A weekend trip to Mysore

I had recently been to Mysore and would like to share my itinerary.
Our round trip was train journey.  Hired a cab and kick started with Chamundi Hills, Church, Srirangapatnam 
( Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple, Tipu's palace, Sangam ), Nimishamba Temple. Spent some time in Rangantittu bird sanctuary, followed by Balmuri and ended the day with Brindavan Gardens.

Day 2 started with breakfast at Nalpauk and a visit to Vantikoppal temple followed by sight seeing in Mysore Palace.  


Had a nice trip :)


 

Death Wish

Please hold your thoughts before you come to some conclusion. This post is no way suicidal. Just got bogged down today after missing my train by whiskers to attend one my bestie Mahathi's wedding. This is an aftermath :)

Kalpana's blog post inspired me to mull over the subject of death.  I try to emulate her and subscribe to her opinions. Copied her post title blatantly for lack of my creative thinking.

If I knew I would die in some days/weeks, I wish to lavishly spend all my savings travelling extensively. Idyllic Switzerland is one of my favourite destinations, thanks to Sound of Music climax which made me fall in love with Europe (I can see you wondering if I don't want to leave anything for my children/grand children). If I am all dandy I wish to trek during the course or relax in God's own country Kerala.

Having lost Priya to Leukemia and Bala Attimber to Kidney failure (miss you guys) I wish any iota of money left (aka Insurance) to be given to organizations which accommodate people with such ailments or research institutes which work on these subjects. Whatever parts can be utilized in me be given to needy. I have already registered for eye donation with Narayan Netralaya and likewise wish other parts be donated as well.

I don't have a great fashion sense. My cousins, friends or sister can pick the ones they like or best give all the clothing, footware to any orphanage.

Gadgets that are good enough to hand over be given to Make a wish foundation. The plethora of novels that I have be given to my friends Sathish Chandran, Sathish Ganeshan, Kavya and Bhaswati. Hope you guys circulate it amongst your friends.Swaminathan gets to keep the Malgudi days collection. Naveen Chander and Karthik gets to keep all technical books (even if you don't want to). I wish Swati  to have my unbrittled  imitation jewelery. Shiv to get my car ( If I get to own one)

Mom gets to keep my gold jewelry for I know how much she struggled to get them for me. Dad, I don't know what to leave behind for you but I know of nothing materialistic to be given to you. Sister, you get all my crockery sets.

I wish my greeting cards be preserved by Karthik. I cherish each of them gifted by friends and family. Please don't discard them even if you don't believe in them.

Dad, don't make every one go through the elaborate rituals and performing monthly or annual ceremony. May be you can give that amount to any temple you wish to.

For all my folks who love me I would say 'Life goes on, no matter what'. Don't spend too much of your energy crying or thinking about me. Think of all the joyful moments we have had and share your stories. Take care of my pets if I get to tame a few. Please don't have a portrait (mugshot?) of me hung in your room and make yourself miserable.

Dig for all the snaps we have been in. Make collage of them with some graffiti's and recollect the incidents whenever you look at them.

Adios amigos! 

Stressed out, Really?

Certain things bring about calmness in my mind. Just penning them here.

A long walk along the beach, sea breeze brushing my face, stroking my hair gently. Sitting there in solitude and gazing at the waves, its gushing sound reminding me that I am not alone

Watching sunrise or sunset and observing the canvas Mother Nature created in the sky. The hues, the pattern, the calmness...Ah!total bliss.

Watching movement of a school of fish or petting a dog

Standing for a long time in the balcony, overlooking the bustling streets, devotional songs from an adjacent temple being played in the background, the fragrance of camphor, the chirping of birds...

Watching Tom and Jerry, laughing out on the pranks played by Jerry. An assurance that no matter how much destruction one does to another or how smudgy the characters become, they bounce back to normalcy.

Whipping a recipe of which I have got no clue, concocting with available veggies and spices

Writing about something I have no idea of, like I am doing right now

Playing with my neighbour's kid and being a part of all the pranks

Waking up early the morning and taking a walk along the park

Practise writing with my left hand

Waking up at 4 AM and meditating. Thinking of nothing in particular

Standing near a bouquet shop and looking at the colorful flowers delicately packed awaiting to be spruced up in someone's home

Drenching in the rain intentionally, turn the umberlla topsy turvy making paper boat and letting them afloat merrily

Come home after a long day at work and make myself a mug full of masala chai

Walking or sprinting as much as possible, that too aimless and without any direction, figuring out new routes, new vistas. I usually get down 2-3 kms before I reach my destination when I feel like
and explore new lanes.*
Learning a new language and trying to get better at it by talking

Which one does calm you. Share it across. I am all ears :)

Feel serene. Adieu.

*Work in progress

My love!

My dear valentine!
   You came into my life like a whiff of fresh breeze!You have been my strength for 6 years now. A little naughty, that baby like smile, those chubby cheeks, those sweet nothings, that inquisitiveness to tickle me all the time, feeding me food like a baby, being my pillar when I need the most, a soft cushion to lie on, your patience in teaching me anything and everything, those drives with you, holding my hand when I am nervous, those hearty laughs....

This post is to tell you how much I love you, how much I miss you. Our love turned into a strong commitment and a healthy relationship. You are one of the best things that happened in my life. Happy valentine's day sweetheart!  Wish you a great career and rocking life ahead. A big bear hug to you.

Lost in a crowded place

Why do I feel so lost?

When I talk to a person only to realize their concentration is on music on the FM radio

When I chat with a person only to realize they are busy sprucing up their farm or city or fish tank

When we have dinner together only to find they are engrossed in watching a movie than asking how was your day

Why have I rejected something that I have always wanted though it came in a different flavour, color and texture? For good or worse?

Why do I expect everyone to acknowledge things the way I want it ?

Why am I smiling superficially when my heart cries internally?

It feels like everyone is around, but no one to give a patient hearing, no one to pat my back, no one to reveal my emotions with.

You find yourself in a market place with people of different ages around, the kids chirping, elders busy shopping yet I long for spotting someone very familiar to me, who would come running towards me with a ear to ear smile and ask me my whereabouts.

*This post is partly fabricated

Rock, Paper, Scissors

Paper wraps rock
Rock crushes scissors
Scissors cut paper

If I may ask which of them is strongest what would you answer?

Rock? but paper covers rock
Paper? but Scissors cut paper
Scissors? but Rock crushes scissors

All of them are unique and strong in their own ways. Its just the perspective.

Just because you don't qualify in some top notch company's interviews does not mean you are not strong. You are unique and will definitely fit in some place.
Don't give up. Good luck.

Post verbatim Karthik. Thank you for cheering me and having confidence in me.

The joy of seeing a photo album

Every time I go home the first thing that catches my attention is our family photo frame perched above the T.V stand. The feeling of holding it brings me the memory of all the things that happened when that picture was taken. I touch it gently and think of how different or similar people in the family pic look and can’t help smiling. Quiet a few pictures neatly arranged in an album carefully preserved in a suitcase; every photo counts. I remember telling my dad to ask the photographer to take another snap when the print came out for my 10^th standard application, that it looks like a mug shot and I am not going for it especially for my board exams but no retakes! Every time I skim through the album I spot something new and the joy it brings cannot be expressed. Trying to give the best smile, wearing the best dress, awaiting the photo print is all I can think of.

Now that I own a digital camera I click a picture for no reason. I sometimes overdo it, dump it somewhere in the computer or forget to take back up. The footprint occupied is so huge that I sometimes try to delete it or hardly bother to organize it. Few I share it online, few I would have lost when my machine conked off and few I forget where I have copied it to.