2009: An Year to introspect PART II

The Day started with me working in Thivim Industrial estate and evening, I was free to set about on my endevour to 'finding' myself business. I was staying in Mapusa and the best way to go about business was to hire a 150 CC gearless bike as walking around wasn't pretty much fun anyway. That day I decided to explore Calangute beach. 

Inner beast or the asshole is just an itch, a frustration when you can not meaningfully dump the excreta out. Sea and LSD, so I have heard, personifies your inner self to bring out the extreme you, the good, the bad or the ugly. 

I rule out the drugs here though. Drugs can never tell you who you are, but if you do enough of them, they can definitely tell you who the person in front of you is...drug induced consiousness is like a bald headed guy feeling and acknowledging the breeze through his alleged hair. The breeze is always there. All you need in that grey matter, inside or above your head. And don't try to buy that in the grey market or the flea market. 

Goa Gill's famous quote was: "Dance meditation is a way to lift up people's consiousness so that at a certain stage they can feel one with the cosmic spirits...union." Sadly, in my case, I kept on becoming consious of myself rather than lifting my consiousness. 

Diverting from the topic for a while, 

I felt jealous to be honest, the marriage season was in the air and I could see the honey mooners - beach displays of affection in abundance. It bogged me in my search. A sad state to be in, when chauvinism and libido are in direct proportion. Testosterone load shedding was urgently required. Crashing waves clashed with the ego and heart. A win some lose some situation. So I turned to the King of good times and what was turning out to be one of my favorite hangouts: a karaoke bar. 

Reverting back to the topic: Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space...of them all, Sea is the most confusing and endearing maha bhoot (force of fury). Mind relays from one state to another in its presence. Too much of thoughts, mixed emotions. Just like the countless number of shacks bellowing different music, catering to their clients; churning out what they wanted. What was common was the white noise that sea insituated. 

The karaoke bar was churning out music from the 60s and the 70s..thanks to the people selecting it and singing it as well, with an undescribable vivaciousness. 

Peace, Love, Harmony/Unity and Respect. Actions, emotions, thoughts? Nope. A continuous process known as : being. Call it understaning the hard way or the easy way. It was not the interactions or pro active conversations, but, just by being a silent observer.  Next time, if you think of searching for yourself at someplace or searching for someplace in yourself, use my suggestion, just BE there. I don't say I am a bit wiser after my return from Goa, but I crave for more now - a dynamic entity termed as "change" or "alteration" :)

2009: An Year to introspect PART I

A Very Happy New Year to all the readers. 2008 is out and 09 is in, it will still be at least 15/20 more days before we can come out of the 08 hangover and not make mistakes while typing the dates etc. But what the heck, right?

It was really sad to hear that Goa scene was canned for this New Years, with very few bookings happening for the new year's eve as well. Due to nature of my work, I sometimes get chance to visit such places on Company's account and recently got one such chance to be in Goa. The real story stars hereon.

Goa! they say, where identity clashes with waves. A new & little more learned person evolves therefrom. So I began on my journey, from Mumbai towards Goa; to find my self and slept half way through it. Heck, atleast I knew my destination.  When the Ticket Examiner woke me up, I found out in a semi councious state: The destination is not important, neither the journey is, the only thing matters is whether you have a valid ticket.  I was regaining my consiousness and coming back to normalcy. I found out who I really was - Bogie H2, seat no 33; window seat for that matter. It occured to me that difference between living and dreaming is the place and the ambience; wait till you find both the toilet doors locked. The western and the Indian, you will know what I speak of. 

I reached around 1800 hrs on 11th October 2008. Got myself in to one of those cheap lodge and arranged for an Honda Activa at Rs.200 for the evening. I was zooming across the pitch dark towards Baga beach. I reached the beach and got myself a really cool seat on the sea shore. 

Sea, they say is a great leveller, metaphorically speaking - the high tides and the low tides. I tried to find my equilbrium in between these, took my chances and went across. Ironically my job, which, I am still learning to do accurately, involves finding the cause, extent and nature of losses and what better place than Goa to do that: Spiritually and Professionally. 

As I sat on that seat, with cold beer to accompany me: I noticed small lights flickering near the horizon. I pondered whether it was the ships or Somalia. There was food apleanty atleast on this side of the shore. I was writing this in the candle light eclipsed by a pint of kingfisher. Muddy were my thoughts, the water and the light... A beautiful lady walked by doing strange antics and waving at the sea. I found out that I had lost the capacity to be who I was, what I was, where I was and why I was. Confusion reigned supreme. 

While I was having a date with destiny and we talked how and where our relationship would go, she just opened her arms wide to take me in her loving embrace, provided I perform. What? Did my destiny not read Paulo Coelho? Or was she reterating the same fact? Whatever it was, I was getting late and anxious. And destiny wanted to sing, in a karaoke bar, so we went. While I decided to lounge about, one girl sang Shaggy's "Angel" in an awesome voice and note to note. Another dude decided to sing Frank Sinatra's "Newyork Newyork". The dude chose to sing about fastest city in the world in the most laziest place. I don't create ironies folks, just notice them. 

An evening in a karaoke bar is like chasing gravity; while waves dance along moon's metronome, the songs and the energy float around to pull you into its soul/R &B / Rock/ Metal gravities respectively. Now, before gravity decided to black me out, I decided to call it a night and sleep as next day was work time.  

Contd...

New SpringWidget

Get this widget!

Visit the Widget Gallery

The Outing! Day 2, 4th January 2009 PART III

Waking up at 0715 hrs in the morning is a daunting task, that too on a Sunday when your biological clock goes for an outing as well. Shailesh’s P.Js and “Chai” woke us all up. All were ready by 0900 hrs for some sightseeing.

Charolette Lake

We went to Charlotte Lake in the morning, the sun was up and its reflections danced in the lake. The lake has a dam across it as well, which overflows during rains. Most of the mammals around, including the infamous chor monekys of matheran were lazing around bathing in the sunlight to release off the cold they had been suffering from since the night before. Horses were trotting along on the pathways, strange fact is most of the horses followed our Indian “right hand drive” concept; believe it or not. 

From the Lord's Point

From the lake, we went to Lord’s point. Technically all points are dead ends. That is, beyond those ends - a beautiful valley greets us. Greenery and fog become one at horizon to conjure up most aesthetic imagery one can view. But since, calling that place “Lord’s end” would be a bit vulgar, people chose points. All the points on all of the hill stations are named thus for the reason I have just simplified to you. A quick photo session later, some of us decided to search for some chai vendor while others decided to go up to Echo ‘point’. Mandar and Shweta joined the KBC gang in the morning as well. While we found chai, we also found a cool new point; I named it - Dead end. This place, as told later by Amit Athalye, was supposed to be waterfall during rains. Another story he told was 2 Gujarati females had died from this point; later turned out that it was case of murder, committed by their husbands, for the Life Assurance monies.

The Dead End Point

We reached back to our cottage, to be greeted by breakfast of “Poha” as it was not allowed to, in the charlotte lake. “Ikde noko Poha, mhanun tikde Poha”. While we had two plates each, and Gaurav did not get a piece of lemon, Amit Athlaye was locked by somebody in the cottage, or he tried the trick I had shown him, “how to lock the door from inside when outside”. Err, whatever, but he missed the breakfast and had to go to the edge of the Pandey Road to eat some Vada Paavs, while we (me, Rushi, Prachi, and Bageshri) played badminton and a round of Amba Barfis followed (Thanks to Makku). We checked out of hotel after quick photo session at around 1300 hrs.

KBC Gang.

 

A quick recee of the market; girls gang bought loads of bouquets and flowers and Rushi is now an owner of cool green chappals. I bought a “sota” to keep away other pariahs from ‘Billo’ (my pet). We decided to meet up at Divadkar Hotel at about 1400 hrs. Most of the folks had come by 1415 and we got seats to eat by 1420. While we gave our order at 1425 hrs, the food came at 1510 hrs. A whooping 35 minutes later. Even the masala papads took that much time. By 1600 hrs we had started walking towards Matheran Taxi stand after Utpal, Onkar and shailesh kicked the ass out of Cashier, verbally of course as cold food was served, including cold masala papads. Only the drinks were not cold. Hee Hee.

We reached the taxi stand and aboard taxis by about 1620hrs.  4 Maruti Omni vans, filled with 22 energetic KaBra souls, started from Matheran for their return journey to Neral Station at about 1630 hrs, as the local train up to Karjat (from Neral Station) was to be boarded at 1700 hrs was not to be missed unless in dire straits. 3 hired Omnis reached safe and sound. The one that started last burst its front right tire en-route. It happened on a turn and driver was of sound mind enough to halt the vehicle on a patch of straight road some hundred meters ahead. Quickly enough, the tire was changed and we moved again. The Omni we were in was a joke for a vehicle as most of its doors were not working and driver closed them as if playing jigsaw puzzle. 10 mins in to the journey again and this time the left front tire burst. We thought of a plan to burst all four tires and take the van on the toy train route…Shailya was about to miss his train. So we all went to Karjat station, we reached at around 1800 hrs.

We made it in time to have vada pavs and chai again. The train (to Pune) was supposed to arrive by 1835. The Mumbai gang and Pune gang would go their own ways and I, from panvel would go on another one. I will not conclude this write-up; as I would love to keep the memories fresh until the next meet. Until then… 

Collage of KBC Gang - Courtsey: Rucha

The Outing! Day 1, 3rd January 2009 - PART II.

We reached at Radha resorts at about 1400 hrs via “Pandey Road” (queer name to give in a state like Maharashtra, in this Ma Na Se yug). Lunch comprised of a sumptuous meal of Gujarati style preparation and people ate till their stomachs started pleading with them (Kadhi, Kobi Batata Bhaji, Rangooni Vaal Usal etc). A professional and Horoscopical introduction round followed thereafter. Also discussed amongst other things were the pathetic T.V News media and its consequences upon young minds. Lolling over masala (ginger was unavailable) chai, having Chitale’s Bakarwadis, Agra Petha (Thanks to Varsha and Onkar again) and playing little bits of Table tennis concluded mid afternoon.

In the evening we tried to venture up to Charlotte Lake but lack of sunlight restricted us and we decided to have chai over chat again; in between resort and the lake somewhere. We also found a faithful follower and a cool friend; a black dog (there is still infighting going on whether he was ‘she’ or indeed a ‘he’…some say there were two, one he and another she).

At around 1900 hrs we decided to venture in the local market to buy random assortment of items available on Matheran. We decided to play pool and try our luck at slot machines…bad idea that was. I lost around 100 bucks in those god forbidden machines. My hate for them, now, resonates with Morpheus’s.

Dinner was divided into two: Veggies and Non-Veggies. Paneer Mutter or Chicken Handi. Kichdi or Rice. Amit Athlye was angered by such classifications and decided to have all of the items. I followed. Amit Katdare was infuriated by our actions and decided to eat more khichdi. We followed.

I heard a lot of references about outing at Nagaon beach year and a half back. Especially, about the ghost stories shared in the pitch dark of the beach. The same was followed over campfire… One time, one friend of mine was travelling in a shared rick. To his disbelief, the guy sitting besides him had reversed legs. That guy got down some distance before my friend’s stop. When my friend narrated this fact to the rick driver at his stop, the driver retorted, “Arre sahib unke Paav chodo, meter ko dekho.” The reading was 100^e+. That meter still haunts my friend in his dreams sometimes.

Photo: Ramsey Bros

Had I told this story, I would have been beaten to pulp and hence refrained. But some other interesting debates followed: about God, Ghosts, Atmaan etc. Another group that was put up in adjoining cottage were in ‘high spirits’ literally and their slurred speeches bespoke of common man’s woes. They cursed Sharad Powar, which did not go down very well with Mr.Gaurav Moghe and he chose to fuel the campfire, with dried firewood.  

At around 0200 hrs we decided to sleep as we were tapped out of firewood anyway. Zzzzz…

The Outing! Day 1, 3rd January 2009 - PART I.

I was of the opinion that there is no instrument available to gauge fun and frolic or the good times, for that matter, there is not even a standardized unit for the same. However, I was wrong. There is one unit who have been effortlessly and effervescent-ly working towards epitomizing collective outings / excursions. The mods (Onkar & Varsha), some of the oldest members and some new members of Karhade Brahmin Community (you all know who you are), kudos to you all for making “Matheran trip” and many others, which regrettably I have missed in the past. To say that in a simpler manner:

            “Pujya community owner, mananiya adhayksha mohoday moderators ani priya KaBra Members.”…Vande Mataram.

A variable array of thoughts emanating from brains of some of the Karhade Brahmins was starting to take perfectly solid shapes for an outing around New Year’s. Costing was complete when 20 souls decided to fuel it (the idea) with their physical presence and dates were fixed: 3^rd and 4^th January 2009. Destination: Matheran.

Most of the members met in Pune and Mumbai afore hand to meet each other and to get to know each other. I was suffering from procrastination and decided to meet all of them at once at Neral Station (Base of Matheran) on the morning of 3^rd. I was frantically searching for my clothes and went about haphazardly dumping them into my rucksack at 0815 hrs. I was packed and ready to depart at 0930 hrs, pedaled the accelerator as all were supposed to meet by 1015 hrs (I stay in Panvel and Neral Station must be around 25 kilometers from my place). Optimum utilization of resources: A moderately speeding car. And, restructuring at grass roots level: Seat belt; helped me reach at about 1035 hrs.

I consider myself an introvert, but, a small round of informal introduction itself was eccentric enough to help me make couple of friends. Seema Thakur yearned for a formal introduction round, which was carried out over a glass of lemon juice. Err, I forgot to mention that we came to the hills of Matheran by hiring Taxis (Maruti Omnis) and we had started walking to the cottages, Radha Resorts (the formal intro round happened somewhere in between).

To tell you something about Matheran, it is like the uncut diamond in the Sahiyadri range of mountains. At almost 1800 feet above sea level, it embellishes the skyline with a grace that even Lion would fall short of (in jungle of course). It boasts of a lineage of horses that compete fearlessly in most of the Indian derbies. The loose red mud that garlands its rocky under belly was appalling yet grounded me to earth in a strange way. Its Tall trees can block 1000 Suns, even the one that never sets, allegedly (on British Empire). I was reckoning introspection in such a place, but, I (and other new KaBras as well) were ushered into a homely group as a newborn is, into a family; with tender care and special attention to have a gala of a time. This is what I loved the most about this outing.