Ganapatipule, the Silent Beauty

The beginning has also beginning; as Shri Rabindranath Thakur said. That morning was not the same as all other ones, when I wake up seeing my roommates sleeping face. Woke up at 6 a.m., in a train middle berth, immediately rushed to the door with my senior Satishji. And what we saw! Can’t be spoken or written in pen and paper. Still I try. Dawn sky, full of grey clouds and a drab lone moon at the middle of it, symbolizing total loneliness. Fully green hills wearing light white cloak, slowly waving in air. Very frequent waterfalls and even more frequent tunnels, the longest one was of 7 km. Every journey ends to its destination, so was ours. We got off from train at Ratnagiri. It was a fine morning. From there how we reached Ganapatipule, was interesting but not very noteworthy. All I remember a narrow road through hilly forests and small villages. The turns were awesome too and don’t know how that driver managed that big bus so easily on that road, but I believe in magic and one did happen in front of my eyes. MTDC resort was booked, and we got a room which had a sea-face balcony. We quickly reduced our clothes and ran for the Arab sea. Beneath bright Sun, we played with sea wind and big waves. Soon we got exhausted, took rest for a while and started again as children do with their new toys or drunkards do with their drink. Actually, we fell in love with the place. Anyway, it was noon and we were hungry and tired as dogs. I already was very pleased with the place and said Satishji, “paisa wasool hai boss”. In the afternoon, we visited a nearby Ganesh Mandir, around 600 years old. Then we walked along the beach till it was dark enough to become nearly invisible to each other. Returned to base where we had a very long and sumptuous supper. It was around 11:30 at night, wind and wave both were roaring as always. The sky was partially filled with dark clouds. However, we were moving in the beach in a Brownian motion as usual.  Then suddenly, the Moon shone between those dark clouds, and within a blink of an eye, the whole scenario changed. The beach turned to light golden brown, waves heads became snow white, and behind us the hilly forest became mystical field of greenish black and white. It was so sudden that I almost lost all my consciousness and totally absorbed in that mystic beauty of nature. In that dim silver light, the greatness and vastness of nature came in front of me. I was in good hands, who in no time brought me back to the party mood and we started our act of doing nothing but jumping over the waves. Around 2o’clock we were dead tired and returned to room. The day ended so beautifully and with a high hope for the next day. Next day we walked around the beach till noon and then we hired an auto rickshaw to return to Ratnagiri. This route was different than the route we travelled earlier. The road was through the hills and the long and clean beach was clearly visible throughout the journey of 20 km. It was raining heavily which even ornamented the beauty of the beaches, green fields, forests, back water and hillocks. The calm and elegant beauty of nature came in front my eyes in unity and I ingested as much as I can. Our journey ended with a picturesque sun set.

I believe elegance of nature is so easily visible in this part of world, which astounds even the common man like me. I love the place so much that I wish to visit Ganapatipule again and again and again.

My Dumb Friend

What a pain. After supper I was sitting at a bench beside Football ground. It is rainy season. Grounds are wet. I was reading a story by Anton Chekov keeping in my mobile holding it in right hand. Left hand was hanging loosely at the backside of the bench. Suddenly, I felt a damp thing touching my left palm. I turned around and saw that a stout roadside dog, poking its nose there. I knew this dog as earlier I cuddled it once. I patted it in its head, fondled his neck, ears and throat. It came in front of me and as I was sitting crossing one leg to other, it tried to put its head below my leg and have a coziness, I think. It was time to move and I started walking in that drizzle towards my lab and was talking to my mother over phone. Suddenly saw that dog was coming along with me. I had a few packets of biscuits in my hand and I thought it smelt it and in a dry place I gave it two pieces and started walking hoping it would eat biscuit happily and go home. But no, it did not not touch those and started following me again. I reached to the main entrance of our institute , also known as marble hall. All other dogs hesitate to come in, but this one is different. It came in indifferently. I shouted at it and it went a little back and went out of sight. I sighed with relief and went upstairs to my lab. After sometime, saw at my door and it was peeping there with a very happy face. I tried to drive it away at once. But no use, it returned, with even a happier face. I tried to shoo it away again, I don't what it understood, it started to jump as if was wanting to play with me. Running in front of me and looking back with a simple signal, "Come, play with me." Can you understand the situation, a research institute, 10 o'clock at night and above all, cameras all around and I am chasing a dog to banish it. I somehow managed to bring it to the main entrance and started scolding at it, poured water at it and even ran after it to scare it. All work done and it ran away. I returned to my lab and as soon as I returned to lab, I looked back and it was standing sone 20 feet away from me. What a pain. I came in my lab and was ready with water to pour at it. It did not come, Now I peeped out and saw it was standing on its hind legs, putting its front legs in a window pane, looking at outside on something, I don't know what. I closed my lab door so that it should go away. 

After this, I came out of lab after 20-30 minutes and saw it left. 

I understood, this institute even though having very high reputation, what a dog has to do with it. And even, its simplicity prevented it to get scared. But finally I am a research student and seriously, What a Pain!   

My Friend's Marriage & A Happy Feeling

Sometimes time we go through is not spent, but gained. It gives the energy, the hope to see at the brighter side of the life. Yesterday I went to my bosom friend Nilesh's marriage at Mungaon. Just 2 weeks back both Nilesh and Jyoti had come to UDCT and had invited us. I was invited to both places. Jyoti's home is at Mungaon and 1st programme was set there on 25th of May, 2013. It was a nonworking Saturday. Woke up early, finished the daily works, pressed my good Kurta and Jeans and packed and was ready for the journey. So I took a train of Panvel, reached there at 10:00 am. Luckily enough I got a bus in no time. Earlier I asked a few friends and came to know that from Panvel to Mungaon is a one and half hours journey by bus. Calculation says I would have reached at 11:30 am, and the programme was to start at 12:30 and which means that I was well within time. But, I was unaware of the terrible traffic jam on that route and reached there at 02:30 pm. The marriage rituals were over and the reception was about to start. I quickly dressed up and joined, and programme went smoothly. It finished at around 6:00 pm and we left for Dombivali. We reached there at 10:30 pm, fully exhausted, all of us. This us includes Nilesh, Jyoti, me, Kamlakar (my another bosom friend and also very close to Nilesh and Jyoti and I met him after really long time), Nilesh's father, sister, uncle, aunt and Rohit; their son (13 years old chap). Uncle, aunt and sister invited us for next days meal and left. Nilesh's father said us to stay in such a way that we decided to stay there. Although dead tired, Jyoti came into action. Slowly but steadily she cleaned the room, made food for all of us and arranged for the other necessary things. Nilesh also calmly helped her, but she acted as if she stayed there forever and she is not the just married bride. Cladded in her wedding Sari, she did not hesitate for a single moment, nor shown any discomfort in working all these. She prepared hot milk for her father in law, made noodles for others, served and then along with Nilesh, arranged for beds for us. Next morning when I woke up, it was quite a morning. Again she prepared tea for us, 2 times. cleaned last nights utensils, etc. Nilesh calmly helped her in her work. Later, she quickly took a bath and changed herself with another saree, which made her look quite homely, started preparing kheer, as it is a ritual. Later, she prepared breakfast for us. In my life, I never seen a girl, just married and came to in laws house, shown this much of maturity, freeness and sincerity towards the in laws and friends in 1st night of marriage. 

I am really happy to have the opportunity to be with them and I believe that this couple will definitely LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER....  

What a Day...

Today is International Mother Language Day. This day I always celebrate with utmost pleasure and respect. In morning I updated my status with the same in Facebook and greeted everyone too. However, as the day passed and evening approached, I got three news on the same day. First, One persons ear has been chopped off as he supported the strike. It happened in Bengal. Second, Rape and murder of 3 minor sisters and a public rage as consequence. It happened in Maharashtra. Third, Serial bomb blast near Hydrbad, Andhrapradesh. Why these have to happen in the same day?

Personal Achievement

Do you remember when Rocky Balboa finished climbing the footsteps or mountain, he always rose both his hands in joy, as if he already won the battle. To me it is not actually winning the fight, but to fulfill the goals, dreams and praising himself for accomplishing the same. In my case, it was not that difficult, but hey, I attained my two dreams. That worth something, for me. First one will be the completing the ICT Green Marathon. The track I chose was the exact same used on 2010, the only race I ever participated. For last a month, I was facing a problem in my left leg for a pair of corns. Doctor cut it twice to completely remove it. It actually put some fear in my mind, that if I walk fast, it will regenerate. But thanks to one trekking trip to Karnala Fort with a pair of Chappals, given me quite a confidence that I can again start jogging. I had in my mindset, that sooner or later I will do that. Last Friday, One of my Pal and I planned for Chorbazar Shopping.So we woke up early, went to busstop to catch a bus. We waited for 45 minutes but not a single bus came for our purpose. It was 0530 hr in morning and both of us got bored and returned to hostel. I was so tossed that I immediately decided to do it. The route was ICT main entrance- Garnish- Dadar Circle- Wadala Station- Kings Circle - Side entrance of ICT. I did no shortcut, neither did any single moment stop, so I was honest to myself at that. I know that this short route is nothing compared to those who runs everyday for an hour, but it is an achievement for me, more because I could not reach the finish line when I ran for the first time. As I was alone, I claimed the first prize and for the first time in my life, I got it, from myself of course and I am not ashamed.

Second incident happened just yesterday afternoon and it is even smaller than the earlier one. Yesterday was Manzar 2013 fashion show and I really hate that, why I dont know. So I went to Worli Sea Face. Ever since I came to Bombay I like that place. Now for the first time, I went near to the Sea, and sat there for one hour or more. I was amazed that so near to the road yet so calm atmosphere. I enjoyed the sound of breaking waves to the rocks and one beautiful Sunset.I did not care for my clothes to get wet and for the reason, my jeans was completely drenched. But who cared for that, I loved that solitude I longed for. Then while returning I took my favourite Roasted Sweet Corn from a street side vendor. The only thing I truly missed in myself in front of the vast Sea was my imagination. I felt I am neither a poet nor a painter to assimilate and express the beauty of the scenery. But I am really that I was able to manage sometime to enjoy that place.

From these two incidents, I regained some of my positiveness and so I am saying these two as my Personal Achievements.    

Freedom, Our Pride - Our Responsibility

Yesterday I was portraying an image in my mind (of course because I can not draw with pen and paper, whenever I tried to draw a circle it came out in a banana shape). Thinking India as a living entity, she is lying throughout our map and many wolves and jackals were surrounding her and biting her at allover the edges. some places are torn apart and those parts are been hanging from the bloodstained jaws of those flesh eaters. Parasites are roaming on the leftovers. She is weeping in pain but bearing all of it.
Coming to think of it, I find out that wolves are the all financial big shots who see India only as a commodity to buy and sell and finally make profit. Jackals are like those heavy weight politicians who are selling all our wealth to others, from minerals to brains. And those parasites, not to mention, all those intellectuals(including me as well), who only make nothing but big shouts for those left overs. Suddenly I felt that I am missing something, and in number it is really big. Nearly 110 crores. The COMMON PEOPLE who making their day in and day out in this country. Most of them have the humanity and the pure love for their country. But surprisingly they are unseen. Why?

The first and most important reason is of course the hard work they go through to earn 2 times bread. But ironically, this strongest reason is often used as the most convincing excuse. The second factor is of course the separation among us. We always separate us from others for mere or no reason at all. The third reason which I find the most influencing among the literate people of India is “We don’t know how to love”.

I am talking about the way to love our nation. By only listening and singing national anthem daily and saluting our national flag cannot give the completeness to the love what actually needed. First of all, when we fall in love for someone we know all good and bad about that person, or nearly all. It is very very natural. Then we encourage him or her to enhance the good qualities and ask to check the bad ones. But in any case we don’t leave that person only for the bad qualities. My point is, we must love our country like that only. We must love all the richness as well as the poverty of India. We must know how great our country is. One of the oldest civilization(far before the Semite civilization; Vimbethka or Sindhu civilization) we possess, can be said just as an example. There are many. Before learning about America so much, we must learn about our different tribes, whose history far more rich and exciting than those who have no humanity at all. Starting from our classical to folk music, a gold mine which we must explore and enrich ourselves. There are many. But one word. We must not turn our face away from the recent advances throughout the world. As I said earlier we have to use them to nullify the drawbacks of our India. Point is we have to do it with utmost love, a love for a brother by another brother, for a child by its mother. Then only we will understand by our heart to keep the country clean and prosperous in every aspect. We will not hate slums or slum dwellers. Because whom we love, we don’t care about the small scar on his or her face, on the contrary we want to heal the scar with our love.

This love, I don’t know how to grow at our heart. But when it will arise, I can definitely portray another where the 110 crore will be only visible entities, no wolves or parasites. Because whom we love we protect from all the odds, isn’t it.

Fear- A Uncanny Feeling

I am a late worker in my department. Many times it took past midnight to return from the department to hostel. Day before yesterday was like those days. It was almost three o'clock. I stopped searching articles for my work as I was feeling drowsy. I thought to run instead of walking(these days I am quite health conscious). I took the path passing from the front of the Library. It was a real quiet place. Cool night breeze was blowing and the path was almost covered with dried fallen leaves(Autumn is on and Winter is about to come). A perfect atmosphere to be scared of. Being a person with blunt senses, I was totally unaware of this atmosphere and was jogging on the way return. Suddenly I heard a feint clattering sound running just behind me. I thought it is the roadside dog that is used to run with me and lick my hand. I stopped and looked back to find its happy face. There was nothing. Not a single living being that can walk, only the empty path. A quick shiver ran through the spine. Again I looked around. Same calm and quiet surrounding. Nothing different. But I was already caught by the fear and felt the silent scariness of the atmosphere with my whole body. I started to run again, this time in fear. Same situation, a rattling sound accompanying me. With a ice cold fear I almost crossed the way front of library and while running I just looked back. A smile came to my lips and I got totally ashamed for my attitude just a second back. It was only the dried leaves that were rolling due to my heavy footstep causing the rattling sounds. I just stopped , smiled at myself for a second and  started walking.

Being an atheist, I always boasted of my fearlessness. This incident taught me good lesson that whatever I may think normally, my subconscious feelings are always same as my ancestors.