An Ode..!

Childish deeds

Laughing carelessly

Unaffected by miseries, 
Happy times

You were beside me through it all

Being naïve, enjoying the youth

You helped me imagine perfection

A key to my freedom

Holding my hand

Nudging me to taste success

Giving me the confidence 
Letting me know that my dreams are not fantasies

That there was a world beyond this

Believing in purity

And friendship

You led me to the reality

Only to open my eyes

Your strictness couldn't dishearten me

As long as you were genuine

Dependable on you

Always as a friend

All along never realizing that there was more

You expressed your feelings like a song

But I just enjoyed the music, ignoring the lyrics

Gullible, innocent or maybe just trusting

Finally getting hit by another reality

Falling for the real thing

Turning to you to share the joy

Only to realise that you no longer held my hand

as it was the lyrics of some other song that I heard,

You left me to face it all alone

For the better or for worse I didn't know.

An ode to you now,

For letting me see the truth

And not the idealism

Disappearing, perhaps, for my own good.

Quoting myself... :)

You always expressed your feelings like a song....
I always enjoyed the music...
and kept ignoring the lyrics...!

Delving into Kolkata!

What I thought I would find was a black and white city, with slum dwellings here and there and hand pulled rickshaws, an image I had of Kolkata from the 70s movies.

On my trip I witnessed the unexpected and well unfortunately it wasn’t one of my best trips. Even though, Kolkata is a city everyone needs to explore. And by explore I mean see the sights not the metropolis arcades.

It all started when my friends and I at IIMC packed our bags and took a bus from Cuttack to Kolkata for a 3 day trip.

The bus halted at Babu Ghat bus terminus near Eden Gardens and the view was not at all black and white. It was 5 in the morning and I was wide awake taking in the beautiful vista. From there it was dumping our bags at our abodes and exploring the bustling streets of New Market and Park Street.

Day 1, we couldn’t explore too much and that dampened our spirits and we all became grumpy and cranky because of our unplanned spree. But the day had not ended and we feasted our eyes at the photogenic yet distinctly seedy vantage point, the Princep Ghat. The Hooghly River, a distributary of the Ganges, below the impressive elegant Vidyasagar Setu suspension bridge was a spectacle in the evening. We were lucky enough to witness the day of kali Visarjan where devotees plunged the divine puja images into Hooghly waters. From there it was an evening well spent with a boat ride down the river, which washed away all the tautness we had from earlier.

Vidyasagar Setu, also known as the Second Hooghly Bridge.

Dinner at KFC was longed-for as we are the famished souls from Dhenkanal, who crave for fast food day after day.

So, you see, it was something of a relief for me to be delivered from the clutter, filth, and dilapidation to the relative urbanity of Calcutta. As my trip was urban focused I missed out on the exploring part, which by the way no passionate traveller should do.

The second day started on a good note, with Science City on the agenda. We boarded a traditional tram from Park Street to Park Circus to get the feel of the heritage rich city and then took a cab to reach Science City which is at the crossing of Eastern Metropolitan Bypass and J B S Haldane avenue. It indeed was a city in itself. We took the ropeway to go inside which was an exhilarating experience. The earth exploration hall and the evolution park were a feast to the eyes and food for the brain. The artificial dinosaurs and the evolution of humans were worth admiring. In the science park we played and had fun like a bunch of kids enjoying each minute in Kolkata, the City of Joy.

Science City, Kolkata-the largest science centre in the Indian subcontinent

One of the main hurdles in Kolkata was lack of transportation. We had a hard time commuting and since we were on a tight budget we couldn’t book a cab for the whole day. This meant that we couldn’t explore the whole city which extends from North to south Kolkata in such a short time.

Day 3 came and we marched our way to the famous and beautiful Victoria Memorial Hall, a memorial building dedicated to Victoria, Queen of the UK. Oh yes, a tourist attraction it was. With extravagant gardens spread around the vicinity and a museum containing a large collection of memorabilia relating to Queen Victoria and the British presence in India and other work of arts, The Victoria Memorial with its royal gallery was a sight to behold.

The magnificent gardens that surround the Memorial Hall

The façade standing tall containing major collection of paintings, sculptures and manuscripts from the British period and made with White Makrana marbles was inaugurated in the year 1921 and certain additions were made in the later years.

Mesmerizing Beauty Of Victoria Memorial 

Exhausted from roaming the great halls inside, we looked forward to the tanga ride (horse cart ride) on the busy roads near Victoria memorial which was a royal feeling in itself. Enjoying the refreshing breeze in our faces and drinking the lemonade, we had a priceless time and some of us wanted another go on the tanga.

Riding on traditional Tanga (Horse cart)

But our hungry stomachs goaded us towards a food joint, Arsalan, on Park Street which is famous for its Calcutta Biryani.  It was the first time I tasted this kind of Biryani, which uses Potato along with meat and is much lighter on spices than compared to other Biryani's.  I was not disappointed as everything we ordered, including kebabs and chicken, was delicious. The restaurant was moderately priced and is the perfect place to savour one of the best biryanis in the city, according to my Bong friends.

After wandering around the city more, we went to the Xavier’s college which had a great infrastructure and since one of my friends completed her graduation from here, it was imperative that we went there and honestly we didn’t regret visiting the place as it was one of the most beautiful colleges I have ever seen.

Dropping in at a café to please our urban needs we chit chatted and relaxed a bit.

After that it was time to say goodbye to the culturally rich city and so we boarded a bus from Babu Ghat bus terminus and slept our way to Cuttack.

It was an enjoyable experience what with the company of friends and the travelling binge but honestly we needed to delve into the city a bit more. 

Actually, a lot more. 

With you

I don’t want to be in love

But in love with you

Braving the odds

Defying the snags

Only with you

I don’t want to be in a bond

But a bond with you

Joy in happiness

Acceptance in gloom

Only with you

I don’t want to be adored

But adored by you

Affection and passion

Feeling of fondness

Only with you

I don’t want to tussle

But tussle beside you

Brawls and fights

Struggles and challenges

To face with you

Only with you…!

Perturbed

Blissful life and Heavenly words

Universal Glee

So far Nothingness

Buried in the heart

Snubbing everything

Hankering for something

Unclear, Nebulous

Assorted feelings

Cooped up from own

An obscurity to be solved

Before time is pilfered…!

And Another Day…!

Dhauli- At Peace!

Waking up at 5 in the morning for the first time since we have come here was not an easy task for most of us but ironically everyone was eager for the same. The road trip, our destination and of course the company of friends made us all excited and raring to go on a Sunday morning.

The trip as always was fun filled what with the music blasting in the cab, the occasional stops for tea and snacks and the enchanting panorama of Odisha outside accompanied by the light breeze.

We reach our destination, Dhauli, which is located on the banks of the river Daya, 8 km south of Bhubaneshwar, and is a hill surrounded by lush green fields and some signs of human habitation. The place has a bloody history but now is one of the most peaceful and beautiful spots that one can find. History has it that the river Daya turned red with the blood of the many deceased after the infamous and the last war of King Ashoka, the Kalinga war. Dhauli is where Ashoka’s 1st separate rock edict is carved and where Ashoka surveying the bloodied fields below him, reflects on the price people have paid for his grand ambitions.

As we all reach on the top of the hill, an impressive white peace pagoda (Dhauli Shanti Stupa) stands in front of us which was built by the Japan Buddha Sangha and the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha in the 1970s and from where the plush fields can be seen. The scorching heat does not diminish our enthusiasm to roam around the place, click pictures and visit the small temples behind the pagoda.

Done with the roving about, we all sit together to view the surroundings in peace and admire the beauty of the place. I try hard to imagine the epiphany of the Kalinga war looking down at the winding river, but all that comes to my mind is what splendour and serenity the site is endowed with.

Along with the Ashokan Edicts, the peace pagoda and modern Buddhist monastery, Dhauli offers us with small rock cut caves, Hindu temples of early medieval period and a renovated Shiva temple dedicated to Lord 'Dhavalesvara' on top of the hill as added attractions. 

After many hours we leave the place filled with tranquillity and joy and much to my displeasure the heat finally takes its toll on me making me ill. Endowed with great friends, I am taken care of immediately and I feel better after a few medicines and food.

Even though we are tired and repent our return to the hostel, we enjoy as much as we can the last few hours by singing and having fun on our ride back.

Dhauligiri surely meets with the sightseeing agenda as well as the equanimity that one needs in today’s bustle.

So it was now a matter of awaiting our next trip…

Getting Along

There comes a time in some of our lives when we have to live with people who are not our families or our high school buddies and who are our so called roommates. This is the time when everyone wishes for harmony and longs for home comforts and wants to get well along with their ‘roomies’. But sadly, not all of us get ‘angels’ as our room partners and sometimes we end up with someone totally opposite of what we wished for. And here, the rule of opposites attract does not apply at any rate.

So how do we live with such people, for say a whole year, without getting stressed out and ending up pulling at each other’s hairs.  Hard to get along with roommates will cause many problems. It'll make your mood worse, reduce the willingness of learning, and you may feel no sense of belonging. This happens for many reasons especially because of people having differences in behaviors and thoughts. For example, one likes a silent room when reading his/her books, while another likes a noisy room with music playing so loudly to the point where the other person can’t study, which naturally, poses a problem. Then, they might have a conflict between a silent room and a noisy room.

To improve the situation, you can discuss the problems with your roommates, if he/she doesn't mean it, just solve and let through. Also, respect your roommate's privacy as you're not the only one who has to live in a sardine can with someone.  Somewhere along the line, you've already learned how to state a problem, brainstorm alternatives, and choose a solution. Some of the best friendships in college are made after having lived together. Getting to know each other as a roommate first and friend second makes you more compatible to live together peacefully. 

Besides, we need to know that everyone has shortcomings. No one is perfect, you bear with someone, and maybe someone bears with you too. Having a roommate isn't a problem. It’s an opportunity to learn about yourself and when we finally end the study, going out for work, we'll miss the time getting together. 

Hope everyone could live in harmony with their roommates!

Odisha: From Ordeals to Bliss!

When it has been a very long journey and all you want to do is take a shower, change in your sweatpants and get some rest, it is certain that you can take no more of travelling, especially when you no longer know how it feels to be immobile. 


The northern grid failure in July had to happen when my dad and me packed our bags and took a train to Odisha via Delhi to reach Dhenkanal and enroll me in IIMC to study my passion, Journalism. 

On our way to Odisha...!

The journey till Delhi was smooth and exciting as I eagerly wanted to reach my destination soon. But, the electricity department had some other plans for me. Upon reaching Delhi, the news of power failure and the delay of our train by 8 hours came as a blow, but this was not the end of our wait. Finally sitting inside the train and feeling closer to the destination, another power failure next day made our miseries more certain. Another 12 hours of waiting in the stock-still train and reaching Bhubaneswar at 4 in the morning and hanging around for another 2 hours for a cab to Dhenkanal was certainly not a welcoming prospect.


By 7, we finally reached my hostel, and upon attending the orientation of the college, at last we got the much needed rest. All was well again. And indubitably my ardour for travelling kicked off once again and in full zeal we took off to explore the beautiful state, Odisha.


Odisha is located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. The landscape is dotted with a large number of temples and Odisha has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.


We started our small adventure from one of the most renowned temples in India, Konark Sun Temple, which is a 13th century Sun Temple (also known as the Black Pagoda), at Konark. True to its name, the temple takes the form of the chariot of Surya, the Sun God, and is heavily decorated with stone carving. We ventured at the beautiful site, clicking pictures and admiring the sculpted figures and the various floral and geometric patterns. Even though the temple is somewhat in ruins now, it was an interesting visit because of its beautiful patterns and scroll-work, as well as the fine-looking and natural cut of animal and human figures and of course the huge wheels carved at the base of the temple which is the major attraction. 

Upon coming out of the temple, my eyes fell upon a sign which read ‘Konark Beach- 3kms away’. My excitement knew no bounds and so we paved our way to the famous beach. The sight was breathtaking. It was a time for high tides and the Ocean with its leaping waves and the smell of salty water, the wind in my face and the pleasant sound of the water washed away all the tiredness I had from the day before. To add to the enchanting view, it started to drizzle and I had no intentions to return from there ever.

Me. At Konark Beach! 

                            

Talking to some of the local people who were also there enjoying the scene, I was slowly 

falling in love with the place and its humble folks. But to my disdain, we had to continue our journey as it was already getting late. So we went back to our cab only after having a taste of the Coconut Drink and took off for Puri.


Puri is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimages. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the 11th century Jagannath Temple located in the city and this temple was our next destination. The narrowly packed streets with brightly painted houses held their own charm and I was soon cheerful again upon seeing the beautiful temple. We were fortunate to be accompanied by a guide we met outside the temple. He not only explained the importance of the temple but also helped us get a good view or Darshan of the Deities, seeing that the place was astoundingly crowded.


It was a wonderful experience but alas every journey has to end sometime. And so it was time for us to head back to the hostel, but I surely enjoyed my way back by relishing the amazing weather and the lush green surroundings and making the most of my trip by enjoying the rains.


Soon we were back in the real world after a long cherished trip. Having developed a love for the place after the trip, the journey was about a spirit that can never be explained but can only be felt.

Konark Beach, Odisha

A FOND HOPE!

You left and let me be

Changed my life, its direction

Tides and joys were perfection

When you were beside me

The frivolous words and times of glee

Triggered the world in awe

Made them ditch and gnaw

But we were unremittingly free

Heeding reality’s plea

Ways were parted

Lives were darted

Decisively you let yourself flee

As good as waves of a sea

The semblance was uneasy

But amiable and breezy

Hoping you would seek me...!

MISS YOU!

Here I am,

Missing you,

Made some promises.

 

Dreamed a bit,

Yet yearning after this adieu,

For your kiss.

 

Need a permit

I know I’ll screw

Life feels like an abyss

 

Together we fit

Alone it’s all blue

You dole me with bliss

 

I have to admit

You and only you

Give me evince

Girls Rule!

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For all the girls who r not afraid... who believe... who Rule...
Every day,in many different ways...GIRLS RULE...!!! :) :o)

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