Where you are called Local !!!

 

Who wouldn’t want to leave home?  At least at the age of 10 when your younger brother took a toy that you loved most, you decide to leave home. Or at the age of seventeen, you feel your parents are not agreeing to what you say, you feel like moving out so that you can live the way you want. In my case both these things happened but the reasons are different.

I was the elder son to my parents and as you know, in Indian culture the role of Elder son is very similar to the DC and marvel characters in Hollywood movies. So at the age of 10, when I received the admission offer for class 6 at Navodaya Vidyalaya, they were convinced of my intellectual powers and this was the time to say Adieu. I also accepted the offer as I felt away from home means more freedom. No early wakeup alarms or no pressure of studies. It is like jao simran, jee le apni zindagi offer. However, I was not aware of the Gurukul system until I reached the campus. It was like a timetable not only for the classes, but also for the entire day activities. Within 2 years, I said adieu to the system and came back home.

The next set of adventure of leaving home started 5 years later. This time it was in the form of engineering college hostel. In the earlier tenure, I did not have access to money and freedom, wherein the second one had those. First 3 years of Engineering, I was outside the classes than inside. Movies, Computer Games, Travel and if nothing, sleep full day in the room. Whenever I felt, all were present in the class, I silently walked out of class believing a perfect system is purely theoretical and it does not exist. Back to my DC/ marvel heroes, great power comes with great responsibilities. The 4 yrs of freedom had the responsibility of securing a decent job to survive, which made to the third adventure of leaving home, starting  in Mumbai- the city that never stops

The day I reached Thane Railways station, in Netravathy Express on a Diwali eve, my backpack was filled with polymer textbooks and expectations. I could have at least got rid of the former, if I did justice to my Engineering days. The change from village boy to a metro adult was quite difficult. As in the stories of DC/Marvel heroes here, the villain, who is my existential crisis- knew that I am the hero and I need to fight back. The initial days of Mumbai life was tough. Working 12 hrs per day for almost 7 days a week made me think whether I am staying in my 300 sqft one BHK with fellow colleagues or in the big shop floor filled with man, machines and rubber products. At one point, despite all these odds, I started to look at the brighter side. I enjoyed local train travels, had hangout with friends at Marine drive, ate tons of vada pav and pav bhaji, took trekking trips to outskirts of the city and so on. As the days passed by, the city started growing in me and I realized, you can take yourself out of Mumbai, but never Mumbai out of you.

6 years later, I moved to Bangalore. This time, it was not leaving home, but to build my own home. All these travels taught me something. It does not matter where you are born, where you are travelled or where you are currently in, it is all about where you are called local.

Also when you leave home, its all about leaving your comfort zone and exploring for new things.

However, with all the learning that I gained from my previous journeys, for sure, with the right companion I have today, I can leave home for another adventure any time.

Rain

“What's a rainy day without some delicious coffee-flavored loneliness?”

The above lines stole my attention while I was browsing through some of the pages in internet. I agree with the writer but there is lot more to do on a rainy day other than the company of a coffee flavored loneliness… 4^th June 2016 was one such day, the morning wind through the windows of S11 coach woke me up. The train was just crossing Ottappalam railway station. The hay hut and surrounding greenery on the banks of river Nila mesmerized and made me nostalgic.  Good to see Nila is half alive from the recent mid-summer rains. It was raining outside, slight drizzles giving the feel of rain in a very different way – rejuvenating. 

Actually my journey with rain started from previous day evening. I was at railway station and rain came from nowhere. In very little time it went from drizzle to downpour. The bright lamps at the station gave different color to the rain and it started dancing with the accompanying wind. They danced till all of us at the platform got drench. The bright light from an engine nearing the station reminded me of my journey. It’s time to move…

The book in my backpack also got a little flavor of rain. It was “Kunnolamundallo Bhoothakalakulir” by Deepa Nishanth. The latest tick mark I made in “goodreads” was yesterday on completion of this book.  Coincidentally the very first story from the book is also about rain.

The RE Bullet 350 in the garage was just waiting for me in the morning. As my 2 year old Sidhu says, the “du du du tata” is about to start. The rain from morning is still on, seems like it’s going to give me company for the journey.  The road is slightly slippery and I need to be cautious while driving the bike. My cousin joined me for the ride from an in between town.

We took a diversion from the highway towards villages where one can feel the real beauty of Kerala. Rain was along with us with its magical twists and turns.  In some points it reminded of the fast rhythm in Zakir Hussain’s Tabla concerts and in some it turn down as whispering voice to ears. The road was getting narrow and has paddy fields on both sides of it with water filled from the recent rains which gave a feeling of floating on the boundless layer of water.  In some routes, rain water was flowing on the roads which gave us a good wading ride with our RE 350. Rain has changed the landscape a lot. She has given rebirth to nature from the dry summer weather. The greenery is reborn which cherishes mind and soul. In the beginning of the journey itself, we decided not to take any photographs as it will spoil the numerous “wow” moments we were experiencing through. For us, eyes and mind are the best cameras and storage device.  Nothing else ever can match that. And this journey was really a visual treat.

The bike ride ended at the courtyard of a beautifully built house in a coastal village of Kerala. The sea was not visible from the house but still the roaring sound is audible. We met the author – Deepa Teacher – with a smiling face. We talked about the book, the background on writing them and a lot more. The rain was silent outside. A small drizzle, silently listening to what we were talking about. Meeting the author was a dream come true for me since I read her book two days back. Till yesterday evening at the railway station, I was not having any plan to chase the dream and meet teacher. But the heavy rains at the station reminded me about the first story from the book and I asked myself why can’t tomorrow I go and meet her. When I started from my home with my bike, I was having nothing with me except a “Name” to search for. So this time the Rain has conspired the plan and led me to this unknown address to meet a special person. 

The return journey was through the highway. This time rain was not there. I think her role of guiding us to the destination was over. Now it’s time to cherish the good memories had from the day. The different faces of rain, the countryside drive in the bike and moreover meeting a person whom you were spellbound about meeting since you read the book. Sometimes a lot more a rainy day can offer you other than the company of a coffee flavored loneliness… 

the silver screen

Every Friday, I am having an interesting job to finish in my To-Do list. Checking out for the new Malayalam movie releases in the town especially in the multiplexes, So that I can plan for it in the weekend. Because of either less number of Hindi and English movie releases or more Malayalam movies coming out, every weekend I have a new movie to watch.

I was thinking of the scenario 20 yrs back. When I was on 1^st or 2^nd standard. My parents took me to the theatre for a movie. It was “vaishali” the bharathan flick which was running on packed houses at that time. But I was not able to finish the movie, because in the first scene itself I started crying out loudly on seeing a snake in the screen. My mom took me out of the cinema hall and later to home. After that while going for movies I was asked to give a promise that I won’t cry or abandon the movie in the middle. So when a horror scene comes I will just close my eyes and place my fingers on ears to plug out myself from the scene.

It took another 8 Years to change the scenario. Up to that my watching movies were limited to the ones coming on Doordarsan on Sunday evenings. While I was in 8^th standard, I and one of my friends planned to go for a movie. After long time I was back to cinema hall. I can count it as the “first movie” that I saw from a cinema hall. A memorable one.

Later the history repeated, in my +2 days, I joined for entrance coaching in a remote location, where my classes are on morning sessions only. So every Sunday we headed to the nearby cinema halls to watch movies. As it was away from home no one can trace me. The freedom of invisibility…

The scene was quite different in college days. I never missed a released Malayalam Movie. either we watch them in the releasing week from the A class theater or if its not sustaining that much time there, catch from the nearby C class theater in the next week. We were not dared to walk for even 8-10 Km to reach hostel after 2^nd show. In the time of movie award nominations in news papers we usually count the number of movies in last year that we “missed“. The number never gone above 10 out of 50 or 60 movies released in a year.

I still remember the first movie from a multiplex. It was “Zinda” from, PVR, New Delhi, and followed by “Rang De Basanti” from the same while our B.Tech project days. Even though while in UD we depend on the pre-dvd rip, net and DC++ downloads of new movies, I never missed the cinema hall experience. Frequently we go out for the Malayalam and Hindi movies in the nearby single screen. After 20 years, even today also I really got excited on going for a movie and at the same level, worry that whether I will get a ticket in the rush…

PS : So Movie for this week, “Palerimanikyam, oru pathira kolapaathakathinte katha”, starring Mammootti, Directed by Ranjith on 5^th Dec, 20.00 IST, Big Cinemas in R city mall. Ghatkoper….. Would you like to join me …??

dasvidaniya

Yesterday I saw the movie “Dasvidaniya” – a hindi flick starring Vinay phatak- which deals with a man and his ten last wishes. After watching the movie I was curious to write down some wishes that I am having. After writing, I felt it will be funny to share with you people. So thought of posting it here...

1. To have a full day ride over Mumbai in BEST bus.

2. A ride on a BMW.

3. Own a Mac Book from APPLE (even if it’s a Mac Book Air, I don’t mind J )

4. Meet the Music Maestro A.R.Rahman (at least attend a live concert of him)

5. Visit all places in India with an SLR Cam and an iPod in the kit.

6. Have a hot cappuccino from CCD (Café Coffee Day) on a rainy evening.

7. Travel Mumbai – Kerala route on bike…

8. Chase the Monsoon as Alexander Frater did…

9. Post an article on this blog on every weekend. ( J ).

10. 10^th wish is quite secret, I don’t want to reveal it here…()

Itz raining.....

Yes, monsoon season is back. After the hottest summer where mercury touching 40°C mark, where election heat waves clashed with the IPL 2 celebrations. It is a rebirth to all. But for me still the heat is on, the thesis and project presentation. But still rain directly falls over all this. Washing out all the tensions. Accompanying cool wind makes mind cool.

Each monsoon brings lot of memories to foreground. The childhood days when I used to play in muddy rainy water and getting fully drenched. The first day in school with my mom. When she left me in the class, tears broke out from my eyes. I started crying loudly, but in the sound of the rain outside, it drowned. The view of the big mountains that I enjoyed from the classroom window which eventually becomes invisible due to heavy wave of rains. While sitting in front seat of a bus, writing name on the front glass when it gets fully covered with water droplets. Making paper boats and sail them on the flowing water. Etc etc

When I grow up the love towards rain also grown. I loved to sit in the verandah with a cup of hot coffee in hand watching the falling rain, enjoying the music of it. When the water droplets fall on face, when the blowing wind pierce the body with it coldness, awesome experience… on night, falling in sleep by listening to the rain outside. In the middle of night waking up on the sound of thunderstorms. All added to the beauty of rain.

The rain I saw in Thodupuzha while my B.Tech days was too different. The stormy, violent rain that continuously pour for hours and hours without any break. This was entirely opposite to the calm ones I felt before. But still I enjoyed it. In hostels premises we used to play box cricket even in the rains. Riding bike in the rains was a different experience. The view of rain that we enjoyed from the balcony of second floor of our college building was awesome. The unforgettable sceneries captured by my eye and stored in mind.

Each rainy season is a new experience. In last monsoon season I was in Mumbai. Where rain is a nightmare for most of the mumbaikar. The never sleeping metro takes a break while monsoon. The monsoon and floods stops all modes of transportation and makes thousands homeless. Here another face of rain is seen. In Mumbai watching rain from a high vantage point like from the 5^th floor of the hostel gives another great visual. Taking a Mumbai darsan ride in a city bus by taking a window seat is also marvelous. The trekking trip to outskirts of Mumbai in rainy season adds extra enjoyable face of rain. Trekking in sahydris in rainy season is a must try if u r in Mumbai. On way back home, konkan route adds a lot to the beauty of rain.

It was in last year I got the book “chasing the monsoon”, actually It was a gift to me from my friend. An awesome travelogue that talks about different faces of rain in different regions. From the calm and quite rain of kerala to the breathtaking monsoon of kolkatha. From the violent monsoon of goa and Mumbai to the round the year pouring rain of mozintram and chirapunji. the book revelas the monsoon map of india that make you to chase the monsoon while it flies from regions to regions

Wherever it is, rain adds newer and newer levels of beauty. Each monsoon is entirely new. While I was writing this it was raining outside. The first rain of this season. I wish it would be a best monsoon season ever……