a little pilgrimage

Since the 4 of us (family) are hardly together, the moment brother announced his around new year's eve trip, we planned a little excursion to Shegaon (the karmabhumi of Gajanan Maharaj)


My views/thoughts about god are still evolving. Or so I think. And I have strictly no opinions about any religion. It always fails me why people get so instigated. To each his own I say, but then life/world would be too simple and there won't be any fun. For some. Anywhoo I digress.


What caught my eye the moment I stepped in the temple premises was the simplicity, the tidiness and the discipline. The darshan was arranged in such a way that it causes least problems to the bhakt. Even the wait in the queues (which are extremely well organized) seems easygoing on special days (like thursdays, weekends and public holidays). 


Later baba (dad) and mama (mom's brother) told us that the Sansthan (organization) which takes care of all the temple related activities has remained free of politics for the past 100 years and more (since the time it came into being). So the management remains less cluttered. Everyone is given an equal opportunity as a visitor. There is no VIP treatment given to anyone. I think that is a win-win. When people know there is no option but to wait in the queues, patience and discipline don't remain obligatory. Moreover the sevaks (volunteers) who work there for free are people from nearby villages, who come there in groups and are trained. They are really polite, patient and helpful. Even the food that is served to the bhakt/visitors is made everyday on a fresh basis with no (its not an understatement) mess anywhere. The plates that we were served in and the vessels that we were served from were impeccably clean (From whatever my eyes could catch from the distance). The coupon, serving and sitting system are so efficient that there are hardly any questions to be raised. Even about the food quality. The entire transactions of the Sansthan run on a no profit-no loss basis, so costs for anything and everything are so less that the trip doesn't end up being a financial burden for the common man.


I was mighty impressed with all these facts streaming in. So its not that difficult to run an efficient organization on the basis of good values and with the help of people. This can definitely form a really great case study for management students. From where many of our administrators can also learn. May be. :)


~nightflier

the unfinished

Been quite a long time since I set myself a target.
Here's a list of books that I left unfinished/ started but lost interest midway/ just forgot about them after starting, thanks to the ever expanding library of my stanza app on the touch/ just like that.


1. second foundation (3rd book of the trilogy)
2. surely you are joking mr. feynman
3. a math book (the one which must not be named for fear of being called names :P)
4. art of war
5. othello (had started reading after vishal bharadwaj made them seem extremely interesting with his movies)


its 4 days to go for the year to end and I have 5 unfinished books at hand. Manageable right ? 
I am doubtful about the math book since its not just reading I have to solve stuff and all. Anywhooo I am going to try. Plus I will be travelling for 2 days. Challenges! Love them! :P


Anything unfinished at your end which you don't want to carry over to the new year as a baggage ? :)


~nightflier

'GOA'ed

As one of the comments on my earlier posts said, Goa is a great way to end a phase and start a new one. Most of the times it would work.


I don't know if it has worked or is going to, but it feels great. I had actively stopped seeking answers to a lot of stuff and now things kind of seem fine to me. The anxiety, the restlessness, the lost feeling is somehow not nagging now. You know being with the flow and just doing routine things, sometimes one doesn't wonder but it does the magic. Like everyday's peaceful sleep ? Like being comfortable with oneself ? Like not exactly caring where the world is going and what it has come to, but being one with oneself ? Yes I am talking about the same feeling of warmth and cozyness you get, when you are eating king prawns recommended by a mallu uncle in a typical Goan shack! :)

at aguada fort

And the joy of re-discovering new friendships in old ones ? Isn't that magical ? Maybe its the festive season or the place itself if so full of joy and happiness, that one does let go of one's inhibitions and conversations just flow. Or maybe the comforting feeling that one has a bunch of goofy friends to grow old with. :)


And clicking random snaps and video shooting whatever is possible, creating memories and capturing them as we move on. That's therapeutic too. The over the topness with all the posing and the smiles. :)


Oh and the binge drinking. Kamikaze shots as and how much one can take should be an 'at-least-once-an-year' ritual. :)


Even though one was just hopping towns and sight seeing like a whirlwind, Goa is extremely relaxing. It has an calming aftereffect. No wonder its so hyped! :)


And the realization that even though one loves the journey but doesn't really like the travelling. Maybe its time to slow down. Be Me.


~nightflier


P.S. I remember talking to a friend a month back. He bantered 'so when do you actually plan to start working?' And I had said very naively 'you know the best friend's wedding and then the goa trip..don't you think I should wait for the new year' :D to which I got the most human 'rolling eyes' I have ever seen!! :) 
So moral of the story, may be its in the head..to end something and to start something new.. :)

updates

* Harry potter and the deathly hallows part I sucked!!! What's with making up for the gist of the story, the main philosophy by great locales and cinematography? It is fast, the narration is crisp, but you totally forget to mention the main sub plots? Its like eating a pani puri without the aaloo-chaat stuffed in between. Such acts should not be condoned. Not at least by people who read the book. 
Not my forte to be this harsh or critical about something, but I am seriously hoping that part II makes up for all the disasters, expectations-wise.


* It is weird how old love changes. 2 years back if you had asked me if there was any place I wanted to be, it would have been Pune. Today I roam through the city and I see change everywhere. Old buildings are gone and malls are in. Specially the area I am residing in seems like its filled with cliches. I am not yet repulsed by 'all this change' but I am turned off.


* I dont think the questions 'so what do you like better, India or US' or 'so do you miss US (or do you miss India)'  can have any definite answers. Its difficult to live in the moment, specially if you dont have a job and spend all time with your own sweet company. So there are times when I wish to be really teleported to the michigan lakeside. Same holds true for Indian things/stuff/places I used to miss or wished to be at when I was in US. Trying to like the best that every place has to offer and constantly keeping oneself in the moment is tough. It needs the right attitude and then I guess one doesn't really wish for things one doesn't have/can't have at that moment. Genuine 'missing' is human nature. That explains why I used to dress up at home and cook good food for myself for the weddings I missed in the past 2 years. That also explains why I am not missing any friend's wedding/socializing opportunity I can attend.


* And I do think as each one of us has the right to be happy, at the same time situations make it difficult sometimes. Sometimes decisions have to be taken because of the situations we get caught in. Situations always affect us in some way or other. Whether to let the circumstances change one is a personal call then. I have seen lots of friends/people around change. I don't judge them. But many of them have stopped believing in their dreams and losing touch with what they really want. And I could not compel them to be any more selfish or really not get pressured by circumstances to do something they would not be happy with in future. I really hope for some magical powers in such situations. *Some*


* Least expectations is the best way out of any situation. Period.


* I cannot wait for 2010 to get over. I know it sounds escapist, but this has been the most uncertain year so far. (coming from a person who lives by uncertainty) I am planning to start 2011 with some radical changes. 2010 get over soon! Pretty please ? [as a matter of fact the coming weekend will be spent in goa, I hope 2010 of my life feels good about itself now!]


~nightflier

un-tag me please?

So the most annoying question doing the rounds these days (owe it to the high levels of socializing) is 'Oh so you lived in the US for 2 years ?? Doesn't feel like it!' (mostly followed by a smirk, I like to imagine that its a smile of appreciation, but how much can one fool one's pretty sharp brain ?) 


I proudly admit that I stayed there for 2 years and don't have the usual accent issues, don't like to show off that I am a foreign returned for that matter even foreign educated, like it if the limelight isn't on me all the time.
And I am super duper mighty proud of the fact that I returned to work here. Of course those who read the blog know that, I would have loved to work there, thinking of the education loa(d)n and fulfilling all other small desires. But I am happy that with my adaptability and flexibility reducing a little, I took the decision earlier than later.


And for my own knowledge I would really like to know how one is supposed to behave/act to make sure that one looks/feels like a foreign returned ?
But for all the irritating people stated above, I would really like them to see my fiercely independent side, may be that will prove a lot of things! :P


Anywhooo, moral of the story is for the sake of gossip its ok to attach tags to people, but constantly expecting that tag like behavior is kind of stupid.


~nightflier

:-O :-O

read this as a friend's status on facebook!!!!!


"India is poor but Indians are not poor" says one of the Swiss bank directors. 
He says that "280 Lac Crore" of Indian money is deposited in Swiss banks which can be used for 'tax less' budget for 30 yrs. Can give 60 crore jobs to all Indians. From any village to Delhi 4 lane roads. Forever free power supply to more than 500 social projects. Every citizen can get monthly 2000/- for 60 yrs.


I guess its time for us to become the super power that we are tauted as!


~nightflier

the best friend's wedding - III

ended yesterday. Amidst fun, frolick, yummy food, really grand banquet hall, nice clothes, very less formality, meeting friends, gossip sessions, saree watching, aunty talks, running around the bride, and a few jitters. :)


I wore saree for more than 15 hours and that's a record of my lifetime. I like them but I have to teach my body to behave like a lady and not be the usual jumpy, happy me. But I managed well. that too with heels and toe nails painted! Was super fun to prance around holding the saree, and balancing the heels!
And I got to meet and spend time with all the wonderful family of the bride after 5 years. That made me a happy baby! 
We danced during the mehendi ceremony. What fun! Thank you ipod touch for being so helpful and productive for that impromptu decision. It was all possible because of your portability, invisible-ness, ease of control and compatibility with all kinds of speakers! 
We also got loads of bangles for us during the chudi-bharana rasam (bangle putting ceremony ?). I think I like bangles for the sounds they make and the reflections and the dazzle!
And I now have mehendi (henna) on both hands. In really dark shades of brown. I am obsessed with mehendi and have devised many-a-ways of not letting it fade for the longest possible time since childhood.
To add to all this the successful surprise of getting a friend from chennai for the wedding! It was slightly filmy as we cried when we met. Tears of joy! I was also crowned the official surprise queen owing to the number of them I have been part of in planning and execution. But after executing this one after keeping the information to very few people for more than a month I was literally feeling empty stomach! I swear. (A day before the actual event I was so overwhelmed with excitement that I started telling almost everyone around about what we were planning. Thankfully 'everyone' did not involve the bride).


Oh, and the bride was looking like a doll and really pretty in all the functions and in all costumes. I cannot post pics though.


~nightflier