Walking Kaleidoscope

Banaras - A City which I had heard a lot about. A city which my husband loves to his core. A city which has always challenged all my inner fears (in stories related by friends and loved ones who have been there). I was pretty sure it was not my type of place and to be honest, it isn’t.  However, as a city, it has evoked one question in my mind and something which will haunt me for a while, till I find the answer. What is “my type” of place? I used to think that I am a pretty accommodating traveller and my kind of place needs to be nature, cool weather, peace and good food. My first real encounter with Banaras was with Manduadih railway station. Surprisingly clean and the ride to Godhulia Chowk was smooth. I was almost beginning to believe that people have scared me unnecessarily about this beautiful city. Just when I was happily strolling, looking around the whole galaxy of people all around me, a bull nearly runs past me. Nothing happens, but my heart is in my mouth an...

I often see people around me complaining about the kind of people that they are working with. Almost everyone seems to be dissatisfied with the organizational set-up or thinks that he is forced to accept far more inferior people as their superior. Organisations today are built on the principle of “Ram Rajya”. Set of rules defining the system machinery. Rules being more important than individual ambitions. I have read that Ram studied both the masculine way of leadership (No rules, creative freedom) and feminine way of leadership (Rigid Rules) before deciding on his way of governing an empire. His principles were to form very strong laws. Get very strong leaders to ensure that the law was adhered to. The leader itself being supremely responsible for the failure of the system and also a role model of the system. Therein lied the fallacy of the ram rajya. It could sustain up to the extent of peoples ambition and as long as the belief in honesty and inner peace appealed to people. Once,...

Travel is one of the most sought after escapade for people all around me. I am tempted to pen my 2 thoughts on how this important “escape” has changed in meaning with the changing phases of life. As a kid, I have  travelled a lot, and none by own design. The place was decided by my parents and so were all the arrangements. I just had to follow the itinerary. I don’t have exclusive memories of whether I have enjoyed those vacations or not..but I do have memories of the places I have visited..so am assuming that I must have enjoyed travelling back as a kid as well. These vacations were all about spending time with parents which otherwise was difficult when your father has to struggle to set up his business. The location, activity, FB quotient of the destination or the photographic opportunities didn’t matter. What mattered was spending time together. As I grew into a young lady, travel turned into business trips and accumulating air miles. “Living out of airport” was (i ass...

Vedas have propagated different stages of life – all have a meaning and each one of them sets stage for the next stage. Skipping one and jumping to another, is but a natural human tendency. However, I feel that the beauty lies in going through the stages. Helps appreciate what you had, and what you have, so much more. Ending my corporate career after a decade of being in the rat race. While this does not mean the end of my earning capacity or my retirement by a long shot, it assumes significance in terms of the way life will be going forward. I do firmly believe that one needs to be a part of the rat race. You need to have run the race, fretted it out, frustrated yourself, and triumphed in your little glories. Only once you have done that do you begin to realize that you are tiring out. That the race no longer excites you. That falling in rat traps is coming at a price. That there is no FINAL triumph. Each one of us does reach this stage or will reach this stage, but it is impor...

02-Oct-2013 So here I am, sitting in THE most expensive area in the world, overlooking Manhattan towers and observing the place called New York City. Well, to start with, this is not a place for romantics. It is cut throat, it is more real and probably the most advanced version of Urban Metropolis Life. Went to the Battery Park Harbour riverfront area.  Unlike most harbour areas that I have seen (In S’pore and in South Africa) this is not all about rest, relaxation and party. The area is  ingrained as a lifestyle in the people of this city. People take subways to jog in the waterfront, there are cyclists, baby strollers, skaters, commuters, office goers..this is a REAL place. Unlike most touristy locations which try to give you a surreal feeling of existing in a make believe world..New York so far keeps reminding me of reality…maybe that is the beauty of the place or maybe that is the irony of it. Next in line was Times Square. Well the world doesn't lie when it...

The Magic of Rains - While every season has its own charm, there is still something mystical about rains. It evokes memories. Maybe its got something to do with the fluidity of water.. Am yet to come across someone who does not have a memory associated with rains..and most of them would have memories of every stage of their life.  Today while I was travelling to work in my car  I suddenly realised that how much I miss the auto rides to work. Somehow in the openness of that auto, I had total access to rains. In my car, while I can see the rains..the rains dont touch me. I put my hands out of the window to feel those tiny drops and I can suddenly feel the life coming back to me..I suddenly feel alive..all senses awakened. In that moment, I forget everything that is there or could be there or is not there in my life. The moment is just me feeling those rain drops falling on my palms and the regular tic tac toe dance of the raindrops. And then I look out at the kid walking on ...

My first ever Women's only trip - and I know one thing for sure - best things come, unplanned for. Again an experience which did not figure in the wish list for 30 odd years of life, happened, and wow- my life will never be the same again. Went to South Africa and Zambia with 24 other fellow women from different walks of life. The place itself deserves an exclusive post, but for the time being..let me focus on the smaller nuances. It all started amidst a life that was moving towards boredom very fast and was asking too many uncomfortable questions. Just then, I fumbled upon an FB page and somehow, that page stayed with me for a long time. I thought about it for good 2 months before finally paying for it. As they say, things fell in place and I was destined to be a part of this experience. I was scared - this was my first experience with the unknown after 7 years. It almost felt like the first day at B-school or the first day when my school became co-ed. Seeing all of them at th...