank you advanced technology!

Well, we faced a real great traffic – due to long weekend, seems half of the southern India population was in Kodaikanal! Phew! Anyway, thankfully I reached my bus stand on time!

It was a beautiful bus with big and clear glass window making the outside view so clear and beautiful. I sat happily! My next seat was vacant so more space for me and my bag! It was time to bid my friends bye for the time. It was time to leave the beautiful serene princess of hills! The setting sun spreading its orange hue all over the sky bid me good bye too!

I returned as a happy soul making two more new friends and enriched with some happy travel memories.

The lost touch!

Incident I : Few colleagues are out for team lunch. Decent food. More or less a crowded restaurant. Pin drop silence between all of them. Heads down. Eyes on their phone screen! Not even a joke. Not even any conversation apart from deciding what to eat and how much to pay! 

Incident II : Few friends. A get together. Good music. Laughter. However, every few minutes everyone's hands take out the secret device and be into it, nibble on the screen or just type! 

Various such incidents. The same thing. Somewhere we are together physically and still flying away somewhere far in the virtual world. Heads down. Eyes glued on to the screen. 

Is there s treasure inside the device? Or probably, we are about to hit a jackpot? May be! 

Or may be, are we expecting fire somewhere? Or probably the best ever news?

Not always so. Then whats the issue?  Do we feel lonely and make a busy virtual world around us as a protection shield? Or are we not so socially comfortable thus avoid any communication with the people around us?

We enjoy less. We absorb less. We show more.

Most of us do so. Before we eat in a restaurant, we start taking pictures with our smart phones or sometimes cameras too. Before we met and talk to our friends, we pose and get clicked. Sometime we don't even talk. We are happy just being clicked!

Going back to my childhood. Not too long ago. There used to be the land line phones. And a happy Sunday. When we used to make the long distance calls to our near and dear ones, had hearty conversations. And the conversation used to be straight from heart - not just for sake of talking. 

Giving every minute updates was not that important. Important was to say, we are there, even if we speak once a week or once a month, you mean so much for me!

These days, we whats app, we BBM, we WeChat and Viber and so on and so forth, I dont even know... Are they really that meaningful and straight from heart? Or we are doing it because we have the "app" so lets do it. 

I was crossing a post office that day! What a nostalgic feeling. Remember exchanging so many letters with my friends and cousins and pen friends too. Making them beautiful with colours, some crafts, some special element. That special touch - to mean "you are special". 

Of course, we don't write letters anymore. One text is enough. That personal touch, that small little drawings on the letter, the special letter pads - do we still know them today? Probably not.

The more advance the communications technology is becoming, the small little special touch is going missing somewhere. We are there and yet we are missing. We talk the whole day and probably every moment we are connected yet so disconnected with most of the people. Are we drifting apart gradually? Do we still sit and listen carefully? Each and every word, each and every emotion of our loved ones? Or probably enjoy just random texts to multiple people!  

Lets value people who are with us, near us. And lets value people who are away as well. Its not about spending time with as many people as possible. Its about spending quality time with the ones who mean a lot to us and for whom we are special. 

Life is all about time, limited resource! Value it. Spend wisely! Dont miss that special touch! That makes life really special.

(** the image used is a random googled image)

A Perfect Life...

A perfect life it must be

With the destination unknown

And the journey so mesmerizing.

A perfect life it must be

With nip in the air

And the way you smell surrounds me.

A perfect life it must be

Soaked in love and nothing but love

And the way you make me feel.

A perfect life it must be

When your presence dazzles up

A lot like the shining stars.

A perfect life it must be

When the silence sounds melodic

And says it all…

A perfect life it must be

With the sparkling darkness                               

And the cosy side of yours.

A perfect life it must be

The way I breathe you

And the whole universe crumbles up within me.

A perfect love it must be

With us and the life

And every moment so mystic.

A perfect life it must be

With unknown destination

And the journey so mesmerizing.

Count your blessings!

Life is like a vicious circle and somehow we all are chasing something or other. Probably we don't even know what are we chasing! 

Of late, there are so many people (read "everyone") complaining about their lives - some about having a job, some about not having a job, some about being married and some about being single. So on and so forth!!! Everyone is so unhappy with what they dont have.

Why cant we be happy with what we have ? Why do we need to run after something we dont have at this moment? 

One of my closest friend and I were talking one day and somehow realized we are on the same page. That friend doesn't have a job for quite sometime. In fact I have seen few friends of mine not having a job for over 6 months and am so proud they didn't crib rather took the opportunity of having time. Time, one of the most precious asset one can have. 

Lets think, whats the blessing when we do not have job. Probably financial problem is the biggest draw back of not having a job - not having a source of income. We don't feel free enough to spend, to go out or do things we love doing ( for me, watching movies, eating out 
and traveling!) 

Great ideas that we can, probably we should do during our free days :

• Spend loads &  loads of time with your parents. I would love to relive my days from childhood or teenage with them. Having meals with them, going out for shopping or zoo or holidaying with them. Helping mom in kitchen, experimenting with some innovative recipe etc etc. Not to forget, get into the power puff funny mode with siblings!
• When was the last time you visited your distant relative? or say not even distant, a close relative? Am sure in this super hectic life no one has the time to visit relatives. Why not to refresh the bonding? Visit them. They are still people left in the world who love guests visiting home and don't get bugged up!
• Live your life the way you want to live! There is no deadline. There is no getting up early. There is no panic calls for any crisis! Do anything you really love doing, dil se! Say, I really wanna travel to a few place. Live there. Experience the food & culture and yes, click loads of pictures! Trust me, traveling is a pure bliss. That too a leisure one. Be a backpacker and just go out to explore the world around you. People aren't bad - they will help you, cooperate you. I did many solo trips. Trust me, there are still many good people left who are kind, loving and helpful. So I enjoyed without getting lost in transit.
• Got a hobby? Indulge into it, completely! A foodie? Great! Go, find some new joints, blog about your experience. Dont like eating out much? Awesome, learn some new recipes every week. There are plenty of cook book and shows on TV and they are pretty good! Am sure, your family and friends wont hesitate to taste your trial & error recipes! 
•  Love movies? Try making a DVD library. I have a dream to have my own DVD library. With every movie I watch, I will add a personal note or say critical review on the movie and make a kinda sticky with the DVD. You never know, one day your hobby might be much appreciated. 
• Recently a friend told me bird watching is amazing and actually addictive. So many species - so many different way to identity them. So many variety, colours, the way they communicate, the typical pattern of their every activity!!! I am totally clueless on it. But seems pretty interesting! similar way, we can do with animals too ! Much easier. For lazy people like me, better to have a pet and just grow with it. Absolutely adorable they are. 

Just a few example of fun things of doing when we have time - things that came in my mind instantly. We have a world beyond our knowledge which we haven't even tried knowing. Its a never ending path to discover and trust me, with passion it becomes damn interesting. I love self help books, reading on psychic universe. Books are addictions. 

Talk to nature. Its wonderful. They respond. See a flower blooming. See a butterfly flying form one flower to the other. See an infant communicating with its mom just by its gesture. See when it rains & feel the breeze. Enjoy the simple blessings of life. There are so many blessings around us and we just tend to ignore and somehow love to crib!

So why to crib when we do not have a 9 - 6 job? Trust me, not having a job is not a problem. Why we need to follow a set rule coz everyone is following it?  We can do so many things which we probably end up loving. And you never know when some of them actually becomes the source of your bread & butter!

By the way, when was the last time you sing out loud with your friend in public? I did it at Band Stand, Mumbai with my friend. It felt awesome!

What do you think? Let me know.

www.....

Life is now all about "www" - we all are trapped in the web. Just name it and its very much popular as virtual concept.

On every occasion I wonder do people still meet and celebrate? Or they prefer doing that virtually?There was a time, not too far though,may be 15 years back I still can remember life used to be so different.

Sunday used to be fun day - a complete family day when the entire family used to be together, watching Ramayana or Mahabharata together, enjoying breakfast followed by a lavishing lunch. May be shopping or eating out or going to park together in the evening.

Now Sundays give me a different picture.

Why only Sunday, these days even friends prefer meeting and communicating over social networking sites most of the time or may be 365 days!!! Life has become an open book - we know whats on everyone's mind, we know each and every update of everyone. And more over we react with our comments as if we are the best buddies!!! Kind of extended families. On an average everyone has above 500 friends - out of those 500 friends may be 50 friends are quite regular. Some of them just observe quietly on each and every activity.

I, myself being so addicted with the social networking sites - still I wonder are all of them my friends?? Will I be confident calling them during some odd hours if I be in need? Well I dont think so.

In fact, it has become so strange that even staying in the same home or being neighbors we prefer connecting over net rather than shedding our laziness and move a bit!!

And those colourful, beautiful greeting cards with nice messages have almost reached to a dead end.Hardly few prefer buying a greeting card these days. Wishes to through sms or just one lines on the social networking wall.

Well am not at all cribbing. Am quite excited with the future of this virtual life. Friends will be virtual, family will be virtual till some extent. We will try making all the excuses not to meet face to face but use our smart phones almost all the time to be connected. At least we are connected somehow!!!! Good way to dig into someone's life....

May be a day will come when we will celebrate diwali, holi, durga puja, Eid, new year, Christmas and other festival virtually - virtual crackers, virtual idols, virtual food and everything virtual....

Doest seem impossible to me anymore.....

In fact now it wont be wrong if I start thinking of my falling in love, getting married and even (if possible) to have kids through this "www" way .... everything virtual.... saves so much time!!! Nahi??? and yeah... virtually we cab assume the way we want - a bit away from reality. Everything customized according to our need, our desire.....

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