A Trip To Heaven!

Its been quite a while since we had been planning a trip together. Whatever the destination ,the fun of being with my besties is what mattered. But when everything came out so well , it became a wonderful one to add to my list of memories.

Idukki, a paradise in God’s own country, blessed with hills, greeneries and streams was waiting to be explored. Our eleven membered group started off in the morning in two cars. On our way while climbing the hill, we had to stop the cars at several points as she kept alluring us.

A view from the hilltop

The stroll through a small forest, so peaceful ,with birds chirping, stream flowing and the cool breeze blowing took my soul to a peaceful home that I always yearn for.

In the evening , we went onto see the waterfalls which resembled streams of milk flowing down the rock.  We clicked photos to our hearts content.

Next one was an adventurous drive to another hill top which nestled an awesome homestay. The lookalike of a traditional Kerala home .Staying here in the chilling climate was the best part of the trip. The hosts were so loving and the food served was delicious.

After dinner, we had a campfire, the one time we all crooned to our heart’s joy.

As the sun came out to greet us, we got  ready for boating , as we moved through the Periyar river, several elephant herds, monkeys  and exotic birds could be spotted on the banks  . We also spend sometime at a  charming resort located amidst the river.

An elephant herd

On the way to our next destination, a beautiful vineyard at Cumbum valley , we  enjoyed watching many farms cultivating flowers,fruits and vegetables . The vines had bunches of grapes hanging from them . The grapes were really tempting  but thanks to the pesticides sprayed all over them, none of us dared to pluck them.

A chrysanthemum cultivation

A cabbage farm

Grapes hanging from lush green vine

Since Idukki  is known for forests and wildlife, we visited a tribal museum which threw light upon mother forest and her children and why their protection is the need of the hour.

Driving our way back through the mountains covered with beautiful tea gardens, we bid bye to Idukki.

144 Days Exploring The Queen of Deccan

“I got the call ”

“Me as well”

“Me tooooo”

From that  very  moment  three  final year college students,   who got into  the  same  laboratory  in Pune for their internship  began building tiny castles in the air. And like an icing on the cake came a news that  the internship was paid. And so we were forced  to research on better methods of spending  since we had more money coming in .

Now, five months was a long time to stay away from family. Especially for two hosteller  girls who ran to meet their family once in every month and a lad who always made a point to pick  his educational instituitions  not more than  500 metres far away from his home.

One  fine Saturday morning,  three pairs of feet  flew from Kerala and landed on Pune . The  very thought  that the  jollylife and the mini-scientist life that we had been dreaming for almost  a year,  were just about to happen danced  in our heads.

Except for the continuous standing in the laboratory, everything else was fine. Well, finer than whatever any  intern could wish for.

Since we had pledged to leave no stones unturned, every weekend was set aside to explore the nooks and corners  of Pune , the city proudly called as The Queen of Deccan, the Oxford of the east,  the most favourite city of any youth who has spent  a small part of  his or her life over there.

Pune  is neither a metro city nor a fashion hub, but the place has its very  own  vibe that makes people celebrate and adore  the days of  their lives spent  there. Pune  has the finest to offer for all ,be it the rich ,the poor, the crazy ,the foodie,the traveller  and even the spirit in search of the truth.

A very useful favour from the Puneiites’s side for  the three of us was that they spoke Marathi and not Malayalam. And hence  pure Malyalam, our very own mother tongue was frequently used whenever  we wanted to make  fun of people right under their  nose and to “shout out” for our “justice”  when we felt  that the cab driver cheated us by riding  the long way for more money and to  speak  loudly on anything under the sun sitting right in the middle of the crowded bus stand .And since most part was devoted to cracking jokes , our teeth were always out,laughing .

Post release of  the movie Bajirao- Mastani, visiting Shaniwarwada was a must – do. The palace was all torn down by a fire that happened years ago and the mortals  and the stories of the palace being haunted were what remained  .A camful of pics were clicked and my friend tried really hard to make us believe that he got a snap of the  ghosts too.

Shaniwarwada : King Bajirao’s fort built in 18th century

When it comes to food pune has a collection of themed restaurants with exotic cuisines from around the world. A bigger part part of our  Pune life was dedicated to exploring the Maharashrian cuisine. The locals loved different types of  “paav” and “puris”  and so did we.

The Osho garden was something we had longed to visit. Just like what Osho  wanted the garden was forest-like. No pruning , no trimming. The trees were allowed to be themselves.  As we walked through , we could hear birds chirping and stream flowing. And to add joy to the air,  two boys were singing and playing guitar.

A click from Osho Garden, Pune

From Pizza hut to music night, from open garden birthday parties to movie watching, weekends were busy. Roaming around the shopping street,riding on trucks, trying out the taste of the  very same fruit from different street vendors,eating our favourite “meetha” wherever we could afford to find it, simply  bargaining for things and then stealthily running away from there when the shopkeeper tries  to settle for the price of our choice were all our favourite timepass.

It was so much fun exploring  a land where we had never been to.Neither did we know the language, people nor the places. Within no time, the day had come for us to leave Pune.With still more places left to visit and fun left to enjoy , the three of us flew back. One hundred and fourty  four days of absolute fun is what we had.

On the way back all I could feel was a sense of accomplishment , not  just  for having worked in one of the best  biotech  labs , but because  I enjoyed these days  like no time before.

Kudos to the three membered team for making the words that always reverabate in my head come alive…  “AFTER  ALL, LIFE IS TO ENJOOYY!!”

 

My Most Beautiful College Days – A Memoire

As five fantabulous  years of my  college life is coming to a close, suddenly all the beautiful moments that happened from the day I set foot on the campus are rushing into my mind. Looking back at the freshers we were , all have grown up at mental, physical and emotional levels. I remember the first time I came to visit my college and how much I adored the beautiful garden and the pond inside the building.

Once the classes began, it did not take much of a time for everyone to become thick close. The hostel was like a home away from home. Hostel life taught us how to take care of ourselves without dad and mom around. Initial days were ruled by the fear of being ragged by our seniors which made us stay away from walking alone. From then to now, the five years passed so quickly….

The wonderful friends I made here, all the laughter and fun we had together, playing pranks on each other, those lovely cum terrible birthday parties, , watching ghost movies at midnight , one single home packed lunch box and a hundred hands to finish it off, late night hostel games and never waking up on lazy Sunday mornings, those nerve wrecking days when I had to take seminars and my best friend would silently mouth my sentences sitting amidst the audience, those fun hours in the lab and the one time when me and my friend accidently broke a petridish and ran away stealthily , pestering that one friend who accidently scored high marks in the exam , whiling away the time gossiping and listening to my best friend grumble about her boyfriend. Thanks to those brainy ones who helped us in studies and did all the assignments while the rest of the class copied theirs. Our super- duper college tour where we enjoyed to the maximum, the castles in the air we made together,singing and dancing to our favourite songs, dressing up and clicking funny and stylish group photos on College Day and awaiting to upload it on facebook . Listening to those plethora of advice from professors to become all the more better in studies. The most beautiful books I got to read from the rarest collection in our library. Those post-lunch classes where everyone mastered the art of sleeping with open eyes. The stage shows we aired at our college and the hilarious practice sessions .

Not to forget our beloved professors who are the best anyone could get but most importantly very humble and always with a smile on their faces.

As I sit in my library and write this down, I closed my eyes to take myself all through these five years… A drop of tear unintentionally rolled down from my eyes…
A bundle of beautiful moments to treasure!The scent of these memories would remain afresh in my mind forever…..Ahh…..Dear College Days…Miss u Soon!!

Wars will never end until the “My Religion is Better than your Religion” insanity stops.

All religions and beliefs apart, I sometimes wonder…..
Did all the gods in the world together join hands to create this earth and its people?? And did Krishna agree to take care of all Hindus and Jesus agree to take care of all the Christians and Allah agree to take care of all the Muslims? What about the rest of the 4300 religions and their Gods??

At the deepest level of Being , all of us are brothers and sisters because our souls are made up of the same material. We were created by the One. But we worship him in different forms.

“The essence of all religion is one. Only their approaches are different” – Mahatma Gandhi.

Let Peace , Joy , Love and Laughter prevail in all parts of the Earth!

❤ ❤ ❤

Here Begins The Second Childhood…

Awaiting my arrival at her home with an angelic smile ,wrapping me with her hugs, preparing me the tastiest food ever , she is my most approachable pillar of support both emotionally and financially for she is my Graaand- Mom. When our entire family meets up to celebrate any occasion she would be the most happiest person on earth.

For all these years granny was there for all of us. A sudden diagnosis of a rectal carcinoma and surgery that followed, she turned all frail and flimsy. But her lovely daughters,my mom and aunt, were extremely careful about not making her realize what she underwent was a small cancer surgery.This in fact played a great role in her quick recovery.All through these days her children and grandchildren were around her to nurse her.

As I got to be around her, I experienced the joy of having a grown-up baby around me. Every time someone should be beside her pretty much as a babysitter, looking at what she is up to, holding her hand while she walks. We had to dress her up and brush her hair. Much the same as a toddler, the toughest part was talking her into having each meal. I was assigned the duty of making her a variety of juices each day as she happily picked out her fruit of choice. She kept asking the same questions over and over at different times of the day,to which we had to give the same answers. We even put pillows on her side to ensure she won’t tumble from the bed.

Once a school teacher,now she behaves like a playful kid at school. The old baby is in full swing when all of us are around her, especially my one year old niece. Being around my lovely Grandma, for sure I realize that the greatest gift we can give the aged is our Time.

We didn’t realize we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun!

College years are the best part of a person’s life. With the aim of making our final semester the best-est of all , we decided to go for a four day tour. Discussions and plannings had been going on from the beginning of the semester.Finally we chose the spots to visit and booked the bus. Everyone excitedly waited for the day to arrive and it came…

Unaware that the best moments of our college life would be made, we got into the bus.The journey started off with howls and cheers.Thanks to the music maniacs who played shake and move music, we all danced like never before. There was maximum joy in the air.As midnight arrived, we cut a big cake and celebrated the bus birthday party of three of our friends.

By morning we reached Pondicherry, known for its French heritage, great food and fine wine. I loved strolling through the peaceful French colony. The homes and their wooden windows with blooms hanging were so lovely. The Paradise beach was packed with foreigners. That land had a totally different vibe.

Later we started off to Mahabalipuram , the land of cave temples , situated in the Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu. The beautiful carvings all around the caves were stupendous. History was not much of an interest to any of us but clicking umpteen number of photos were.

As we were busy posing in front of the caves, a monkey snatched away my friend’s drink.

Cave sculptures at Mahabalipuram

The next morning we went to see the hill stations of Yercaud in the Salem district of Tamil Nadu. The hill stations were obviously very cool and refreshing. With lots of vendors selling food , we got to eat grilled corn and a variety of pickles.We additionally visited the Sri Chakra Maha Meru Devi temple. Visiting the temple was a treat to the mind as well as the eye.The place was so calm with beautiful gardens around.

The third day was to explore the northern part of God’s own country. The Wayanad district known as the “Green paradise” of Kerala welcomed us with cool air.The mountains were wrapped in fog. We climbed a steep mountain to reach the Edakkal caves. The scribblings and rock art by ancient men took me back in centuries when man use to live close with nature.

Centuries old rock art at Edakkal caves of Wayanad

In the evening we visited the Wayanad wildlife sanctuary. An adorable peackock  greeted us with her magnificent feathers. There were deer herds all around. I pondered whether they would be friends or relatives. An elephant and his girlfriend popped out from some place and disappeared into the woods.

Deer herd at Wayanad Wildlife Sanctury

On the last day we went for trekking the Paithalmala Hills in Kannore district.Singing or I would rather say trying to emulate the traditional tribal calls and songs and clicking photographs we reached the top of the hill. While relishing the pristine beauty of Mother Nature , the clouds drizzled and the cool breeze caressed us.My joy knew no bound then.

A click from Paithalmala hills

None of us had any idea about how the days passed so quickly. The fun we had while on the bus was unforgettable…Dancing , singing, cracking jokes, making fun, clicking endless selfies.

We didn’t know we were making the best of memories… The heaven part of our lives that we would always look back to….

Featured image courtesy : Google

The Treasure Land of Books

A library is altogether a different world. The marvelous world of books and the stories they have got to narrate. When anyone mentions the word ‘library’ my school library comes running into my mind. Back in school days, I used to frequent the library. The sight of neatly stacked books in the book shelves , calling me out to read them, gave me a feeling of euphoria. With a plethora of choices to select from, the library was my favourite place at school. The place was so silent that you could hear a pin drop. It had a big banner saying ‘Keep silence” and beautiful quotes were hung at every nook and corner. Our well-lit library had polished wooden tables. I had a favourite spot on a corner where I use to sit.

From lifestyle magazines to fiction ,spine-chilling mysteries to Vedas, from cutting-edge technology journals to world class literature, the library had an array of books. It beyond any doubt, was the wonderland for any bookworm. The voracious reader in me sometimes wanted to grab and run away with all the books at once. But haplessly , at school, they issued only one book at a time. The sight of brand new books arrived at the bookshelf was literally mouthwatering. I loved to smell the pages of newly arrived magazines and books before I started to read them. I and my friends used to actively engage in discussions post our reading. We even used to secretly nickname some of our class mates after the fictional characters. We could talk about these children under their nose , without they knowing .

As a child, Enid Blyton books were my top favourite. I can still feel the joy I used to get out of perusing the Magic faraway tree. A few books were enthralling to the point that I never took my head out of the book. It was a rare sight to see all the seven Harry Potter books together as they were on the run most of the time.

In this age of chatting and googling where everything is a fingertip away, I wonder how many children would take time out of their lives to explore the treasure house of knowledge and absolute fun called Library…

Image courtesy : Internet

My Bus Journey..

Short or long, journeys in life are inevitable. Being a college student, I have to travel up and down to Cochin every time I want to visit my home. As soon as the college bell rings, the hurry burrying from college to reach the bus stop begins. Dashing to the bus stop holding the luggage is the most gruelling part of the journey. More than boarding a bus, boarding a bus with a window seat is what matters.
As soon as the seat is taken, it is time to heave a sigh of relief. From there on begins some beautiful solitary moments of life. A part of the journey is filled with chit chatting with friends. But most of the time I would be engaged in a world of my own. That’s when I start viewing my life from a different perspective, in a way I start to witness my own life. These sublime hours even make me deduce out the role of “Law of Karma” in life. Enjoying the scenic, green rich beauty of God’s own country is an integral part of any Keralite’s journey.In my opinion, no sight in this world is as soothing as the green paddy fields of Kerala.
I meet different kinds of people during my travel, some smile, some talk, some doesn’t care. For certain strangers, I try to picture what would their life and family be like. Then that makes me realise how crazy- minded I am. For any new gen, travelling is synonymous with earplugs tucked in ears, I am no different. When the bus stops, vendors come running into the bus to sell food and drinks. Though the smell of fried dishes are tempting, my dad’s advice rushes into my mind which forbade me from buying any of those. In between every half an hour my phone rings as dad calls to ensure his princess is safe. As the dusk arrives, nature looks so adorable, wrapped in a tinge of orange.
The journey comes to a close as I get down at my destination where my dad would be waiting. With all my luggage and a big smile, I get into the car with the hope of making the best of the holidays at my home sweet home.

Image courtesy : Google