And I'm back!!

Whoa! I haven't been writing for ages! Hmm.. I need to do some justice to this space that dear own blogspot has allocated to me, thinking that I would scribble now and then, but what am I doing? Reading dready documents all day and your night, trying to exercise the top bean into a hit shape. Well, in any case, jolly old bean liked to be left alone, and I wanted to do some scribbling. So am back! :P

So amidst doubts of 'Tera Kya hoga re Aishu' I was flung into this far away land of Denver, sometime last month. I must tell that, when the weather outside is like -5 C, it is a very bad time to be caught by the worst form of cold. But it had already caught sight of me, and while I was sneezing the bejesus out of all and sundry, I had to travel to this land of 'Mile High city'. 34 hours of solid travel, in a trance like state, nose all clogged up, almost wheezing, sounding like a baby-elephant learning to bleat, I somehow reached this city. The best thing about the travel was that, I was able to watch 'Zabaan Sambhaalke' on the flight. Now this used to be the TV show that brought many a laughter with it, when I was in school. Those days of simple unadulterated laughter, the kind that is really rare now. Simple easy old days! Sigh! :)

Ah.. well, where was I? Oh.. yeah.. so now it has been more than a month here, and I've seen the snow, the rain, and sun too (thankfully). It is a quiet place, with rabbits and geese having a stroll on the roads as they like. I even saw a deer jolly well crossing the road in 2 long leaps, while my mouth was left hanging by itself. Err..By all this don't you guys go into any thoughts in the rein of "Iva entha vandalur zoo le irukka?" There are enough people around, and though the place is a far cry from the honks, loud whirring bikes, and other noises that keep company all the time in India, it has a peace about it, that quietens the soul. Take a peek.. go on!



Now does the peace part of my talk make sense? :) *Smiling benignly* I knew it is difficult to expect so much of the grey cells residing in the cranium without giving some of the tough work to the photoreceptors on the top of the head. Ah.. well, now that you got it, the most part of what I wanted to scribble here has been conveyed successfully.

While I go on, to enjoy a little more of the solitude of the place, you all have a jolly good time! Pip Pip!

Nagala - A whole new world - Part 1

Amidst the mundane routine of work-home-whiling-away-a-weekend-work-home and the same on and on, when I saw the mail for the Nagala trek, I actually didn’t give it much thought. It was an irritating day at work that made me decide to go for it, to take a chance. And I must say, it was one of the most memorable experiences in my lifetime (not that I’m an 80 yr old, but still :P).

When we started in an undefined group, with smiling strangers, who seemed eager to help and were enjoying themselves, in the beginning I felt as though I was in a strange place. And me being a person who takes time to really open up felt even more alien. But after a while, it got to me. I also enjoyed when they laughed, be it a joke I shared or not. Slowly we reached the first pool, after having lost the people who were moving ahead of us. Once there, we got the message that we had to wait until further updates from the rest of the group. We were around 10 of us with a cute kiddo (Achantya) among us. While Achu found imaginary squids and jelly fish in the pool while swimming and found new ways of sliding down the small waterfall at the pool, the lost group met us there. And we quickly resumed out journey to the next pool – The crystal clear pool.

Everything around was in varying shades of green, and brown. Clear water went gushing around us, trickling and moving between rocks with a purpose, while we walked around or sometimes through it to make our way ahead. After sometime of climbing and trekking, we reached a scenic pool that was so beautiful, I’m so happy, the movie people haven’t found it yet. The crystal clear water, through which you could see the pebbles below, the fish moving around, was so pure, that anyone who comes back from another country claiming to have seen the best beach / lake in the world is going to get a sorry nod from me.

In less than 2 minutes, the whole group was busy thrashing around like kids in the water. The hesitation, inhibition all lost, fun seemed to be some gas that was being inhaled all over. After a while, it was time to move on – to pool 3 for the Level 1 camping site, and ahead for the others. Again after some climbing, some heaving and puffing, we had reached pool 3. A jade colored pool with shades of deeper green in the ends, it seemed like the water just decided to rest a while before it continued on its journey. As it happened each time we reached any water source, the swimmers dived headlong into the water, while the non-swimmers did everything else they could. Some wistfully watched the graceful swimmers having fun (That’s me! Scared to even keep my feet 2 ft into water) while some tried the floating technique with the tubes around them. Some others just relaxed, chatting and relaxing their muscles.



And that’s when fate decided to give this happy little gang a little more to think about. In other words, most of the gang decided to test themselves more, and go on to the next level. But for that we had to climb across a rock, clinging to the formations on it. And it was no simple rock. This one had rough, sharp edges, and turned at right angles in the midway. So there was no way to know what lay beyond that, unless we scaled that and went ahead. Well, anything looks scary until you do it. So saying, all the enthusiastic 70 or so, slowly edged their way across. No one dared to look down, because down, it was all rocks, and a pool that was quite a few feet deep. One wrong move and it could be dangerous. Brrr!!


Enter the Trekking Tigers! Till now, this happy band of Merry men, were not so much in focus, as no one’s life was clinging on a cliff. But when the tough terrain came up, these guys quickly moved and positioned themselves in such strategic points, encouraging scaredy-cats like me. And surely in a few minutes we had all crossed the dangerous-looking rock. And next we moved over the rocks to reach a small natural water slide. While two nice people helped us to cross over the slide, lots of enthusiasts were sliding below to the mouth of the waterfall. Once that was over, we started the real trek! You are wondering, what that ‘real trek’ means? Well, picture toh, abhi shuru hua hai! Now the terrain was not easy at all. It was all steep and slippery. The previous day’s rain had made the mud give away at a lot of places. When we kept our legs on some rock, thinking that it could carry our weight, it mostly came away, having been loosened by the sloppy mud. So we all clung on to the plants and roots of the trees. It was only after a while that we realized we were in a wrong trail. But by then I had already slipped twice, barely missing a fall, clinging to a small plant, which seemed too frail to withstand my weight. I got scared. This minute I had my hands around a plant, right feet on a rock jutting out under the mud, and the left trying to fix itself at the base of a plant, and the next minute, the rock gave away, while the plant snapped and I was hanging in mid air clinging to the frail plant. Thankfully, Jagan came over and passed along a root to steady myself.

It is a weird kind of rush that happens, when fear grips you. Suddenly the heart stops, voice seems forgotten (at least in my case) and adrenalin kicks in. But once you are safe, and the brain relieved that it is in no danger, all that adrenalin left out in the system, starts to act. After those two near-miss falls, by the time we reached the fourth pool, I was in a very bad shape. My muscles were trembling, and each breath was heavy. It felt like the muscles had given up. Both my hands and legs were trembling. At the fourth pool, where there was a waterfall, while others tried to refresh themselves in the water, I was taking stock of myself. There was a rock which had to be climbed to move further. Doubt, was setting in on my mind as to how I would do it. How I would move over that rock, which was angled in a way that we had to propel ourselves with our hands firmly on the dents in the rock. But when you have to do it, you just do it. While my mind tried that, my hands gave away. There it was Vandana, who caught me. It would not have been a fatal fall, but enough to injure me badly. And given that I’m sand-blind without my specs, if I had fallen, I would’ve fallen on my face, which means goodbye specs and goodbye vision. That thought was going in circles over my head, by which time, somehow I was pulled up on the rock and I quietly sat trying to calm myself. I knew I had to stop here, if I wanted to be alive. The next pool was 2 hours away, and the climb was going to be tougher. It was only common-sense to stay back. I said so to Biju the leader of Level 2. But logic was out, how could I be left alone? A first-time-trekker at a pool which was no camping site; all by herself? I had to somehow cling on, till the 5th pool. But again, going till there was going to be no easy task, and so the tigers came to my help. While one of them carried my bag, along with their own bags and other stuff like tarpaulin, rope etc., the others agreed to take care of me. Slowly motivating me, and the others, we moved forward. One step at a time, we kept going forward, until we reached the place.

I still can’t remember what place it was. Maybe it is because I automatically erase the worst memories from my head. All I can remember is, there was some rock like formation, where again I had to grip the rock and propel myself upwards to climb up. And when I tried, my both hands slipped! There was nothing below, only trees and rocks which are at an 80 degree angle to the horizontal. Where I would’ve fallen, I have no idea. But it would not have been nice at all. Two hands grabbed me at the right time, while lot of gasps escaped others’ mouths. I have no memory of how I reached on the top. But in seconds I was safe. I didn’t realize how much I valued my life until then. I couldn’t speak a word. I didn’t want to look below. I knew how bad it was. I knew how lucky I was. It would have been a major mishap, but those awesome guys saved me. From then on, there were always two people ahead and behind me. There was no saying where my next stunt would be. Abishek, Rinku, Vijay, Kaushik, RJ, Ganga, Nithya, and the other tigers, took the big burden called ‘yours truly’ into their heads. I was so embarrassed that I was such a trouble. I couldn’t even mumble thanks to those guys. Jitters were going over my hands and legs like some shock. But at the same time, I knew there was no way out. The only words, going over and over in my head were, “One big mistake. If I reach the pool in one piece, I’m not doing any more of this. From where did I get the idea that I can trek? How stupid can I get?” All this while, these guys kept at it. Encouraging, and motivating. Though they were all exhausted, being themselves new to this trail, plus having to take care of us, they did not show any signs of giving in. My mind was so scared that I would not move until Abishek was in the front leading the way. My only hope was that my fear was not rubbing on to the others. I was terrified, but I tried to keep it within me. Not sure, if that was working, but anyone who was near by, when I almost fell, were already looking at me like some sort of miracle.

It slowly became dark, and we used our torches to light our ways. Midway, we found Vaishu and her gang coming back from another false trail. The darkness was making it trickier than it actually was. After some more stops and careful climbing, we reached the pool. But by then, everyone had already slept. Where would I sleep? I didn’t have even a sleeping mat. God knows who had it, and where that person was. Ganga lent me a mat, and Archana helped me out. I was wet, exhausted and still jittery. Strange are the ways were you find real friends, and good human beings. Which stranger will go to the extent of applying a balm and rubbing the tired muscles, when that person was also in a similar state? While all the kindness and generosity of those really sweet people was weighing like a ton on me, Archana erased away all boundaries to that. That night, she was there, and that was all I had to know. In her face, I saw the care, the fact that she would not let me feel left out or insecure.

‘Thanks’ at that point seemed like a word that was too silly, too mild, to even convey 10% of the gratitude that I felt. I cannot repay any of those people in any way. I cannot ever thank them enough. But I can also never forget them and those moments. (If I go on, this will turn into the climax of any Karan Johar movie, and we wouldn’t have to go all the way to Nagala to enjoy a pool.)
There is more to write, about the fun I had. About why inspite of all this, I’m still going to trek more. But if I write this here, no one is going to read it. It has already been a very long post.

So sit tight, while the next part is on the way. :)

Of Men that laugh and children who cry!

It was a tranquil night. The moon was silently whispering to the barren lands that swished pass by. A lone tree or few bushes,looked on serenely now and then. It was around 10.00 and I was on my way home. Almost all had retired to their berths and when the last light was put out, I had decided to take in the beauty of the countryside in the moonlight, sitting in the dark train. But then, there was this family, to the right of my compartment, with two small kids who found the idea of traveling in a train, a little discomforting. This hunch of mine was confirmed by the kid suffering from wailisirenotopia.( This is a syndrome when the afflicted keeps wailing like a siren every 4 mins and 53 secs.) This one was unique though, coz the wailing was in a different tune each time. And then, there were this group of men to the left of my compartment, who definitely were trying to prove Darwin right, in that we evolved from monkeys. From the time they had boarded the train, they were behaving like a bunch of excited teens out on a trip for the first time. Every 10 mins, it was like a bunch of Narakasuras from Om Namah Shivai had descended on the train, booming at the hapless devi who had fallen victim to them. It was like 10 gorillas roaring in pain (well, it really couldn't be counted in as laughter, you know, so I didn't want the good old hyenas somersaulting in their graves, if I used them as metaphors here)

Now this was not bothering me much, coz staying awake was my idea. I had to get down in an hour or so, and did not want to snore all the way to Trichy, missing my station. Now by around 10.15 or so, this kid with the wailisirenotopia had got into this pretty drab tune, which was certainly not music to the ears. But of course (no sarcasm here) everyone understands how difficult it is to manage kids, and so all patiently waited for the kids to go back to sleep. That was when one of the men from the gorilla gang, wearing his 10-yr old son's shorts, crossed my compartment to the next and kind of gave a look , that was surely meant to be a warning to the parents.

How insensitive could people get! At 10.30, those people never had the sense to pipe down a bit, but the man in shorts had the gall to remind others to quieten down, a kid at that! Appalled, I went back to the barren lands, wondering about the manufacturing defect that Lord Brahma had made while dishing out this particular specimen.

After about 15 mins, the kid had gone to sleep and the whole train was softly sighing in sleep when these men - on a apparently rib-tickling one, went into this ritual of slapping thighs and making sounds that was like 5 old Bajaj scooters + 8 gorillas + 7 Narakkasuras and 11 buffalos on a high!!! The compartment almost jerked, when some 60 (remember a sleeper has 72 berths and a good 8 were occupied by these ppl, one by me, and 3 were unoccupied yet - I'm good at my math, you see :P )people were jostled from their sleep. The ones sleeping in the middle and lower berths banged their heads on the top of their berths, when they were woken up with a start! And our child with the wailisirenotopia, poor thing, also seemed to find a new tune to kick off now!! :(

Now, I decided something had to be done. But what? Hmm... yeah.. there was one thing. But, I had my own doubts. What if they went into another of these thigh-slapping, and guffawing rituals, if I did that?? I couldn't even imagine me being the cause for another of those!!! :O

But well, given that I take approximately some 53.9 seconds to make up my mind, before these thoughts could even play out in my mind, I was already on the way to their cabin. (Remember it was dark everywhere except in their cabin)I went and stood at the entrance of their cabin, and gave them all a bewildered look. I looked at each of those specimens for a good length of time,especially the one in his 10-yr old's shorts, all the time not letting go of the blank expression. There was silence. The guffawing gorillas now closely resembled dumb buffalos basking in the sun, open mouthed. I returned back to my seat, with such of sense of satisfaction, I had never felt before. That had done the trick. Within seconds, the lights went out, and the train went back to it's sleeping mode. I had not actually expected such a quick response, so to say, I was actually scared, if they would start off on another laughing spree, seeing my dumb look. Phew! :D :D Luckily the child also seemed to get tired of wailing, and had quietened down.

The tranquility returned and I went back to the moonlight barren lands, and in all that silence, barely missed snoring all the way to Trichy!

Note: I know the title is grammatically wrong. But it is intentional, which I hope you understand better after reading this post. :)

Avatar - Some thoughts!

Avatar is no new release, I know. But well, I got the tickets to watch that very recently and so here are some of my views on it. This might be a very very late review (if you can call it so), but I felt like writing about it.. so here goes. :)

Just when you thought that the greatest movies were those with the most complicated scripts, or story lines with layers and layers behind each frame, here is one to trash all that!

You go in there expecting grandeur, but what hits you is simplicity! It is not a wonderfully fresh story line, or refreshingly brilliant characters, it is the sincere and simple narrative. Everything is simply put there, point blank for all. But very few always get it, so instead of the usual narrative; James Cameron uses 3D, to make you feel one with an imaginary world, in parallel with the one we are already living in. He uses a new species The Na’vis. And unfolds a brand new Avatar of cinema!

All this while, we expected twists and turns, something spectacular that made those bucks you spend in the cinema hall worthwhile. In Avatar, except for the new technology that has been used to make the film, for a layman it is as lucid as it is for a 4-yr old. Good vs Bad, where the Good ultimately wins.

Here we also get to see how things work when there are a bunch of individuals who work for themselves, for their own motives. How their interests take precedence over everything, over lives, over peace, over The Right!! There is an irony that is brought out, when the tiny humans try to overcome the giant Na’vis, using the machines and technology that is far too superior and powerful for the native people of Pandora. How arrogance and greed overcome us humans, how we get blinded for our s
selfish motives!

But as in any film, there are a few things that linger unexplained. Why this perfection in everything in the Pandora? Pandora.. the name itself seems ironical. The people, if they were meant to be of another world, are more like us. The same two eyes, one nose and one mouth. I forgot the two ears! :P

Why is the stretch of imagination never going beyond that part of it? I’ve been waiting to watch a movie that depicts aliens in a different way, but somehow, they always get to what we have already seen or experienced. Speaking in the physical terms, of course.

Coming back, really, why the perfection? The Navis have perfect bodies, the old, the children everyone! Living in harmony with nature makes you perfect!? Is that what James Cameron wants us to believe? Even in the tribes there are fat people. But nope not here! Now that was one thing that made me wonder, what message this is actually sending out. But there is good, bad and ugly in Pandora. The dog-kind-of hunters that almost hunt Jake Sully, predators, herbivores that are almost equivalent to goats, monkey-like creatures. But there were exceptions. The lizard like creature that flies with its own wings that spread out like a spiral fan, the spiral plants that withdraw into themselves when they are threatened. The luminescent forest itself. It has taken many a creative mind to come up with all these things!!!

There is a never-say-die villain here. He is the right match for our ‘It is not over until it is over’ hero of course. But is it right to call him the Hero? Doesn’t Neytiri actually save him twice? Isn’t she the one who has the real guts to go against her own people for an outsider?

There is a deviation though. The money-guy who never understands any other language other than money, is for a change right on the site of action. He is along with the people who are working for him. Quite odd! Coz usually u find these guys teeing off with a Bluetooth on. Maybe that is the reason, Bluetooth doesn’t work across planets.(I know that was a really bad one.. sorry couldn’t help :P)

The indigenous communication devices, technology that brings images in thin air, (though falls short of providing an automatic wheelchair for Jake Sully) could make you scratch your head. But again you are diverted from these by the magnificence of the world. The hanging mountains is one such. Every frame in the movie is significant, and you’ll know that each creature has a role to play in the end by the time you are 15 minutes into the movie. They surely can’t waste their time sketching and creating such creatures just for a 1 minute scene! And sure enough you get to see all of them in the end doing justice to their part, pulling at your heartstrings right when you could let your mind wander about.

Good against evil. Acceptance vs alienation. Man vs woman. Nature vs humans. Navi’s vs humans. In the end you learn love triumphs. Love for everything around you. Even the smallest dandelion seed (fluffy things in the air, whatever they actually are), even the tiniest blade of grass, loves you. If you love it back, you win! Seems absurd doesn’t it? :) Well, that is the toughest thing James Cameron tries to convey. Very few take it back along with them though. The message could get overshadowed by the expectation for special effects and 3D, cinema like never before experience.