Time to say wOw!

Yeah, the reason is I say wOw! many a times.

Whenever I come across any interesting thing that I had not heard before or whenever I read some interesting news, I say wOw! It could be anything; be it a sports news, or entertainment, or business or technology. Anything and everything around the world not restricted to Bengaluru or India. Whenever I read such information or hear them from someone else, I used to tweet it so that it reaches many of the people I know. But I felt it is not enough.

So, from many days, I have been thinking about a new initiative. And today I got time to do something about it. I thought it is time to say wOw! through my new blog wOw news!  Just another way of learning and sharing new knowledge.

I will be posting some of the interesting pieces of information ranging from all the areas mentioned above. These posts will be on issues that I would not have read before or not even aware of! These little wOws will be posted on my new blog on regular basis so that you all can read it and enjoy with me.

Now, it could be something that you may be aware of. That is still fine. You can still join me and say wOw! J And if you would like to share some of the interesting stuff you come across in your readings, you are welcome to post it here. All you need to do is to send me the content and the source. Most of the information updated here will be from the secondary sources and hence the source identity is must.

This blog will be updated whenever I come across such wOws! It could be every day or once in a week or once in a month. I am afraid if I will be flooding your mail box with updates. But if you think my mails do not bother you much, please let me know so that I can add your id to the mailing list. Else you are free to visit this blog anytime you would like to.

I have updated one entry today on the new blog: http://wowlittles.blogspot.com/2010/02/googles-new-sibling.html

I hope you will enjoy all the updates, participate and say wOw with me.

Srik

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Sibal’s new mantra

I do not know how to take this new mantra.

Today afternoon, I picked up the Deccan Herald and started reading. Sunday spot light said “HRD minister Kapil Sibal’s education reforms must pass the test of ‘Quality’ and ‘Actual learning’”. This tempted me to read more and under this major heading there were four separate columns. I read all the four columns. After reading all the articles, my impression about the HRD minister did not change. I felt the reforms that he is trying to bring in are like empty sweet boxes. His intentions could be right but I think the basic ground work and a deep analysis on the current system is very much necessary to bring in some changes to it. Sibal is now known for making big announcements and seeking attention over it. He has an average of one major announcement every month. His objective may be is to revolutionize the India’s education sector, but my question to him would be, is he going in the right direction?

There were many announcements that created a lot of arguments amongst us in the recent past. Like the following: Making Class X board exam optional, setting up an over arching higher education body, proposal for an education finance corporation to provide easy loan and list goes on. While we are all still in the process of understanding what exactly is in Sibal’s mind, we are not given enough time to do so before we could hear his next major announcement. The major issue I had with accepting some of his new changes were not on his intentions, but on what exactly is the current need in the system? Are we equipped enough to come up with new reforms? Have we looked in to all the basic needs before we make any new changes? And finally it zero downs to Quality. Before we even make some systemic changes, basic problems like quality of education, adequate infrastructure and the like should be taken care. When there is no quality in teaching, how will it matter if a student takes the class X board exam or not? Basically, there is no focus on ‘Actual learning’ of a student.

Now again, the latest hot announcement is that he is coming up with a new proposal of posting business graduates as head masters of rural high schools to run them effectively. Does this mean the head masters of the schools who are currently running the operations are ineffective? And is it as simple a solution to replace them with business graduates? This is where I think Mr. Sibal is taking decisions without analyzing the actual need. A government school in a rural set up; even in a semi-urban set up is flooded with so many problems. Very basic problems like, non-availability of adequate teachers, the quality of teaching, basic infrastructure, managing the students, maintenance, cleanliness, proper allocation of funds, retaining students throughout the year, ratio of students joining the school and many more such problems. Without fixing them, no matter who joins as the head master of the school, will he/she be effective? Or if they hire business graduates, will they be effective?

And, I do agree that we need to take the Indian education system to the global standard. At the same time, in doing so, we need to prioritize the actions and take decisions accordingly. Getting fascinated over the systems followed in other countries, implementing new reforms without thinking about our internal problems, will be a great challenge and will run into serious problems. All we need to do is to fix our internal problems first and then talk about bringing new reforms. After implementing all these reforms, if a student ends up not learning anything; what is it that we achieve? Having so many things to learn from our past failures, without fixing them and thinking of new measures is certainly a focus beyond what is required.

There is one more disappointment to add to. As we know majority of the India is rural, it is disheartening to see that there is no or very less focus on rural technology and agricultural education. This shows that, there is no in depth analysis made on what exactly is required for us. Agricultural education is to be given more weightage in rural areas and encourage people who have left the villages to go back to their villages to continue with agriculture. I do not think how serious this problem could be for us in the future if nothing is done on this aspect!

Now, coming back to the effective management of the school, Instead of bringing new business graduates, I think they should train the existing faculty and the head masters of all the schools. A program needs to be developed to equip them with some of the best management practices that they can adopt in smooth functioning of the school. This is very much doable and I have seen some initiatives of Azim Premji Foundation and Govt of Karnataka doing it jointly. I have seen the result of it by personally visiting some of the schools in northern districts of Karnataka. Teachers and the School management were trained on the ‘Quality Management’ tools. I think it worked out beautifully.

We need such programs in a larger scale. These programs will help in strengthening the existing systems. More private players, NGOs and other talented individuals should be given stake in the whole process. They should start looking at some of the new ways of hiring teachers like hiring retired professionals, involving senior citizens who are knowledgeable, hiring part time teaching volunteers, collaborating with corporate to train on several aspects and many more. Our system should not focus on examinations and certificates; those are secondary. Primary focus should be the quality and the actual learning of the student.

So, I think without fixing the basic issues that we have, coming up with fancy reforms will never help. And eventually Indian education system will not get the expected recognition globally. Sibal needs to look in to all such matters and also more importantly, hear to some of the researchers who are trying to come up with some good suggestions in doing so. People are ready to help. Work with them.

So, I am not too sure of what is there for us in the coming future. Perhaps! One more announcement of ‘5 working days and 2 weekend holidays for all government schools’?

Srik

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Revisiting the beautiful past

I cannot believe myself that I could do what I had dreamt of doing in the past six years. Or should I say? I took the decision finally to walk over it. Whatever it may be, it is still a puzzle to me that I somehow managed to do it this time. Better late than never!

Six years back, during my college days, we used to live in the jungle more than the city. Till date, other than the Sarpass, the trek that has given most satisfaction is the trek we did to Agumbe. It was a five day trek, eight of us started at some place and eventually ended at Agumbe. We did not know our destination. We just walked, walked and walked in that thick evergreen forest for five days. Camped wherever we felt like camping, cooked our own food, slept in the silence, and enjoyed being in the nature. On the 4^th day of our trek, we were walking through the villages Shuntihaklu, Bhuvanaodlu, Nidagudu, and reached a village called Kokkodu. In Malenadu region, typical village will be consisting of hardly 4-5 houses. Since we were very thirsty, we landed up at one such house that looked big enough and asked for water. Usually, Malenad people will not send you by just giving water. They always give enough buttermilk to drink. They looked at the way we were drinking and they got a big steel drum full of buttermilk. Looking at us finishing whatever they got, they seriously thought, we are very tired and they made us rest at their home for some time. By then we had become a bit closer to all of them by sharing our experiences and listening to their culture and stuff. They showed us their arecanut farm and by the time we came back, they had prepared hot upma. Till date, I have never had that kind of upma. It was that tasty. After our hogging time, they asked us to sleep; we said we will get late to reach the next destination as it takes another 1 day to reach Agumbe. We were bowled by their hospitality and care. We wished them well and departed from there. They offered us to visit them regularly for which we had told them, “yes, every year!”

Well, that’s the six years old story. Every year TS and I keep thinking of going to that place again and end up not doing that. But, this time, I decided to visit Kokkodu. I actually was ready doing it alone as I had plans of doing a trip alone. But since Srivathsa was also checking for some trip because of the long weekend, I decided to take him with me. We left on 11^th evening, drove and reached Shimoga by 2 am. We rested at Shivu’s place and left in the morning at 11.30 am on 12^th – the Shivaratri day. Our destination was to reach Kokkodu.

Now, I was not even sure that we will visit the same house and I was not even sure that they would allow us to stay there for 3 days this time. It was only because I was so confident about Malenadu people that I was sure of a good time. Not knowing the challenges that we would encounter, we zoomed our way and reached Thirthalli. Kokkodu is around 25 km from Thirthalli. We had to take the Agumbe road and make a right turn at the village Nalur enroute the Megharvalli. From there Kokkodu is 4 km. We reached the Kokkodu bus stop and entered the village. There were a lot of changes compared to what I had seen six years back. But felt excited once we reached the village.

Now, I had forgotten names of the people of that house. I did not even remember anyone’s face properly. All I knew was to reach the last house of the village with the big Iron Gate. Because I give some tough time to Google every day, I had searched for Kokkodu when I was at office. It had given me a link of wikimapia where I could see a big corner house. The name given to that house was ‘Sreenivas Murthy Bhattara Mane’. I was so happy knowing the name that as soon as we entered the village, we kept asking for Murthy bhat’s house. We landed up at a big gate that looked familiar to me. An elderly person walked out of the gate and we straight away asked for Murthy bhat’s house. We also told him that we had come to his place six years back. That person looked puzzled and he said this is not the house you are looking for and he asked us to reach to the first house at the entrance of the village. I was shocked and confused as I somewhat remembered the gate and the house. But thinking that most of the houses will be similar, we drove back to Murthy bhat’s house.

As we parked our car, looking at the house (without a gate) I was not sure whether that is the house I am looking for. And when I knocked the door, I saw totally new faces. I thought I have forgotten their faces as well. When I explained the old lady about our visit six years back, she looked puzzled. Then I said the young person in that family was working as LIC agent. She said her son is the LIC agent. There was a sense of relief on my face. But still, we all were so confused that nobody could remember things. Her son came out and stood in front of me; he was not the one I was looking for. I told them about the upma, they did not seem to get it. I thought we have landed at the wrong house. Srivathsa looked equally puzzled and I think he started worrying about our stay already. Then I remembered I had taken my laptop which had the old scanned photographs of our earlier visit. I opened it and showed it to them, there was a sudden laughter on their face. They said it’s the Thammannayya’s place (he is also known as Venkataramana Bhat). The same place we had gone in the beginning. I got my senses and breath back. There was a greater sense of relief to me. We had 2 glasses of buttermilk each and left that place.

We parked our car outside the gate and went inside the compound. We saw the elderly person again and he was quite shocked that we would come back. I told him that it is the same house that I visited six years back. He said even he had that doubt in his mind as he had heard his wife and daughter in law telling him about our visit. But he was not there during my earlier visit. That created the confusion. But, finally, I saw his wife and daughter-in-law smiling at me and enquiring about me and my friends. I expressed my regards in a sense of ecstasy. She even said she cannot forget the way we ate upma during our earlier visit. That made Srivathsa relieved that we finally started seeing the good time. In any case, to be more on a safer side, I showed them the photograph and they confirmed all their names. It was Raghavendra, Thammannayya’s son with his twins in the photograph. And we saw bigger version of those two cute twins - Srirama and Sriraksha. As soon as I looked at them I gave all the chocolates that I had taken for them. Raghavendra was not at home and they said he would return from his work in the evening.

Even before we had our lunch, the first thing we were cautioned about is regarding the naxalite problems in and around the village. Thammannayya explained us about the problems and the everyday enquiry from the police man in the village. So any new entry into the village will be enquired and if required they would take the guests to police station for the enquiry. And to get into the forest was out of question. We were strictly asked not to go beyond a certain limit. I wanted to take Srivathsa to the Dodda Gudda (Kappe Kal Gudda) near to the village but because of these naxal problems, we were not allowed to climb that peak. But, anyway my purpose of visit was not to stress ourselves with the heavy treks; but to relax in the forest. So after this entire adventurous introduction, we got to start our good time with a heavy malenad cuisine lunch.

After the delicious lunch, Srirama and Sriraksha took over our visit completely. It was their tour and we had to follow them. To begin with, they took us to their farm and made us see whatever they showed us. I kept asking them questions about plants, flowers and questions related to general knowledge; they seemed to know more than me. So, in a way, it was a learning experience for me. I loved the nose ring of Sriraksha. When I checked her who did it, she said, she herself asked her parents to do it. She looked very adorable with the nose ring. They both are the double refined form of the cuteness on this planet. Heard this expression? Greek Gods of Cuteness - It is both of them. Ahem! I like girls with nose rings!

During our trek six years back, we had also camped on the Dodda Gudda peak. While we were trying to be heroic about the fastest climb to the peak, our excitement did not sustain long after looking at the people who had already reached the peak; before us. And they were not Professional trekkers too. It was Malathi aunty, her daughter Meghana and Subbanna from the same village. We were stunned looking at them at the peak. They were about to climb down and they looked surprised looking at us. They did not believe when we said we are camping on the peak. At least, then, we tried to prove something better! But however, we got to know them very well. All of us remembered her name very well because she gave us something to eat which was very tasty. And this time, I wanted to visit her place too. Twin toys took us to Malathi aunty’s place. We walked for about 2 km and reached her place. She was shell shocked after hearing me out and knowing the fact that I went all the way to meet them. Coincidently, even Subbanna was at her place. She made us Malenadu Kashaya, bajjis and a sweet made of coconut. She also made us visit to a nearby beautiful spot known as ‘Puttayyana Kattu’. It is a check dam built over the river stream. It was a really beautiful place and we had some good time there. Srirama, Sriraksha and Meghana were at their best to entertain us enough. This place looked heavenly with the evening colors and the flowing water over the check dam. The reflection of a dead tree that had fallen in the river was simply out of the world.

After the terrific malenadu treatment at Malathi aunty’s place, it was already dark and we had to leave. She asked us to visit again for the lunch the next day. What else can we say? What is the main purpose of our visit anyway?

We came back to our home stay. Food was ready; kids slept off without eating; without even giving an impression that our stomach is full of nice snacks at Malathi aunty’s place, we hogged the dinner and the Kashaya to dessert with it! Since we were tired, we could not watch the TV with Thammannayya for long and also we did not wait for Raghavendra who was expected to return home in the night. I fell asleep. Like a tiger in a brand new cave.

My eyes opened up to see my nose getting attracted to a very nice aroma of Malenad coffee. Raghavendra greeted us with ‘Good Morning’. I had to give him an update of all that happened to us and all that we did till that moment. He was very happy of me visiting them again. Raghavendra helped us planning our stay effectively. Because we were so good and looked like alien kids from a different planet, twin toys decided not to go to the school and stayed back at home giving some silly and cute reasons. Sriraksha had a pain in her neck and Srirama had head ache. Funniest part was that in their class these two are the only students (yes! 5^th standard class has only 2 cute twin students). So in a way, they decide when to go to school and teachers should come accordingly. Because they were acting sick in front of their parents, they did not come with us until afternoon just to prove that they are really sick. But we had promised to take them to Kundadri peak and Kattina Madike waterfalls.

We were supposed to meet Subbanna at 9 am; he had promised to take us to a small hill behind his house called Huli Gudda. Subbanna was kind enough to take us there. Raghavendra accompanied us to all the places. After the mini trek, we wanted to take bath at ‘Puttayyana Kattu’ so we went back to that place again. Taking dip in the water there was worth the whole visit. And I found some interesting orchids there. I even got a few plants to one of my friends who is a member of Orchid society.

The water was so good that I started swimming and made Srivathsa also to get into the water. It was a very long time since I got in to the deep water. I wondered whether I could swim or not. But I was swimming, swimming like a new born fish in the gorgeous water heaven.

Grand lunch at Malathi aunty’s place followed our swimming session. After the lunch, it was time for us to leave to the waterfalls and reach Kundadri peak for Sunset. Twin toys and Raghavendra’s mother were ready and were waiting near the car by the time we reached our home stay. Without wasting too much time, of course after having malenadu Kashaya, we climbed on to the motor. Motor will not go all the way to the waterfalls; we had to walk about 3 kms to reach the waterfalls. It was a splendid place. There were about 6-7 levels of waterfalls ranging from 3 ft to 15 ft height in a huge space of about 50 ft wide. We had good fun there; Raghavendra, his twin toys and his mother enjoyed playing with the colorful plants which they called as ‘petle kayi gida’ (I am yet to dig out the English version of its name). We did not have too much time so we started from there and started driving towards Kundadri peak. It was about 18 km drive from Kokkodu. We packed hot bajjis on the way and reached the peak at 6 pm. We reached there on time for the sunset. We had some time to experiment our photography on kids and it was followed by the splendid sunset. We saw the sun, setting far away from all of us like a light taking a dip in the ocean.

After the sunset, we visited the temple and left from there before we started shivering out of cold. We had to visit the temple at the Huruli village 2 km from Kokkodu. Raghavendra’s father was the chair person of the temple trust and he had made some significant developments to the temple. It was a good visit and worth watching the huge temple that looked brand new.

It was almost time to end the day. As we reached our home stay, we had the delicious dinner followed by Kashaya and followed by a snoring sleep without mosquito bites. The plan for the next day was to take the kids to the ‘Vanachetana’ campus near Thirthalli.

It was the last day of our visit. We packed our bags and loaded them inside the car. Twin toys were ready and they were looking gorgeous. Raghavendra made a smart decision to take his bike and park it in the Nalur village. This was just to avoid us coming all the way to drop them back home. We had no problem to drop them back but still he insisted that he would take the bike. We took a group picture with all the family members and I conveyed my wishes and told them how happy I felt to visit them again. They were equally happy about my visit and they asked me to visit them every 3 months.

Twins, I and Srivathsa zoomed our way following Raghavendra’s bike till Nalur and his directions from Nalur to our next destination. We stopped by a place called Chipligudde. There is a Ganesha temple in this place and this place also has a river next to the temple. Fishes in the river are similar to Shringeri temple. Very huge in size and would jump to the rice being thrown by the people who visit the place. Kids enjoyed playing with fishes and I enjoyed looking at their play.

After the play, we reached a place in a village called Heddur. This place is known for a campus called ‘Vanachetana’. It is a well thought out and creatively designed campus to promote nature conservation. Something like making waste into use; In Kannada ‘Kasadinda rasa’. The whole campus is amidst the beautiful forest with a lot of bamboo trees. And the best part is everything is constructed or created using the waste materials. The founder Mr. Nagesh has a very good taste of using the waste and putting it to use effectively. It is about 1 acre campus and a very good model for visitors to follow. The only problem is the maintenance as the founder is the only person looking after the campus and there are not many supporting him. Before it gets spoilt or discontinued, it is worth a visit to the place. Twin toys enjoyed their time at the kids play area and we enjoyed their play.

Well, it was time for us to return to our actual home stays. We drove back to Thirthalli, took them to a good hotel, made them eat whatever they liked to eat and dropped them off to the bus stand. Wished the twin toys well and asked them to study well. They are so bright now, and I wish they get good education in the future wherever they go. I was a bit emotional while dropping them off. It was a good time spent with them and the three days went un-noticed being in a heaven on earth. And I was an alien in a new planet.

That was my three day exciting adventure and my version of ‘Malgudi Days’ in the beautiful and mighty malenadu!

A visit to the village Kokkodu, in malenadu, in the deep forest, in a village house, authentic malenadu cuisine, twin toys to play, divine people, experiencing silence, without mobile networks, without connectivity to chaos, breathing fresh air, seeing new grass, a new flower and a new life! How does it feel? I could not ask for more.

I revisited my past in such a beautiful way.

Srik

For more pics, visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/srikanthap/sets/72157623315801549/

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ಮುದ್ದಿನ ಮೂಗುತಿ

ಮುದ್ದಿನ ಮೂಗಿನ

ಮೂಗುತಿಯ ನೋಡಿ

ಕೆನ್ನೆಯ ಗುಳಿಯ

ನಗುವನು ನೋಡಿ

ಹೊಳೆಯುವ ಕಣ್ಣಿನ

ಸಿಹಿನೋಟವ ನೋಡಿ

ಮೈಮರೆತೆ ನಾ ನಿನ್ನಾಟವ ನೋಡಿ...

ತುಂಟ ತುಟಿಯ

ಮಾತನು ಕೇಳಿ

ಮುಗ್ಧ ಮನಸ್ಸಿನ

ಆಸೆಯ ಕೇಳಿ

ಕಣ್ಣಿನ ರೆಪ್ಪೆಯ

ಕನಸನು ಕೇಳಿ

ಬಾಲ್ಯದ ನೆನಪಾಯಿತು ನನಗೆ ಕೇಳಿ ಕೇಳಿ...

ನೀ ಆಡಿದ ಮಾತುಗಳು

ನೀ ಮಾಡಿದ ಚೇಷ್ಟೆಗಳು

ನೀ ಆಟವಾಡಿದ ದೃಶ್ಯಗಳು

ಅಣ್ಣನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಕಿತ್ತಾಡಿದ ಕ್ಷಣಗಳು

ತಾತನಿಗೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟ ಕಾಟ

ಅಪ್ಪ-ಅಮ್ಮನಿಂದ ತಪ್ಪಿಸಿಕೊಂಡ ಒಡೆತಗಳು

ಕರೆದಿದೆ ನನ್ನನು ನನ್ನ ಬಾಲ್ಯದ ಕನಸುಗಳು...

ನಿನಗೆ ಕೂಪ ಬಂದಾಗ

ಮುಗುಳುನಗೆ ಮೂಡಿದಾಗ

ಕಣ್ಮುಚ್ಚಿ ನಿದ್ದೆ ಮಾಡಿದಾಗ

ಬಾಯಿತೆಗೆದು ಆಕಳಿಸಿದಾಗ

ಸಪ್ಪೆ ಮುಖವ ತೋರಿದಾಗ

ಬೇಡ ಹೋಗ್! ಎಂದು ಮೂತಿ ತಿರುವಿದಾಗ

ನನಗೆ ಕಂಡಿದ್ದು ನಿನ್ನ ಆ ಮೂಗುತಿ....

ನಿನ್ನ ಭಾವನೆಗಳಿಗೆ, ನಿನ್ನ ಕನಸುಗಳಿಗೆ

ನಿನ್ನ ಚೆಲುವಿಗೆ ಅರ್ಥ ಕೊಡುವ ಆ ಸುಂದರ ಮೂಗುತಿ!

ಶ್ರೀ

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I see you

I see you when I go crazy

and when I see the wild

of a totally new experience

new science between you and me

that we observe and bond

to feel the world so heavy

with the intention of the life…

I do not belong anywhere

anywhere in this new world

of dreams and a new evolution

but there is hope for me

to share that is something mine

to mark my existence around you

you lead my way and speak my word…

I listen and I follow you always

not because I need it

but because we need it

something to experience together

and I already see the poison

In making me yours, but

I have the power to make you mine…

Weird place to live

far away from the life

in between new life but yet dead

to feel and to love

to lead the way

and to understand richness

of that new evolution and dream…

You taught me fly

and I spoke your feelings

unimaginable to think and

still tough to get to the meaning

but I got my life

of how to sing and dance

and to drink nature and feel as yours…

You taught me love

and I made love to you

you still loved me

not just love;

but you gave yourself

for a me, who is here

from a totally different world…

World of the blue mountains

and filled with green life, flourishing;

one human touch for a feel

of everything into the heart

that makes it so special

even to feel and to touch

that evolves by itself…

I come off the dream

back to my own world

caused by the destruction

of what I call madness

taken over by the greed

and inhumane instinct

to destroy, not to create…

I tend not to give up

my dream and the new life

of the love I made and

the love I get

the richness I feel

and the luxury of bondage

happens... only when I see you!

Srik

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Not to worry! Sir, this is just the beginning

Feb 04, 2010 is one of the special days for Bengaluru. BMTC along with the members of the Citizen's community, came up with a brilliant initiative of 'Bus Day'. A day to promote and take the public transport benefits to every person in Bengaluru. 'Bus Day' will be organized on 4th day of every month going forth.

Please visit my first article Published on Citizen Matters on my experience about the 'Bus Day': http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/view/1724-bus-day-bangalore

Feel free to give feedback on the same.

Thanks!

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Out of the world!

Have you heard this expression – ‘Out of the world’? I had not, until some days back. And now I do express that myself. Out of the world! Wow!

When you are running against the time, and you are pressed to do certain things that take your breath for a few days, all you do is to run towards some breathing space. So did I. I listen at times to what my heart says than the mind. Mind just plays, but heart feels everything! It is that feel, is what I wanted and I listened to it just for that. And to get into that feel is an amazing experience. Experiencing that is again a feeling by itself.

What I saw to begin with, was not clear. It was not clear, not because of my sleepy eyes, but because of the view was not clear. It looked like a bright orange ball covered by dust; black and grey patches of trees and mud-spattered field. Whatever it was, it was beautiful. Taking the view inside my eyes, I went back to the dream. Perhaps! It was like I was actually dreaming.

It looked like I was on some divine motor that took me from one world to the other. And it stopped. It stopped because, I reached the destination. And the destination was the starting point of my journey. Can you believe it? I know one cannot. But believe me. I got down from the motor. As I got down, I heard a loud noise. It was like someone trying to hurt a big tree by cutting its branch. And I was right. I saw that ‘someone’ drilling the tree; with the red crown and wearing a golden jacket. And not just one tree, I saw the same play over three or four trees. May be I did not count it right. But I am certain I am not completely wrong. Do you think it feels good, when you encounter such things in front of you? I know what your answer is. But let me tell you, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed watching it. My eyes rolled over all the trees and the way trees were getting drilled. I loved the sound. And I loved every tune that came out of the tree. Well, I had to move on. I could not be stationed at the same place as it was still a start of my journey.

Crossing every milestone, embracing with the frozen air and staring at the every sight that came in front of my eyes, I was moving on. I moved on like a flowing river. No one could stop me cold. I was free. Free to an extent that I did not know where to stop. But I was stopped abruptly. Abruptly, I stopped at ecstatically delightful view of the colorful screen. For the first time again, I saw it. It looked like I am watching a video, with the dramatic colors. I thought, they came and sat in front of me. Dramatic colors of green, yellow and red painted faces. They sat on every branch of a tree. I did not see any leaves in that tree; but the tree looked complete with the folks painted in dramatic colors. I guess there were at least eight of them; one on each branch. I had never seen such a beautiful sight in my recent past. Atleast I remember it, if I did. But with in no time, the tree was empty again. Like a river without water. And that water without the flow.

Oh come on! Called me life; and I moved on. But the feeling never ended. If not the painting, I could see the whole world around me. I stood like an alien in a new world. I do not know how an alien looks, because I could not see or hear or control myself out there. I forgot all about me being there. It was like life called me there and I went there to know the meaning of why I was called for. I rotated myself in circles; all I could see was a new world. I feared to understand the depth and the distance. But I could experience the feel and feel the experience of being in a new world. I was stationed at my sub-conscious address for a while. Somebody who was wise enough knocked at my door and pulled me out of that state. Else, I would be in the nature by now! Enjoying! Happy!

Enough is enough, but the world is not enough to call it quit. Where the road ends, a new way begins. Likewise, I was at the end of the road; unwillingly. Yes, unwillingly! Never-the-less, all I wanted was to see it disappearing from my view. I waited for it. But it was on its own. Perhaps! This was the last thing I wanted, to end my day in a delight. I waited. I saw many cattle egrets flying in front of my eyes in a pattern. I thought, they are running away from me. But I was wrong. They were running faster to make sure that they do not lose the light. Like me. They will not lose! I told them the same light comes again. This is life. And this is the nature at its best. The process! May be they listened to me. By then, to my fulfillment, I saw the light going down. Serene! Leaving me in the dark for a while! But promising me comeback!

Time, just went unnoticed. I was surprised to see I reached the end of my journey started from the destination I had reached earlier. And you do not believe if I say, I experienced all these during my visit to the beautiful Tadiyandamol. Sunrise in the form of the ‘orange ball covered with dust’; trees getting drilled, rather pecked by the ‘golden-backed woodpecker’; dramatic colors painted on the tree by the eight ‘chestnut-headed bee eaters’; when I, like an alien, saw the world standing ‘on top of the peak’ understanding the depth and distance; and finally when I waited to see the ‘sun getting set for the day’; I said to myself, all these were just OUT OF THE WORLD!

Srik

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