A Ride to Remember

For a couple of hundred rupees the auto driver agreed to drive both of us to Hi-tech city. Otherwise, he would have dumped five more people (7 in total) in a vehicle meant to carry just 3! If this reminds you of some south Indian flick, fear not, this is reality in this part of the world. The old city of Hyderabad is a maze of small by lanes running crisscross/ parallel/ any angle to each other. The bright yellow colored auto navigated through them, occasionally bouncing through pot holes and incessantly hooting loud music. 
Outside, the streets were dotted with paan shops, small houses, dilapidated mosques dating back to the time of the Nizams. One cannot miss the meat hanging out of the many butcher shops. But at the same time it is difficult to resist stopping by the bakeries, with the aroma of freshly baked biscuits, cakes and pipping hot tea! 
Like a typical semi-urban street, cattle and children plod around completely oblivious of the presence of innumerable vehicles honking out their way. As the Azan ends in the background, shops get lit up and everything transforms into an eat street. Every vendor boasts of the 'Besht' Hyderaabaadi Biriyaani, Mutton Haleem made in pure ghee and  the Qubani ka meetha. Excellent cuisine, a gift from the Nizams makes Hyderabad a gourmet's paradise. 
In the meanwhile, the lane opened into the most chaotic square and the auto zoomed towards my destination. Hi-tech city, a contrast to the old world, boasts of India's fastest growing technology landscape. The skyline completely transformed in a journey of 6-7 miles. From barely modest to world class, impoverished to magnificent, deep rooted culture to a metropolis.. it was the paradox of India herself!

..in anticipation of sunny days

 Vague images fog my mind as I open the window of yesteryears. Of things that went wrong, of what could have been better and how they have hurt me.. Today seems like a quagmire, of what and how can I shape the rest of my life's calender. The apprehension of making mistakes and paying for them! 
 There are, I believe, two ways of living your life. Just two and very logical. One, the conservative way - which greatly reduces any risks and hence failures. The other one - Independent, experimental and audacious but with high risk. Quite similar to parking your money with a bank versus investing it in a new stock! 
 What we bring into our present from the chaos of the past is nothing but learnings. We use these learnings throughout our lives to choose which of the two ways to take.
  Parents always try to advice their children on what to do and what not to do. I think that way they are trying to keep their children away from the real learnings of life. We have encourage children to make mistakes an explore the world on their own.
 The fundamental question here is - is it wrong to make mistakes? Cause, if I don't, how the hell will I learn? I take better decisions today because I took bad ones someday! I will always want to come out of the fog into the bright sunshine, but its gonna be the hard way out! ... The sunny days are waiting.. 

Turning the Tables!

  Travel changes perceptions! Well said.. best to experience! My small holiday to Ratnagiri changed my perception about "being under-priviledged" in a big big way!!
  My family house in Ratnagiri lies on the bank of a small rivulet, surrounded by a garden, a fruit orchard and an age old well! As i drove nearer, familiar pangs of sympathy rose in me. Sympathy for the people who stay so away from the developing world. A population which drinks un-aquaguarded water straight from the wells, children playing barefoot in the backyards, climbing on trees, there are no big markets or rather, barely any shops! Its a place much beyond the reach of the Vodafones of the world... Bloody hell! How do I survive here even for a day!! Rather how can anyone survive in this place??
  Well..For a specie which is eternally addicted to the mobile phone, facebook, television et all, its a dreadful thought to be staying here. Time doesn't need a clock here. It seems that the clock never ticks and time never passes... What changes is just the color of the sky. From the orange of the dawn to the scorching heat at noon to so many hues of red at dusk!
  Just when I was brooding over the boredom which started settling in, I thought a little bit of exploration would do no harm. As the sun was about to sink behind the mountains, I took a small stroll over the river bridge. The silhouettes of coconut trees were beginning to appear against the painted sky. Birds were flocking back to their nests. Their quixotic calls were accompanied by the soulful gush of the river flowing below. The cool breeze and the flowers swaying with it, the wet grass beneath my feet.. I wished the moment was eternal! Did I want to take a picture? Certainly not! No device could capture this bliss to all the five senses! 
  I don't quite remember how long I stood there. But yes I had to head back, now realizing how "under-privileged" I was, to have been so far away from this beautiful world!

Penang Diaries - Part II

Picking up from where I left, the night can't end at the market :P. One place you just can't miss when you visit Batu Ferringhi is The Hard Rock Hotel and Cafe. You can find a Micheal Jackson sitting there, with a caution plate which says : " Please don't sit on me" :P :P

The next place is an entire street load of food. The Upper Penang Street! I loved the chicken; and ofcourse, you could also love the alcohol :P Things get better with Football matches playing outside every restaurant along the street!

And now, this is incredible ! The "Tita" Collection.... !! The amount of Mattel Toys this girl owns should be an object of envy for all the kids in the world. This was all my poor cell phone could capture, I'm sure she hoards even more of those..

As a befitting end, Ms Ong took us for one of the best meals I'd had since ages.. I couldn't resist clicking a snap of it coz' it indeed was a gourmand's delight..!!

  

  Buurrp !!

Penang Diaries - Part I

The other day I came across a few pictures which I had taken from my cell phone, in Penang. These spontaneously clicked shots were a expression of how much I loved the city! Well the photos are candid and of course, they sum up the entire story for me..
The island derives its name from the beetle nut tree which is called 'pinang' in Malay. This circle in the heart of the city reminds us of this nomenclature!

When we visited George Town for the first time, I regretted not having my camera...but I could not resist capturing the charm of Fort Cornwallis in my cell phone!
George Town is the symbol of Penang's colonial heritage. Listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO, Penang has colourful old time buildings donning the streets. 

Outside the fort were small stalls selling ice creams and 'Rojak'. Rojak is a local delicacy made with sliced fruits and prawns. What I cannot forget is the reaction of my vegetarian friends, after they realized the existance of prawns in the dish!
Penang is Malaysia's food capital with many specialities like Ice Kachang and Chandol, both made up of shaved ice and topped up with cream, fruits and beans! This one is Rojak!

I know the next picture isn't great, but yes, the beaches at Batu Ferringhi are just too wonderful to unwind after a hectic week!

The Batu Ferringhi night market! It opens up only at night (of course :P) and you can buy just about everything and bargain to your heart's content!

And I know things get more interesting in the night :P.. 
There is more coming up.. in Part II !! :)

Flashback

Going back to my last post, I wanted to post memories which are very close to my heart. Childhood memories for me are tantamount to my granny's old house in Dadar. So whenever I see any of those pre-independence buildings in Mumbai I apparate back in time. The house had been inhabited by four generations of our family, beginning with my great grand father.
That was a building with high ceilings, wooden staircases and carved balconies... Sunlight filtering through the colorful mosaic on the window panes. It took you back in time.. One window opened to the hustle 'n bustle of a big city and the other to quiet narrow lanes. Well, even if that had been my second home till I finished school, I haven't been to that house for close to nine years now!
Hweeps ..! It just seems it was yesterday when...
I ran into an old man while taking my first bicycle lessons - arrogant oldie scolds poor child me - gives me free traffic rule gyan - later turns out to be grandfather's friend - shit ..
The moms go shopping - me and cousins recreate water kingdom in the kitchen - freaked out in the selfmade swimming pool - folks harrowed - never left home alone ever since..
Even worse moms dragging us to shopping with them - (well those were days I used to hate shopping (how dumb of me ..!! )) - irritated cousin - kicks a roadside dog - dog chasing us from Plaza to Shivaji Mandir - finally finds cousin's butt between his teeth ..
Neighbour had F-O-U-R Poms at home - I was chased multiple times by these creatures .. same/different .. I don't know..I don't care.. 
The food - Dadar Chowpatti - sev puri - Great Punjab - still my favv.. 
The fights - the teasing - uncontrollable mischief - troubling unwanted guests - broken tube lights - and finally harassed grand parents  .. 
LOL.. I can still see these images... in the tone of Sepia ....!