"There's nothing in new Nagzira." "Why don't you go to Koka?" "It's about 35 km from here." "Anyway, Nagzira is closed on Thursdays." "You could go to Koka on Thursday." "Maybe you'll see a sloth bear." "Or bison."We didn't agree that there was nothing in new Nagzira. There were fewer animals; we did not deny that. Yet, New Nagzira is the most beautiful forest I have seen. A green forest, with sunlight filtering in through the leaves. Birds everywhere, weaving their way around all kinds of trees. That does not count as 'nothing' in my book.We went to Koka anyway. Koka, an extension of the Nagzira forest, was a jungle that did not send ripples of delight through me. Forest, then main road. Forest, then village. Forest, then farmland. That does not fill my heart with gladness, the way dense, green, endless forests do.We were out of Koka by 5:20, even though the safari officially ends … [Read more...]
Nagzira
Ten days away from the city. No internet. Phone connectivity for about an hour a day.Eleven safaris into the beautiful jungle.Three leopards.A leopard making a kill: whose side are you on? The leopard's or the fawn's?Wild dogs in the distance.A herd of bison. Flycatchers, thrushes, drongos, night-jars, parakeets, hoopoes.A ride in an open gypsy through the forest at night.Starry skies that I remember from my childhood.Nagzira. … [Read more...]
Bus-Signs
I know that in situations like this, pictures speak more effectively than words, but I did not have the time to take a picture. At the back of a sleeper bus, I saw the sign:'Sleep in the Night, Morning in the Tight.'What do you reckon it means? … [Read more...]
Holiday Pictures
Two pictures I could not resist sharing ... … [Read more...]
Goodbye, Gangtok …
We woke up at 4:30 this morning. This far east, it is not as early as it sounds to my Western Ghat friends. The sun rose soon after, and we stood at the window and watched the clouds. We saw the Khangchendzonga. She played with us, hiding in the clouds and peeking out again. We saw the other stunning mountains. Those picturesque peaks played with us too. The sun glinted off the snowy slopes, almost blinding in its brightness.We said goodbye to the mountains, and before we left, the mountains said goodbye to us. By six o clock, all we could see was the cloud cover. No mountains, no snow, no blinding light.Au revoir, Gangtok. I will come back. My head is full of happy memories; how can I not? … [Read more...]
Beautiful Gangtok – Day Two
When I was a child, my parents and I went to Darjeeling. We did a very touristy thing - went on a 'Fun Ten' tour of ten points in Darjeeling that visitors must see. This included a ride in a cable car and a visit to the zoo that housed a red panda. When we got back to the hotel, the diligent diary-writer that I was, I asked my parents and sister to rate what they liked the most.Today, I realise how unfair that was on my parents. I was able to choose my favourites quite easily as a child, but at Gangtok today ...I look out of the hotel window. To my right are snow-capped mountains. To my left are snow-capped mountains in the distance. Everywhere, leading to those beautiful mountains are mountains covered with trees.We went to Rumtek Monastery. Waterfalls everywhere. We even went especially to see one. The smell of bamboos in the rain. The spray from the waterfall.We went to … [Read more...]
Gangtok!
Rain, clouds, mist. The spectacular, fascinating Teesta river. Hot momos on the way. Welcome to Gangtok.While we were in New Jalpaiguri, I was more than a little nervous. The driver we had was aggressive and noisy, and seemed to think the road belonged to him. Would we get to Gangtok safely?The moment we started on the mountain roads, though, we could not have asked for a better driver.At one point of time, he leaned forward and peered. I thought he was looking in the rear-view mirror. It was raining and the roads were bad. Maybe there was someone behind us who wanted to pass. That's what I thought. And then, I saw a few pebbles tumbling down. Our driver paused for a moment, and I realised. He was wondering whether we could cross before the landslide!And I thought ST bus drivers were scary! … [Read more...]
Double Decker Train
I saw a double-decker train after so long today! I did not even know they still ran!I remember when I went on one as a child. The extreme excitement and anticipation. The dread that we would actually have to sit down. Blue train, blue seats, silver stairs. Running up and down those stairs, careful not to shriek with excitement and risk being yelled at.I can't remember whether we sat upstairs or downstairs. I just remember the thrill.Today, though, Adults came on that train, not Children. Children are delighted with thrill. Adults need luxuries like leg-room and space for luggage and other unimaginative things. The verdict passed on the train was that it is inconvenient and uncomfortable.I realise once again how much more delightful it is to be a child. … [Read more...]
Ashadi Ekadashi at Prashanthi Nilayam
Standing there, behind the backdrop, we held our breath. We had been working with 43 Bal Vikas children with little or no knowledge of dance since May, and this was the outcome of all our efforts. Working towards the performance for Ashadi Ekadashi at Prashanthi Nilayam was often frustrating, but ultimately, deeply rewarding. The children had practised just once at the final venue - the day before the programme. We finished practice around 10:30 at night and then the children got up at 3 in the morning for their make-up because all of them had to be ready by 7.Contending against all odds, it happened.In a flurry of movement backstage, we changed their costumes, changed their hair-dos and helped with their jewellery and make-up. But they did it. People were moved to tears. People came up to us over and over again to thank us.Hats off to the children whose faith pushed … [Read more...]
Not the Mona Lisa
Entry to the Louvre is free on the first Sunday of each month, and I landed in Paris on the first Sunday of June. Jet lag is a luxury that people who have time and money to spend in a foreign country can afford. I couldn’t.Whatever debate may surround the aesthetics of the pyramid of the Louvre, within, you have everything to choose from. For a few seconds, we stood there, letting history and culture seep into our blood.“So, where do you want to go?” My sister smiled at me.“Not the Egyptian zone, that’s for sure.”I could not decide, so we walked along, slowly getting the kind of head-rush that I have begun to associate with museums. As our heads filled to saturation-point, we began to wander a little aimlessly, continuing to look at things around us. We saw the crowd around the Mona Lisa.“Do you want to go?” my sister asked, a little doubtfully.I shook my head. “She looks … [Read more...]