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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A Girl can change the world,she can do almost Anything she puts her mind to!! she is beautiful, brilliant..just the Best!!! 

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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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Love...

A feeling which seems a fantasy

A dream, i never want to wake from

Relishing this immaculate flavour

Still not convinced of this surmise

Changing my life, my destiny,

It all feels unreal,                 

Yet reality resembles you,

Your words, your promises.

An ardour of your kiss,

The 1st and last with you

One love, i never thought I’d fancy

And here i am

With a reverence for your...our amore!