Will you walk with me ?

Back to the Basics


Will you walk with me? Far behind? Where time stops??

Ya, I know the world is going much far ahead – ahead monetarily, glamorously, egoist, puffed with pride, belittling all and with a blind eye even to the closest. No- No I don’t blame them it’s the way of life and the world that it demands all this.

The journey with me wont be boring, I promise – nor will it be monotonous, it wont be anything of the above as it doesn’t fit in my world - provided you see it through my eyes – It will be a simple journey, a road less traveled.


After a long stressful and demanding few months both at office and personal front I decided to take a hiatus. A hiatus to detoxify my mind and body, so a runaway holiday that could be unplugged from the world somewhere far yet close to my heart.


A good 450 kms drive to my simple ancestral home nestled deep in the valley, where the tip of the coconut trees could be seen below eye level from the road. It’s the age old rustic home situated much in the interiors called ‘Taal Kokan’ in Marathi.

The roads are cuts curvaceously through the reddish brown soil on both the sides and bekons. It looks so beautiful that one feels this road should never end.

See there’s our house…can you?? Ya the same one with the dark brown rooftop in the valley, lets take a closer look at it.

House in The Valley




That’s our house



The house has a big courtyard lined with aboli flowers looks so inviting and protective at the same time. A big clean drinking water well covered lightly with the net to protect the water from the felling leaves of the jamun tree beside it. A peep in the well and we can spot a tortoise and two fish who work 24x7 to keep the water clean.

Come sit with me on this waistline wall of the well and see the jamun tree. Five to six squirrels nibbling on the jamuns’, watch out for the parakeets too…see how the squirrels and the parakeets swing and relish on the same branch on the small fruits – mutual understanding and win – win situation for both – Life so simple!!!

Lets go a bit further and cross the neighbors courtyard…. Watch there are some at work…busy as ever, probably they are building their home, come lets see them closely...


Men at work




Ant nest




Awesome!!!!

Watch somebody is plucking some small fruits from this tall tree. What are they???

Careful it might burst on your head, he just plucks and throws…but where is he???

Can you see the plucker???



Oh it’s the Mangos teen – Kokum fruit.



Come lets collect it…

Oh look how much we collected….




Is'nt the color amazing???

Now lets climb this small cliff which leads to the field. Hey, see what’s here.

Wild black berries - Ya it’s the Kali Maina



Here some more – wow its laden with it…Pluck it folks but just be careful with its thorns



Wash it and eat it??? Did you say that??? Forget it just simply pop it, isn't it yum…Simple Pleasures of Life!!!!

Now here we reach our field and….Lo!!! Look at this. Jackfruit, any takers??



And see here Alphonsos’….and nobody grabs it. It’s hanging so low



Its lunch time and back home its simple food cooked on the Chula. It tastes the best and I can bet it’s the best in the world. Lets take a seista for some time...or say a power nap to continue our walk a little further.

Can you hear the hustle bustle of the winds ??…Give an ear.....give a ear more it sounds rhythmic...

Untamed Winds and Unleashed



Can you hear something more??? It’s the rambling of the Arabian Sea and we now stand here on the west coast, and here the land ends.

Ah!!! Here it is…the sea…i easily get connected…. its like meeting a long lost friend as if it says, 'now no going any further' ..here it is.........nothing beyond this.......the waves speak endlessly with me…as if they were waiting to meet me......so many stories they have.....stories that never end……every wave sounds different…every wave looks different…every wave with a different mood…desperate, and

More desperate....



It’s just so restless… for what??? Guess…

It just wants to hug the shore. See the width of the shore is so small compared to the expanse of the sea yet the shore holds the capacity to mellow it....

See it’s mellowed…



How come??? Touche' ah?? or is it Love???? Ya should be both…. Let them always meet

Many thoughts pass by, the sand, the shells, the conches, the waves; I wonder how far they might have traveled?? And what stories are hidden in them…. Someday I’ll surely unwrap them.

It’s a nice feeling to be in this serenity – a feeling of peace – far and away from the crowd




It’s late evening and am back home, after dinner when I lie in the courtyard I can see a mango tree which glitters…are they stars?? But the moon looks quite far…. How can the stars be so close??? Have a look once again – Oh My God they are glow worms all over…Dazzling…How beautiful.

My camera couldn’t capture this I tried hard but it just did’nt. Probably a higher resolution camera can help.

Felt a bit bad, but sometimes the mind captures better images than the camera and they last for a life time. So they are with me. So at times i feel best to call myself a techNO atleast dont have to fidget with these gizmos.

I close my eyes and visualize the day spent…

It was living in the basics. The birds, tortoise, fish in the well, squirrels, glow worms, the ants, the fauna and flora all dwell together.

I feel blessed that my roots belong to this part of the world where nature has showered everything in abundance, where the size of the peoples heart is as big as the sea…and their smile is simple but truly beautiful.

I get back memories…only promising myself to come back soon here.

Someday....

Yesterday heard a Hindi classical song. I was hearing it after years…many many years.

As a child my Kathak teacher used to make me master the steps with the tabla beats on this particular song. At that age i hated to do this.

When i heard this song again, i rose from my chair and tried tapping my feet in the same way as i was taught....but only ended frustrating over the fact that I never trained myself to learn it.

Perhaps

Someday I shall.....Someday for sure......

Someday travel extensively around the globe, hoping there were no boundaries.... just climb up the hill and wade down the slopes, or walk those pastures, talk with the birds or sit with the shepherd to hear his stories of some other land.........

Someday will sway in a hammock under a tall shady tree which i nurtured and read books which i have missed for long........

Someday i want to walk along the banks of the Ganges and reach Gomukh (the source)...someday i will.....

Someday wont follow the watch or be time bounded...but just move with the time........

Someday be free from commitment to others for others.........

Someday want to be with i, me, myself away in thought and isolation..........and just live.

Every drop speaks...mutely..

Wake up ....smell coffee

Scene as in any other home till recent years.

Father works, sometimes mother too works to support the family or at times she is a full time home-maker. It does become difficult to make both ends meet, but the silent understanding displayed by each member of the family makes it a win win game for all. The children know their responsibility and avoid demanding unnecessary things. They value, hard earned money of their parents and likewise do justice with the responsibility laid on them. The parents do not set high goals, but reasonable goals so that their children can live a descent life of their own in future. At times the parents ambitions, their wishes are kept on the back burner; they just focus on their children.

Nowadays children too strive hard. Apart from academic pressure they live under tremendous peer pressure. They try their best to be in the race but sometimes just cant make it. They work more and more and then they unknowingly succumb to this so called pressure from all sides. Their tender hearts and tender minds can hardly withstand all this and we read in the newspaper the next day

“Merit list student commits suicide”

On reading this the world around us comes to a standstill, and we collectively question “WHY?” Why did this happen?” We start thinking like never before, all the pros and cons are churned in our minds. But the question still remains “Why?” The child was talented, well mannered, disciplined, intelligent and balanced. What actually triggered the child to take such a drastic step.?

Lets pause for a few moments and ponder. The hail and hearty looking kids that we see today are they really so as they seem to be??? Think about our times – we had limited resources, reasonable dreams and reasonable spirits to at least dare to achieve them.

Then whats wrong now.?? Do we start the blame game ?? Lets not. The last 10years…..how drastically have they changed. Children today have been exposed to a difficult set of values and with it comes a different way of thinking. Craving for all things new and fashionable have replaced the old set of values, and with it acute frustration if their desires are not met.

Its time we analyze things a bit sensitively by putting ourselves in the child’s shoes. A child is born, a small life brings happiness to all, his/her first steps give so much pleasure. The child goes to school with a small bag, though light for us but surely burdensome for the child right from his/her tender age. But still the child takes it in his stride gracefully(??) and moves on. The parents are happy at the way the child is going forward. But at the same time they can sense that probably something is disturbing the child. Intentionally or not both the parents and the child ignore this strange feeling of helplessness and doom which has overcome the child.


The definition of pleasure or recreation has changed drastically in a few years. Parents are made to believe and they in turn make the children to believe that a trip to McDonald's or a mall or a movie in a multiplex or buying a designer dress or a specific brand is so much of a stress burster.

Money can buy happiness!!!!

Children voice their demand and its granted. During our times we had to long for even the basic things – which in turn developed our patience and our withstanding capacity to know that we can't get things easily. Today parents find it difficult to say a “NO” to a child. The parents believe that if they didn't get it in their times and now that they can afford then why not give?? By doing this they try to prove to themselves that they are great parents!

The parameters of upbringing our child had changed. McDonald, designer clothes etc. have taken the place of core values. But is this the end of the story??? The system in which we survive day in and out, the work pressure on us, our ambitions, our survival in the rat race make us unknowingly drift apart from family. At the end of the day we pacify our selves by telling after all we are doing it for them. But at the same time we ask ourselves what is that vacuum which we can't fathom???

The need of the hour is 'TIME'. We need to give our children time. We need to talk with them. This will help them to express whats in their hearts and minds, and we will understand them better. See the world through their eyes, probably they are seeing a different picture which we have missed. Their thoughts should be known to us. Lets not classify those thoughts of theirs as right or wrong, because they are their thoughts and they are neither right nor wrong. We just need to respect them. Lets just help them to live life in a balanced way and let them know that if they slip at times, we will support them. If economic burden dont pressurize and if atleast one parent has full time to give to the child we can always avoid a nuclear family and a sibling is always a gift that we can give them.


We just need to make them understand that life is not always a bed of roses and teach them to take the bouquets and bricks bats which life throws at them.

So my dear friends its high time we Wake Up.... and Smell Coffee!!!

Aman ki Asha -II

Its 2.30pm. I had to leave for Sharjah at 3.30pm, I was in my hotel room when somebody comes to call me saying the car in waiting and I am late.
There’s still time how can I be late??? Without wasting a moment I jump out of the chair pick up my goggles, fastened my waist pouch and leave the room.

A white SUV, land Cruiser is waiting and the driver had a frown on his spectacled face because I was late. I say sorry and settle myself in the front seat next to the driver. I usually prefer to sit next to the driver since I get the best view of the surroundings. The driver was fast, very fast but here it is safe because one is assured that no cow or dog or man will cross the road out of the blue. 90-100 kms an hour is normal. Also the roads are made that way and the traffic is disciplined and I was enjoying the speedy drive!

One could feel the blazing heat outside. Nobody could dare to drive without an AC. One side is the desert and the other side a busy highway
The waft of the AC in our car was too cold and a slight shiver ran through me. The driver sensed it and adjusted the temperature. This gesture made me feel comfortable. Yesterday’s experience with the Pakistani was fresh in my mind and I was a bit skeptical.

This time the driver started the conversation.
D : Kaha ke ho madam?? (Where are you from???)
Me : India.
D : India mein kaha?? (Where in India??)
Me : Pune. Mumbai ke paas (Close to Bombay.)
D : Pune janta hoon. (ya know Pune)
Pause.
His Hindi was rich. Different. The one you hear when Gulzar speaks sprinkled with Urdu words.
Me : Aap kaha ke ho??? (Where are you from??)
D : Kashmir.
Me : Kashmir!!!!
D : (coolly)…yes Kashmir.
Me : You from my country.
He only nodded.

I composed my self and was feeling simply relaxed by now.
Crossed a small eatery, which advertised camel biryani, camel burger, camel kebabs etc. Is it true?? Camel – can somebody eat it???
Out of curiosity I asked the driver
Me : Kohi camel khate hai?? (Does anybody ever eat a camel??)
D : ya. They eat here.
Me : aap bhi?? (Even you??)
D : nahi mein nahi khata. (no I don’t eat)
Me : What do you eat here??
D : regular Indian food.

Wondered what could a man coming from Kashmir - the most beautiful part of the world- eat in this desert??

I was transported years back when I taught a Kashmiri student, he was two an a half years old then, his favorite dish was Gucchi Mattar which he got once a while in his tiffin. I used to laugh at the very name. Later came to know that it’s a dish made from Lotus stem or root and also very expensive

Me : Aap Gucchi Mattar miss nahi karte?? (Don’t you miss gucchi Mattar)?
Driver surprised….
D : You know gucchi Mattar ???When I go to Kashmir I have.

I was nearing my destination and asked him his name.
Me : aap ka naam?? (What’s your name??)
D : Parvez.
Me : Oh!! Nice name!!

I had reached the destination and left this car. I had to be here for 4-5 hours.
The hours flew by. It was 8.30pm. The crowds were rushing back to which ever transport they could get.

The desert looked beautiful and the cold winds played its role. Its not easy to walk in the desert. Our feet go deep in the sand and it becomes difficult to wade through it. The moon looked so beautiful. The expanse of the desert and the stretch of the sky raced for miles and miles together. Wondered do they really meet at the horizon????

It was late and puzzled as how I would reach my hotel in Dubai from these deserts in Sharjah.
When suddenly I heard someone calling, “Madam, Madam our car is parked here we go together, it’s my responsibility till I drop you back to your hotel”

Parvez!!!

God sent I thought and got in the SUV once again.

The conversation strikes again from where we had left.

Me : Which place in Kashmir are you from??
Parvez : Doda
Oh I tell myself…Doda very much a part of our troubled valley!!!!

Me : What do you like here??
Parvez : It gives me bread and butter.
Me : How many years you are here??
Parvez : 12 years
Me : Long time. Do you go home to Kashmir??
Parvez : yes!! 2 months in a year.
Me : How beautiful is Kashmir??? (though a stupid question)
Parvez : Lots. Very beautiful. Still a Paradise on earth if all the violence is cut out.
Me : Who all stay here??
Parvez : Everybody!! Wife, kids, parents, brothers, sisters all.
Me : All here?? Who stays in Kashmir then??
Parvez : Nobody. We got house a big house, somebody takes care. Like a caretaker you see.
Me : hmm…..

(We now leave the desert and touch the city. The roads are glitzy the place spews riches, loads and loads of it. It doesn’t lack anything for the ones who can afford it. The moon following us. The moon has its own elegance. The road is adorned with a necklace of streetlights but cannot shadow the moon. All cars speeding. I want a picture but slowing the car could be an impossible task, I reach for my camera…Parvez slows down the car before I saying anything and I get the picture I want but am not happy with it . Anyway!!!

The rhythm in our conversation is not disturbed…

Parvez : I got everybody here a few years back. Life was getting bad there. Never knew from where a bomb could blast. I came here and one by one shifted everybody to Dubai.
Me : Are the neighbors there (Pakistanis) really bad.
Parvez : Wont say all, but the ripped valley is the proof, ya they are.
Me : hmm……
Parvez : but my neighbor here is a Pakistani. His family helps my family when we need help. We both know from what circumstances we have come here. He has his story to tell and I have mine. But at the end of the day it’s a bare minimum decent living that we look forward to. At least we come home without a bloodstain here. This country gives me that. Our women are safe here, our children go to school here, and at least they don’t have images, which we still carry when we went to school in Kashmir.

Me : Do you like India??
Parvez : I am an Indian and I am extremely proud of it.
Me : And you kids??
Parvez : We have trained them to like India though we stay here. They are taught we are Indians first and are here only for work.
Me : will you come back to India??
Parvez : NO
Me : Why???
Parvez : I’ll be shortly going for the same job to London. Our family will migrate from here. Don’t misunderstand madam.
We love our country a lot, but the current circumstances don’t allow us to. We have lot of memories and the soil beckons us. The aroma of the soil lingers withs us all the time.
When we travel to Kashmir we fly Indian Airlines only – reason??? The moment the airhostess gets water we drink as if our throats were parched and yes - they are - we have missed the water of our motherland. It tastes different; it has the sweetest taste, which we long for. This country gives us everything but……..
Me : but……
Parvez : Surely something is missing. Madam you touched the chord, which pains the most.

Parvez’s wounds were still not healed and how would they???

I could see the hotel from a distance now….

Still many things were to be said, to be heard…………..
There was silence for a while but I could hear all his unsaid words..

Time to part…my heart was heavy.
We shook hands and bid good-bye, never to see this handsome man with emotional scars again.

His parting left something with me….

In my room.

My mind clutters with thoughts

Blast in Pune before I left…?

Shahrukh Khans statement about how good our neighbors are and their presence in IPL….?

2 Sikhs beheaded in Peshawar for refusing to convert to Islam…?

Yesterday’s encounter with a Pakistani driver – his struggle for a living…?

Today Parvez – and his story – a story for survival…?

All this just happening within our country and just across our border

Who is the safest???
?
?
?

Angle changed and the kaleidoscope gave a different picture....

Today's newspapers flashed - Government spends 5 crores on Kasab’s security.


Aman ki Asha – Can somebody please explain????

Aman ki Asha - I

Gulf

Couple of years back Bahrain
And now UAE. UAE consists of 7 states namely Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Rasal-Khaimah and Fujairah.

None of the above places was ever listed in my travel plan. Never had the slightest inclination to visit these places.

Glitz and glamour of this place starts the moment you land at the Dubai airport. Massive indoors waterfalls, long elevators, long conveyor belts; branded shops everything around was eye candy.

UAE consists only 19% of the original natives and the balance 81% consists of Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Sri Lankan, Pilipino etc. all of them here for their share of bread and butter.

Apart from this economics got an experience to share. One evening was returning from Gold Souk – Deira to my hotel at Damascus Street, which is a good 20-25 minutes drive. I was waiting for a taxi on the pathway; you see all Asian faces and more of Keralites.

The place looks very familiar like any other city in India, especially Mumbai; but you not feel comfortable especially when alone. One is reminded constantly that it’s a place away from home.

I was trying to stop any taxi coming my way. A skinny looking person on the pathway would speak something to the taxi driver in Arabic and the taxi would go before I could board it. This was repeated 3-4 times. Fifth taxi halted and before he could say anything I gave a hard look and boarded the taxi.
As soon as I boarded this taxi I started getting some wrong vibes and feeling very restless. Though the taxi was a Toyota Camry and a spacious one I gathered myself in one corner timidly.
The interiors, the dashboard all looked so alien. The Arabic music gave go pleasure to my ears. The taxi driver was a middle-aged guy with a paunch and his body language read shabby. He started speaking Hindi in heavy Arabic accent.
First talking only to him in a loud voice then trying to belittle Indians by murmuring beneath his breath.

The discomfort was sensed instantaneously.

I let a few moments pass, and then started a conversation with him.

Me : Kaha ke ho??? (Where are you from??)

TD : Peshawar.

(God he is a Pakistani…what next)

Me : Oh Peshawar!!!!

TD : Ha ha Peshawar (yes yes Peshawar)

Me : Bahut acchi jagah hai Peshawar. (Peshawar is a nice place)

TD : Aap jante ho?? (U know the place??)

Me : Ha ha janti hoon ( yes yes, I know)

With this he started all the praises for his hometown, and I prayed that I reach the hotel safely, still feeling terribly uncomfortable

Me: Peshawari Khana bahut accha banta hai ( Peshawari delicacies are so great)

TD : Ha ha..bahut accha (ya ya very tasty)

Me : Aur Peshawari masalo ka swad tho lajawab ( and the spices of Peshawar at so unique)

TD : Aap jante ho??? (You know??) (A bit soft now)

Me : Ha ha jante hai (ya ya I know it)

Pause (??)

Me : Aap Peshawar mein Pashto bath karte ho na?? (You speak Pashto in Peshawar na??)

TD : (a bit surprised) ha Pashto bath karte hai, aap kaise jante ho???(Ya we speak Pashto, how do you know??)

Pause (??)

Me : Waha ek nadi bhi bhethi hai (a river also flows in Peshawar)
(This was a googly from my side)

TD : (now a more surprised) ha bheti hai, aap Peshawar aayee ho kai??? (ya a river flows there – have you been to Peshawar??)

Me : Ha ek baar mauka mila tha (ya once I had an opportunity)

The taxi driver by now was very very warm in his speech and was talking with a lot of respect. He was going non-stop about his homeland. I had to cut the distance I had no choice but to hear him. He still had the sharpness in his voice but this time a little milder.

TD : aap kise janti thi waha (whom did you know there??)

Without wasting a second I replied

Me : Benazir Bhutto!!!!

TD : kya??? (what??)

Me : (laughing) baas unhiko janti thi ab tho woh nahi rahi (Just knew her, now she is no more).

Then the taxi driver started showering loads of praises about her and the politics in Pakistan.
Started saying how he makes a living here and can give a decent life to his family, which he cant do in his country.

By now he had kept aside his Pakistani tag and was talking as one human being to another, which was more appreciated.
But I still sensed those wrong vibes

TD : Aaap Hindustani ho ke haamari muluq ki bare mein kitna jaanti ho, waha aaki bhi gayee ho…Aapko dekhne ka hamara nazariya badal gaya. (You are an Hindustani, you know so much about my land, You have visited my land, my view about you is changing)

His views were changing.
And mine were not. What was in his mind when I boarded his taxi I wondered? The city was in full glitter, high-end car moved around with ease, could see some villas outside, but still felt so insecure.

By now I could see my hotel and I was feeling slightly better.

As the taxi parked in the lobby and it was time to leave the taxi, the driver joined both his hands and asked for forgiveness saying, “ To be truthful I had ill feelings about you when you boarded the taxi I had not liked it, and above all you an Indian, please forgive me, but after talking to you my views have changed. We never are interested about India, but how much you know about our country, which even I don’t know, I feel ashamed. Mujhe maaf kar do. (Please forgive me)

Me : Don’t treat the next Indian who comes in your taxi like the way you did now. Pakistan has been a part of India, so when I knew you were from Pakistan, you were very much a part of our land, and I could be the safest in your taxi, as I know I am traveling with my brother. (Though filmy it was strong)

The taxi driver felt the blow and apologized frantically. I left the place gracefully thanking God, only to tell myself how scared I was.
After I retired to my room I reminisced the entire episode…

Neither had I been to Peshawar nor did I know Benazir Bhutto and nor was I familiar with their spices they used in their cooking.

All my virtual traveling and my reading helped me that day. The food I had in Sigree (which is a specialty restaurant in Pune, caters Pakistani delicacies and mention spices with every dish they offer) helped me to talk about spices, Shantaram - the book I read - described about the author’s journey via Peshawar to Afghanistan which helped me to narrate the topography of the place though I did not know which river flows there, and of course who else than Benazir Bhutto could be a strong female I could talk to portrait my strength and that I can face this situation?????

Always saw Pakistan from India….but this time the lens was wider and the picture somewhat un (?)clear

The next day met a Kashmiri…………. But this time the kaleidoscope gave me a different scene

Aman ki Asha…does it exists????????

(To be continued)

Miles away

I write now because i will be incommunicado for a while as i cover regions and countries and lakes and rivers and mountains and boundaries and languages and cultures and seas and temperaments and customs and class and history .

Within a span of hours thousands of years of life disappears underneath.

Not the speed of the passage. The passage of time and events.

Wish this happens more and more often, for more and more miles, as i leap more and more continents.

I will shortly race the clouds and flirt with the wind only to tell them that meet you soon on my return..................but just be there.........