Splendid Wayanad

pookot lake

The Journey

So, I decided to go in spite of chandrastama. On Friday, we had a deadline. At 4, the basis guy came and I had to finish the task before 6. But at first shot it looked like it would take 1 whole day. Man, I was downcast, I went to MC and told him, it will take some time and I have to leave tonight and pack. He said, ask NJ and P to share it. But we had to configure something, that only basis guy could do and I spent 40 min in agony. At last, at 5, I told him out 63 tasks only 4 was done and we had an emergency meeting and we decided, we will complete all 63, but part of it. Like mads, we finished the task before 6:20 and I boarded my 6:30 bus with great relief. Once I reached home, Kite Runner, caught my fancy. Instead of packing, I was reading KR popping in fried moong dal in parallel, which was my dinner in the absence of gas and microwave. There was no banana and I could not eat the mango that I had planned. R had said, that, he would pick me up at 10:15 and the innova would start at 11 pm from RMZ. But he had been having chandrastama the previous day and he had lost sleep over work and when he came to pick me up, it was 11 pm. Man, by 11, I would be fast asleep usually. I was still engrossed in KR, when, he came and we went to RMZ to join the rest of the gang.

Pallu Tiw was fabulous. A kid like gal, with so much of bubbliness and I felt an instant bonding with her. She was apparently the TL and guys spared no moment to joke for that. I could immediately connect to AP and BB as well. It took me 2 days to associate the remaining 3 guys with their names. I was kinda let down to see a qualis instead of the promised innova. I had also told, that I would sleeping in the front, where I could stretch my legs, but everyone said, one should not sleep next to the driver. So I sat in the middle with PT on my right and R on my right. BB sat in the front, next to the driver V and the remaining 3 guys ensconced themselves behind.

The whole night, it was full masti. BB had a good voice and knew lots of songs and akash was fabulous in remixing. We played antakshari and sang custom made songs to regular tunes. I was part of the chorus, pitching in a line or two, whenever I could remember the song lines. We stopped at a roadside tea shop towards midnight. We got the driver tea and the guys were smoking. I kept myself away from the smoke near the qualis itself. After the tea break, I was flabbergasted to find, that qualis was not starting. We had to get down and give it a push, once from the front and once from behind. Pallu got down and she gave a push from the front and lo it started. But the way, the rest of the folks took this was amusing. They made a jolly good joke of anything and everything and we had a gala time. Around 1:30 – 2, we reached CCD in mysore road. When was the last time, I had something at 2 am I don’t remember. 3 of us had strawberry milkshake and the rest had cold coffees. It was too good. I was surprised; CCD was so busy on early sat morning at 2 am. God, what people! So why do days and nights exist then?

Kerala Border Permit Verification

After CCD, we again had to push it to start it. We reached kerala border around 5 am. We waited patiently for the driver V to show his papers and get across the checkpost. But it took hours. The guys, thank god, got out and I could stretch and bit and lie down in the second row seat. It was all misty and we savoured the view as sunlight slowly trickled in and gave a better view with every passing minute. it felt great to be part of nature and cherish this intimacy with birds and those insects and making screeching and what not sounds. But when the sun unraveled the misty field before us, we were kinda put off to find, that the field with those awesome huts and coconut trees backdrop was actually a shitting field for the local folks. For a long time, the check post people were checking the papers and we were trying to nap, while V stood in the q to get the permit validated. After that, the guys came back to tell that there was a river nearby. I dragged PT and R to see the river. We walked past those peaceful tall bamboo shoots towering above us. It turned out to be a charming muddy rivulet. We saw a wooden bridge and wanted to take snaps and found that there were no steps connecting the makeshift bridge with the land. It was just tied to the rope and lay floating in mid air. We returned back to qualis and napped again, while we waited for the driver to return back. Man it took almost 2 hours, for the driver to return with the papers verified. There was a long queue in front of us, and even longer one behind. I was surprised to see swamis in black and blue dhotis smoking near their vehicles. In fact one set of guys took bat and ball and played cricket on the road, while waiting.


Our Resort

AP had arranged stay in Palm View Resort in kalpetta. For a sat night and 2 days, it was 3.6k for a 3 bedroom apartment. It was ok, nothing special about this, just like all other resorts and guest houses. But we had to call up reception in the evening to get the housekeeper clean our room, and there were no tissues in the restroom. There were jack fruit trees along the road side, which one can find only in kerala or places like kollimalai back home. It was close to 9-10 when we reached the resort and by the time, we got ready, it was little more than 11 am. Our plan was to visit Kuruva dweep and edukkal caves before 5 pm. We went to hotel woodlands to have our lunch. Thank god, pallu was veggie. The guys ordered beef, chicken and almost every creature on earth, flying, swimming and walking. Pallu got rotis and mutter sabji. Akash and I had what woodlands offered as typical brown boiled rice kerala meals. Again, coconutty as expected. It took 1 hour for the ordered food to come and we ate the first meal of the day in little more than 30 minutes.

Kuruva Islands

We boarded, the qualis with full gusto to see kuruva island. AP’s mother tongue was Malayalam and he was the navigator for us. Almost everyone we asked, said that it was 15 kms away at various places, so much so that, we all started shouting 15 km, padinainju padinainju and Kuruva Kuruva all the way, till we saw the first board that said, kuruva dweep. BB was literally the soul of the party, shouting and entertaining us, with his humorous remarks. That katcha road was supposed to lead us to the island. We had been traveling for almost an hour, with no sign of greenery, leave alone an island and water. It was a dusty non existent road and we had switched off ac to reduce the load on the poor engine. We really got skeptical about the existence of the island. We shouted Kuruva KURUVA with more gusto, with every passing vehicle in that lonely road. We started discussing, if it was haunted place occupied by ghosts. Thick creepers had climbed up tall bamboo shoots and trees with parched crumbling barks, killing its very supporter and in the process, getting dried and shriveled to death. After what seemed like eternity, we reached the island board, were we saw host of other vans and sumos and tempos. Lots of people were there. Again, no sign of water anywhere. There was a valley surrounded by green mountains. Awesome view indeed, but where is the island, we pondered. We paid the charges and started walking. At last, we reached the murky muddy green river kabini. All we saw was 2 bamboo rafts, and no oars, one rope across the river. People were moving the raft using the rope. We stepped on the raft and reached other side. Our guide walked in front of us. He did not speak a word. We happily clicked and walked behind him, wondering, why on earth he was ever there. No, thanks, we can do the walking around the jungle by the river ourselves.

After crossing 2 rivulets, we realized, the importance of the guide. Man it so easy to get lost and current was so strong, that I when I tried to keep my feet in the water, it moved along with water. I slipped on the moss grown stones once and kinda hurt my surya and shani toes in my left leg. I was so glad, when Akash followed suit. Man had company immediately. I had apparently pulled R along with me, when I slipped down, R told me later…well reflex action. I could not help remembering MA’s 18 yr old cousin, who had been pulled down into the waterfalls near ooty by his friend who had slipped down. Both met their watery graves, few days after they had got appointed in an IT company. Well, but here the water was shallow, just that the current was strong as water rushed through the stones and rocks that were the makers for the guides. We found a unoccupied place, and each of us, sat on a rock, luxuriating with our feet dangling in the strong current and splashing water on each other. The guys again took on to sutta maarna sitting on the rocks. Wondering, how many cigs per day?

AP had also slipped somewhere and we were shocked when we found, that he felt giddy and his left hand had swollen. BB got a straight flat stick and he bound the stick to AP’s hand with 2 hand kerchiefs.

After what seemed like going on for ever, we got moving again. The guide took us to climbing up a hillock. Initially it seemed like a small slope, however, after we had climbed up for quite some time and looked back, the view was awesome, with river flowing by, with uprooted trees here and there, a rock or two jutting out beautifully in odd clusters, with lush greenery around, with those assorted bright flowers as if it was thrown around by a careless hand. Man, kurvua island was ultimate.

After reaching the valleys again, we passed by the lush green paddy fields. That alley reminded me of the scene in harry potter as harry shouts expecto patronum and stag appears at the other side of the small lake, except that it was a delightful afternoon with lush greenery all around. And what had appeared as a deer from a distance turned out to be an equally charming brown calf. We strolled along with due rapture savouring nature’s sumptuous feast. After what seemed like eternity, we found that we had reached the place where we had started. We had sweet and salt lemon soda for 7 a glass. Around 5, we bid adieu to kuruva dweep to get past the katcha road before sunset.

We reached the resort around 7 pm. AP was escorted to hospital to mend his hand, that thank god turned out to be nothing serious and just requiring a grip bandage. I found that I could not watch even a single common channel with R for more 5 minutes and so we decided to go for a stroll. There were no street lights on the road. However, there were fire flies zooming in and out as in a rhythmic dance in response to all those thousand sounds of creatures screeching in darkness. Around 9, the hospital goers and sleep mongers all assembled and we had a buffet dinner – mine was 2 chappatis, dal curry, vegetable kadai, rice, gulab jamun. We were planning to have a camp fire. But camp fire at 10 pm? God, why are not these guys, ever going to sleep in night. I am used to hitting bed at 10 pm and wake up early to do my morning pranayam. And these guys are used to sleep only after 4 am. Somehow, they agreed on cancelling the campfire, and decided to go for sleep. How would some one dance after a heavy dinner, even otherwise?

PT and BB went to the wooden porch swing. And I was glad to find a rope bed tied to two palm trees. I got on to that and R was obliged to swing me in it for a while, I lay down contented, gazing at the ashtami Chandra hiding behind the palm leaves.

It was close to 12 when I hit the bed. PT had not yet come in. I just slept at the corner and dozed off. Suddenly I was jolted awake. PT slept like a baby, snoring, putting her legs at all angles. I tried to doze after that and still after 3, I found, I could not sleep. So I took kite runner and a pillow and stretched my legs on the tea poy and started to read in the hall. After sometime, a better idea struck me. I went to the ground floor reception, where a bamboo swing was placed. I settled nicely on the bamboo swing chair, and gently rocked in it and read KR as I watched the morning sun, transform the misty sight seen through the glass doors. Fog stayed till around 9 am. I read only 50 pages in those 3 hours. As I read about Hassan getting raped, hitting his forehead with pomegranate and later accepting the charges of stealing, i could not help, controlling my tears. I knew it was bad to cry early morning, but could not help it, once it started, without reason, tears continued to roll down, without further stimulus. At 6:47, after having gazed at the refreshing grass lawn, in the front bordered with lovely small flowers, I decided, to get ready. We had been planning to push off at 7 am, so that we could actually start at 8 am.

Day 2 - Pookot Lake

PT was also enthralled by the misty morning and she grabbed AK for a walk. I bathed and got ready and found, folks were still sleeping. I went up the terrace to do pranayam and found, only then guys were having their morning tea that had turned ice cold. There was no slab or chair to sit up and the terrace walks were high for me to settle my feet on the ground. Luckily there was gap in the terrace walks (but why was it there?) where I could sit and put my legs dangling down and see the valley and the road winding down in the misty backdrop. But after a while, it was some kind of smell, probably there was a toilet beneath or some thing of that kind. So I got up and I told RD the story of KR, which I had read so far enjoying the view from the terrace.

At last, we successfully, managed to start around 9:30 am. We went to a spa kind of restaurant Haritagiri. Man food there was divine. We had appam and veg stew. Idlis with proper sambar, coconut chutney served out of clay kadais. Boiled eggs. Bread butter jam. Pine apple slices, Coffee, tea. I had 3 appams and 1 idli. AK surprised as all by having so much, as if he was having breakfast, lunch and dinner all together.

Our first spot for the day was Pookot lake. By then, sun had started to bake us all with its full fury and intensity. Could not believe God’s own country could be so scorching hot. Our skin was burning. We reached the lake and opted for boating. Nothing, so arresting or different, except for the lilies scattered around the periphery of the lake where the mountains sloped down. We got into the open boat, and it was fun seeing bubbly PT, pose in her full enthu. Even though I wore RD’s cap, it was pretty scorching. Guys took a separated lily stalk and posed as if it was their garland or shiva’s snake around the neck. We had hired an oarsman. RD said, that required too much strength. I realized, haan, a simple stroke for 10 minutes in the swimming pool would hurt your upper arms like anything if you are doing it after a loooong break.

After pookot lake, we went back to resort and vacated. Since the majority had eaten a heavy breakfast, the minority had to starve for lunch. The guys were eating lays and other items which I hardly touch unless, I am starving to death. After vacating, we went straight to Muthunga sanctuary. We took our qualis, we had come in for safari. It was most fabulous part, in a way. All we could see was the rear of couple of elephants on the way, no other animal, not even a deer. In fact, AK, RD, PT, SA, almost every one dozed off in the qualis. We were searching for animals, so much so much so that, BB created an uproar, when we could spot a dog after hours of dust picking. We started shooting the dog with digicam with great gusto and it was laughter all the while, on finding at least one four legged animal in the safari. The guide in fact, scared us all by stating that forest fires, start just like that in april. It was 4 pm, when we reached kerala border, welcome to Karnataka board.

I had been insisting on going to Thirunelli. But it ended that, it was not on the way back to blore. Some where on the Karnataka highway around 4:30, the right rear wheel got flattened, however the driver stopped safely in the corner. Later when I called dad and told him that I had reached mysore, dad was telling, how a family of 6 was spot dead, because the tyres burst near subramaniapuram. In our case, it just got flattened, thanks to qualis safari.

While the driver changed the tyres, BB and AP took on to video graph, how to replace a tyre for youtube. Our tummies were hurting because of laughter, listening to the way BB was commenting on how, it has got flattened, where we were parked, and how the driver was replacing the tyre. They took on to video graphing the track, the vehicle had taken before, it had stopped with a dop dop dop sound.

Serene Gopalakrishna Bhetta

While, the driver changed the wheels, we (RD, PT and I) walked across, the dry newly ploughed field, to rest under the shady tree. Once, we resumed, we saw small cabbage fields everywhere. It was a fabulous view. In response to thirunelli, AP had been suggested gopalakrishna bhetta by the guide. I was against going there, since, it was not thirunelli shiva temple, my excuse being, that we had become unclean since morning, and that, we were going there for sightseeing, rather than seeking spiritual solace.

Nevertheless, the gang decided to go there, since, we had nothing else to do, as the mechanic mended the punctured tyre at the road leading to bhetta. After driving along the fabulous peaceful road, leading to the bhetta, we were flabbergasted to find that the temple visiting time was only till 5 pm. It was already 5:30 pm. I again, said, lo come on, we will turn back. However, the driver gave 10 extra to the gatekeeper and we were allowed inside.

Now I am glad, we went there. Like nandi hills. In fact even better. So peaceful, so serene, so fabulous, breathtaking, awe inspiring. I was dumbstruck with effusive greenery and oneness one could experience with nature, the whole area exuded peace and invoked such unspoken feelings that I just got intoxicated and indulged in silence. We reached the temple and had darshan. We sat for a while every side of the temple to savour the view. And we went further down, sat on couple of rocks and watched sunset. BB, PT gave such wonderful poses as if to swallow or hold the golden orange sun in their hands. It was so pleasant.

Around 6:30, we started downhill. The mechanic had closed the shop and the moment, we reached, he came to us to give us the tyre. We had coffee, tea in the road side shop and packed off to blore. BB and Akash were at top gear again. It was all hindi songs, with remixing by Akash, and on the spot customizations by BB. We reached mysore around 8:30 pm. We had dinner in hotel monarch. It took one hour for them to deliver the order. I settled for one butter naan, saag paneer and 2 spoonfuls of ghee rice with dal curry. As usual SA was the last to eat and I waited till he finished licking even the lemon slices.

We packed off from mysore, little after 10 pm. Folks wanted to watch Jab we met and hence I could not sleep. Folks ensconced in the back seat managed to take a nap though. I was like a drunkard due to lack of sleep for 3 continuous nights. We reached RMZ building after 1 pm and took another snap near the gate and bid adieu.

Vande Meenakshi Tvam

Just gobbled my lunch without any appetite. I didn’t want to sit and discuss stories with pregnant women post lunch as usual. Our tamizh gang here is surprisingly full of pregnant women, who discuss all stories on sickness, that tips, this tips. Usual cooking recipes, shopping. How much their husbands help or do not help with chores and similar stories. This afternoon, I said, no, I have work and came off.

Just came to sit in my seat and suddenly, NJ started humming Dil samandar song. As usual, everyone near by caught the song. And now in my mind, it got switched to Vande Meenakshi tvam. Some how, of all songs taught in school by our music teacher Muthulakshmi madam, this song stayed with me, even after almost 17 years. When we were kids, sugi and I would go to rose aunty’s house for golu and sing this song along with other simple small songs and eat sundal and sweets. This song has a nice soothing lilt that lingers for a while. It is still ringing in my ears – the whole class singing this song in unison. Only now I did a google and searched for the meaning in http://guruguha.wikispaces.com/vandeminakshi. Cute little song and a lingering tune that our madam had given it.

We came to this quarters when I was in 4th standard. Now we are the only ones to still stay in this block after almost 20 years. Amongst all the fleeting things in this temporal world, this is one place, which I can say is relatively permanent. We were in D and rose aunty was in F. She used to have rose flower pots. Her daughter gayathri was very charming and her son was literally non existent. Of all those years, I had interacted with him only twice. One night I was musing on life up in the terrace in complete darkness, sprawled over bare cement tiles beneath the mango tree looking up at the sky and the twittering stars and he startled me with what on earth are you doing here alone. Second time, in college, I had to rush back home due an irritable bowel and he gave me lift from oft roundana till home; that is hardly 5 minutes walk. Now, when I went home for ugadi holidays, mom said, he had met with an accident and could not even do the kriya karm for his dead father. His dead father is the reason, that my mom says, why the neem tree behind the block had half wilted to death. Gayathri had married a guy and got separated, married someone else. God knows what story. I don't remember.

Those days, I used to pluck roses and keep it on my hair. After plucking, I would go to rose aunty and ask for one more rose. Now, I would rather parch to death but not ask for water from strangers. But those days, down floor neighbour was for teaching hindi, opposite block down floor thaatha was for teaching me English grammar. Opposite house Usha was for TV. Now, I would rather prefer to see roses on their stems than plucking them, but those days, I was notorious and used to pluck flowers just to annoy my neighbours. At last, rose aunty did one clever thing. She told me, that she has put egg manthram for rose flowers. If anyone stole roses, then the egg will roll and come at night and break on their tummy. It is so insane, but man, I believed that story and kept away from her roses ever since that.

Then Sudha’s family came opposite door and they kept roses as well. I used to pluck that as well. They took on to keeping the rose pots on the TV antenna platform. I used to climb up the TV antenna tower and still pluck the buds to annoy them. It was 8th standard, when I started to respect flowers and treat them as god’s special creations. I started watering them and after that sudha aunty told that I was not supposed to water them, when I had chums. So I left watering it. Every morning, I would go to the pot and eagerly look for the rose. I used to go early morning, so that I could watch it blossom with early morning sunlight. Man, flowers are such delight, the only solace, in this stinking polluted world.

Why this obsession?

Yesterday evening, I was in a hurry to go to the restroom, finish my cup of milk and still board the bus at 6:30 pm. My plan was to put henna for my hair at night for the weekend trip; clean up the attic and hit bed at 10 pm. somehow I managed to board the bus near the speed breaker. And only near bake point, I realized my mobile was not in my shoulder bag. I alighted immediately, after having handed out 20 for team bus snacks which was gone for good. I walked back frantically, without bothering about who was coming in the front or side. Luckily near Citi bank ATM, I hurriedly told a Piscean that I had lost my mobile. She asked, if it was the nokia one and showed a similar model in another gal’s hands. I said, yes, and she told me, that it was with the reception guys. Man, only then, I could slow down my pace. For IJ’s msg and contact no. was in the mobile. First thing, I have to do is maintain an xls of all mobile contacts and mail it to my gmail id. This is the third time, this mobile has come back to me. The first time, we almost lost it was in 2006, when sugi and I were returning in share auto late at night. We alighted at palavakkam and realized, the mobile was left in the auto itself. The auto wallah, returned the mobile after 20 minutes. We had argued with him and had not given him extra that he demanded and so he was full of disparaging laughter, seeing how desperate we were to get back the mobile. The second time, was when the guys in bike tried to snatch it from my hands and managed to grab part of the headset.

I went to the reception and the security made a call spoke for few minutes and declared, there was no mobile anywhere. Luckily, 2 house keeping guys came and told, that it is at the basement. And it was there. I signed a register and got it back. I called up dad and everyone and told them the story.

On Tuesday morning, my naidhana schoolmate had called up and told that he needed one gal to give company for his colleague Pallavi for Wynad trip. Apparently there was no other gal of the right age group in his office it seems. How can that be? Well whatever. Tuesday morning I decided, NO, for it was 3.5K for 2 nights in innova. That too when I am in notice period. Tuesday evening, I decided YES, for when am I going to freak out with friends? I told so, and it was all confirmed. Wednesday morning, I decided NO, for it was chandrastama for me over the weekend. Wednesday afternoon, I was forced to again say YES, since it was all confirmed. Man, now I should see, what on earth is going to happen this weekend.

Mom readily said, go, as always. In fact of late, I am seeing, that my parents don’t say no to anything, I say. They let me have my way for most of the things. My bro and sister said, it is your wish, as if it didn’t bother them. In fact for a school trip, my physics sir had to speak to my dad for 45 minutes to convince him to let me go for a 2 day trip to kerala. Now, he just said, if you can manage without bothering yourself too much then go. But I could sense the resentment in his voice. He sounded dull and went back to same old story of not having got us dumped to some guy.

I have this habit of seeing whether any dress is lucky for or not. Any small incident or accident, I give that dress to someone else. That august morning, I didn’t let the sisters cut my jean with scissors, I managed to extricate myself without tearing the jean. But somehow, I could not get myself wear the same jean again. So I have to now buy jean for this weekend trip. Or else carry 3 sets of clothes for 2 days. But I saw, it was not good for buying jean either yesterday or this day and I don’t want to wear formal pants for a weekend trekking trip.

Now I have to put henna this evening, but I can not since, it is Thursday and I don’t want to wash my hair. I have to buy jean, which again, I cannot since, it is not a good day.

This morning, I saw astrogyan and was miffed with the daily predictions. Why am I like this? Believing all nonsense that astrology spews? Why can I not speak to some one for more than 1 hour without breaking my head over their birthday and nakshathra. Why can I not sit near a gal and not turn her hands to read, even though I have only half baked knowledge in all these fields. Why does my eye wander to the speaker’s hands in any meeting? Why am I even giving a thought to some one’s lakshanams and index finger? God, why am I bothered about horas and all this stupidity. How insane but how long?

Home sweet home

On Friday, I was on cloud 9. I was going home after almost 4 months. I had missed the train in 5 minutes last time and I didn’t want to let that happen again. We had a meeting in the morning, where they virtually tore us apart. Why do people have such wonderful expectations and then I need to slog to meet their ridiculous expectations. I was smiling, through out. Nothing on earth could spoil my home going mood. Post lunch, I waited for 4:45 and slipped away. Preeti was there to give me company. I was planning to skip dinner and she was planning to buy bun in bake point. VS gave us lift just near the bakepoint, and I didn’t want Preeti to starve because of me. Her PG was in Domlur and VS took the trouble of dropping us near New Shanthi Sagar. I got 2 set idlis parceled while, she packed and came. We took an auto, the auto guy took a round about route to reach cantonment. We reached 1:30 hours in advance and with 30 bucks extra rate. Kachiguda had not yet arrived, the whole platform was full of goltis. Preeti having spent 4 yrs in Warangal, spoke fluent telgu as well and she translated some amusing things as ppl passed by. One guy was lamenting, that his gal needed 3 dresses for 1 day. Around 6:15, Madhu came and we still could not find any place to sit. We deposited the bags with him and the family he was speaking to and walked from one end to another end of the platform. Walking is any day better than standing still at one place.

At 7:25, the train came and only after I went to my coach, I remembered that P had the bed sheet. I went once to collect the sheet and once again to eat the dinner with her. When I returned to my UB, I found that the TT had already finished checking and had arranged for RAC guys to occupy my berth. Towards 11 TC woke me up and demanded my identity proof. He was asking, where I had been, after RAC seats had been allotted.

I had worn my jerkins and pulled the cover over myself. Around 12:53, I woke up to find that the guy in the neighbouring UB had switched off the fans and he was reading pdf in his notebook. Man, I felt stuffy and bent down to switch on the fan. After some time, I felt, he had switched off the fan again. I didn’t want to fight with him and left it at that. Sometime, I felt some disturbance and found, that he was doing something with mobile. Gosh I lost all my sleep. When I woke up close to 4 am, he was not there in his berth and I got down and when I reached junction, I found dad was not there. Preeti’s dad was there. I felt bad. I didn’t want to wait for viji. He said, he wanted to meet me at the station. I called him up and said that I am going home, since my bus comes only once an hour. Ok, he said then, he will come home and meet me. Fine I said.

On the way, in the bus. I was smiling throughout. The driver, started speaking to me. Man, how much people remember even after 9 years. Reached the road from Mathur. I remembered my driving classes in this road. I remembered praying to god, while I sat behind dad as he dropped me to college. Somehow, traveling in this road, always filled me with a sense of being at home. The bus, rushed past KV my school. I alighted at the roundana. The moment I went home, I found that, I had to do lots cleaning. Mom and I shifted the position of the cupboard and it was 8 when I finished part of the cleaning. Mom had to rush to office and she had not made me any breakfast. I was so irritated. I made wheat dosas and tomato chutney. For lunch, I made ladysfinger sambar and manathakkali keera kootu that more like a poriyal. I was still sweating in the kitchen, when around 12:15, I heard the knock on the door, I was thinking mom and I opened to door to find, it was Viji. Man, I was surprised, he had said, that he would drop in at 2 pm and he was here now it self. He said, when he went for water wash, there were 2 more cars in front and he didn’t have the patience to wait and had come here. Well whatever, we spoke for almost 1-1.5 hours. At last, I bid him to eat and he agreed to eat a little, since, he had to eat at home as well. All the while, while viji was at home, my opposite neighbour was staring past our window in his lungi. Just as we finished lunch, mom came home and she had got a whole lot of things. Then I gave company for mom’s lunch as well and slept off in the noon.

Our plan was to go to Swami’s house in the evening. My plan was to go to aunty’s house in the noon, even before than get matching blouse for all mom’s sarees. But thanks to my short nap, all plans were cancelled. I was in a dilemma to meet aunty or swamy first. When mom called up swamy’s number in the evening, she got the msg that he would be coming back only after 7 pm. There is neither road nor street lights to chithunavayal and hence, I dropped the plans for meeting swamy after 7 pm and decided to only meet aunty. The next day I had been planning to meet periyamma, so everything had to be done that evening. Around 6:30 – 7 I started to go to poolangudi and found, the bus came within minutes. I boarded and reached the mosque street and walked home. To my surprise, swamy was sitting there in aunty’s verandah. Man I was overjoyed, we spoke for hours. He agreed to have dinner and he had dinner and sweets. Since swamy was there, I could not take care of my grandpa. I decided to come the next day morning and spend time with bedridden grandpa. I told swamy that now, I that I had got admission as I had wished a year earlier, I have lost interest in doing my PG. he said, I should not stop, what I had started. Fine I said. Around 10, uncle offered to drop me home.

The next day, I had planned to clean up the terrace. But found that mom had started to make chappathis and she had to rush to office at 7:30 for Sunday duty. Man I was annoyed. I had whole lots of clothes to dry and make chapathis and clean up the terrace as well and still go meet thaatha. By the time I finished and had breakfast, I got super lazy. I lay sprawled on the chair in front of the TV, eating anything and everything within reach. Mom came, and her plan was that I should be at the busstand at 4:50 to go to Kamalapuram – my periyamma’s place. At 5, periyamma started calling. Since she called twice, I made up my mind, not to go there. So cranky of me. I watched TV the whole day from 8:35 am till 9 pm in the hall. Mom said, that, she is never going to make any plans based on me. Fine I agreed. On Monday, we had dahlia for breakfast and went for getting the groceries. On the way, there were 3-4 people to stop by and talk in the hot sun. Man, mom would hardly cook, if she was alone. She felt it was too costly to even spend on milk. Man, I really don’t know, what is she doing. Thaatha kadai anna, who was my math teacher’s younger brother offered me "colour", which I refused. On the way back, I thought, let me at least buy bananas from him, so that he gets some profit. I was surprised, when he refused the money, even after much insistence. Well, we came home, had murungakka, kathrika, maanga sambar, kothavaranga usili, murunga keera poriyal, freshly cut maanga oorukai on tender plantain leaf. We had moong dal payasam. It was ambrosia, but somehow, I felt so bad that sugi and cheenu were not there with us, only mom and myself, that I could not spend time with thaatha or periyamma and my cousins.

Time flew by on Monday and I found to my dismay that I had to leave at 6 pm. One thing that continued to disturb me was the fact that 3 lush green neem trees surrounding the the quarters were half dead. They used to be so pleasing and serene to look at through the hall room window and the bath room window. All the 3 neem trees leaves were half dead. Mom said, that is because, rose aunty uncle and my opposite door neighbours akka died recently. Well, even swamy said, they will get back to full life after chithrai. Well, hope it does.

I managed to board the bus to junction at 6:25, my train was at 8:25. I had one short gal Shukkanthi for company. There was one more mallu gal in HAL in the same bus. In the bus, again, there was some uncle, who proclaimed to ppl that I was S’s daughter who had accident while studying. Man, ppl always remember. I used to be so embarrassed when, in 5th standard, everywhere I went in oft, ppl referred to me as the gal who climbed the water tank even after months and years. Now as the gal who fell down after so many years. Well whatever, it was good that Shukkanthi was there to talk, I didn’t call up dad. I didn’t tell him that I am going. I boarded the train and collapsed on the UB. A kid was continuously wailing. I was praying to god, to calm the child. Around 11 pm, some guy in the coach, started shouting at the kid’s parents and it erupted into a kinda fist fight. Every one woke up and the lights were switched on and, it was a mess. Around 2 am, the guy was still complaining and there went my sleep. I was just praying that ppl should calm off. Surprisingly, the kid had long since stopped wailing, but the grown ups didn’t leave their grumbling. Okie whatever. This morning, I didn’t want to walk 1.8 km from cantonment till guttahalli at 5:29 am and decided, I will rather go to majestic and board the bus there. Reached home at 6:45 am. I took bath and knocked my house owner and upper floor neighbour’s door to give them A2B ladoo and mysore pak. But they didn’t open. Probably coz, I was knocking at 8 am. I finished my pranayam in the terrace, breakfast and rushed as usual to board the office bus at 8:15. So surprising, back home, ppl just poke their noses everywhere. Here, even if you want to give them something, ppl hardly open the doors. Man, unsolicited enquiries bother a bit, but solitude tortures even more.

Delhi Dally

On Friday morning, I decided to call up the number P1 had given the week before last and to my surprise, found that they were conducting basic pranic healing classes on sat and Sunday i.e. the next 2 days. I asked him, if I could attend just on sat, for I had booked my tatkal train tickets to delhi on sat night. My original idea had been to tour delhi for 2 days on Monday and Tuesday with sugi. But sir said, no! It is either 2 days or you don’t attend at all. What to do? Oh my god, why is Delhi so far? Why is it not near Bangalore?

First thing, I did was cancel the tatkal tickets, I didn’t know, that I will be losing all the money. Had I known would I have cancelled? I don’t know. I tried to book tickets online, but WL tickets could not be booked online. So I had to go to KSRTC house. I had to beg M to take me in his bike there. With great reluctance, he agreed to come around 2. However server went down at 11 and I grabbed him and went. We all had a deadline at 5 pm and I was really worked up that I had to book the tickets now at this juncture. The KSRTC guy R understood, how desperate I was to get the ticket. He asked, whether I would agree, if he got it confirmed via MLA quota for 950. I said, OK. But later, he charged 1100 for a 500+ ticket.

On Friday evening, on the way back home, Shubha told that she had vacated the house, she was in a dilemma whether to vacate on Friday or Saturday. The whole house was in disarray. Man, I was flabbergasted. My house owner had been hinting that he wanted me to move upstairs. I thought, rather than cleaning up this place, I would rather clean up the first floor house and sleep there peacefully. However to my dismay, I found that house was too small to top it all, it had the loo in the north east. Well, I thought, no use staying in this place. I cleaned up the house, arranged everything. It took 3 hours before I could hit the bed at 11.

On sat, I had to wash 2 week loads of clothes and still go to the classes at 9. I woke up at 6, and by the time I finished and reached the place, it was 9:45. Luckily Savitha my partner during those 2 days also came just a minute before I entered. She had been waiting for this class for the past 2 years. She had booked a tatkal ticket from Pune to attend this class and had reached just on Sat morning. We were some 12 of us. Initially, it felt funny. He asked, do you feel the aura, the inner and the outer aura? I felt nothing. Then, after doing the exercise, I could feel a tingling sensation. Was I hallucinating, I wondered. No, I really felt something, some pressure; some force was surely there around everyone. Only thing is, I had to make my hands a bit sensitive.

Savitha was amazing. She could in fact see the aura around ppl’s head. I could not see it.
When we were asked to project energy on our partners, I could feel the force, the tingling sensation. But she could never feel anything, when I projected the pranic energy. At 11, we had a break. I had milk and 2 biscuits. I had not had my dinner on Friday and breakfast on Saturday, and I was glad when I got something to eat. They showed kirlian snaps and I got into believing this. For lunch, we had a puliotharai kinda rice with green peas with onion cucumber raitha and yummy curd rice with grapes, pomegranate seeds and finely chopped coriander, seasoned with fried mustard seeds on a plantain leaf and milk kova for desserts. It was too good.
Post lunch, I could hardly keep awake, for 2 nights before Friday deadline and my cleaning saga on Friday night gave me hardly few hrs of sleep for 3 continuous nights. I managed to sit through. Guru sir, gave us all a book on basic pranic healing. We practiced healing for nose bleeding, sinus and minor ailments.

After classes got over, I had two things to do. Collect the ticket and search for a house or a pg. It was 7 pm when I collected the ticket. R was adamant on collecting the 100 more and I was reluctant to give him that. At last I decided…why to loose my peace of mind over such things and walked out.

Had dinner at the known telgu place in church street. The food is ok there and you can see kempfort Shiva from the door of that house. I saw 2 pgs, one did not sense good, and I ended up with Aunty’s mess, where I used to have my dinner with a Aug 25 trichy guy. That felt comparatively better. Reached home and hurriedly packed stuff for delhi trip on Sunday morning and reached classes in time. It was cleansing and meditation day. As sir started discoursing, tears swelled up and I could not help crying. To forgive and practice universal love was beyond me. I had always craved for revenge on certain people and to forgive them was unthinkable for me. After noon, we had again healing for minor ailments. Guruji told us about how, 2 guys ended up in lunatic asylums because of their gamand while curing. He scared us about not taking up serious diseases initially, and how a gal got blisters in her hand after treating a cancer patient and similar such stories.

Towards evening, we practiced self healing and distant healing. This time, we had to go to some other room, where we could not even hear what guruji was saying. My partner was supposed to project the energy on me. I didn’t even know where she was projecting energy. I just had to be receptive. I was concentrating on my brother for him to get well. Suddenly, I felt tingling sensation on my forehead and when I came out, it turned out that Savita had been projecting energy on my forehead agna chakra. As expected, Savita didn’t feel a thing, when I projected energy on her. Probably I didn’t will it enough. Surprising, such things do exist. There indeed are clairvoyants like Savita who can see the halo around each person’s head and project such intense energy rays. Just hope it is all positive for everyone.

Classes got over around 6:00 in Bhanashankari and my train was at 7:20. Usual, leaving formalities. Guruji was telling the group, that I was lucky to have attended the classes with waiting just for a day. Man, I need to be fit first, before, I start this healing service. So I decided to give all the pranic healing books and cassettes to Sugi, for it is her last janma on this earth and she always wanted to do good for the people. I was practicing, universal love, mentally smiling at everyone’s anahath (heart) chakra and blessing every soul all the way. Near city junction, there was muslim beard wala guy in white kurta, who started following me. I still continued to mentally smile at his heart chakra, unmindful of the danger. Near my coach, he stretched his hands and I narrowly escaped with a brush. Man, universal love is well… I don’t know. How can a gal smile at a guy, who has such malicious intent and bless him and practice universal love? And not feel anger at anyone and spread cheer? World has become too dangerous, where people slit your throat for 50 Rs. Guru said, for such people, this is their first human janma and are in low evolution stage. He said how every one is at such low spiritual stages in this kali yuga.

I starved in the train, just drinking water in sips to avoid going to the stinkpot in the train. I enjoyed, all scenery on the way from blore to delhi. I made it a point to sit the whole day near the window, so that I could sleep in the night. On Monday evening, I enjoyed the vivid sunset, sitting near the coach door steps and feeling the world rush by. After that I returned to my seat and found the coach was dark. I mechanically switched on the light and I found 2 ladies, folding their hands quickly to worship the train tube light. Tuesday morning at 11, I was there at nizamuddin and sugi was there to pick me. I didn’t have time to bath and emptied half deo and we reached the south campus instead of going to north campus. It was a double waste trip. Paid fees before rahu kaal, submitted certificates. Had 4 rotis for Rs.13, mazaa and nimbu pani. I didn’t bother about mentally cleansing and energizing the food. I just gulped in the first proper meal after 48 hours of starvation. I got 3 aloo paranthas parceled for the spice jet flight at 6 pm. It was dark and cloudy. Unlike earlier trips, it was like going through black tunnel and the ride was bumpy at times. I craned my neck to savour the orange streaks across the black backdrop till 7. Gobbled paranthas at 7:30 and collapsed on my seat and woke up only around 8:45. I missed Dr. Vinay. I was reluctant to speak to anyone on my first trip alone. He introduced himself with a handshake. After a second, I decided, ok, will talk and it was a jolly good time for 2hrs. That day, while returning, I had an elderly couple for my neighbours. Blore airport had congestion that time and it was a fabulous view, as we circled blore. The whole place was illuminated and fabulous. There at delhi, it was like a zardosi work, here I felt like fairy overseeing the world beneath. However, this time, I had just dozed off and nothing significant.