Kashmir ( A trip to heaven ) - Day 2- Goodmorning Kashmir !! - Part 1

           I am a early riser and have felt that mornings are the best part of the day. It's so calm and lovely.The best time to talk to yourself ,to hear your inner voice , see the sun rising , sound of mantras and "Azaan" which makes the moment more pious and sacred, birds chirping . how I could have missed all this in kashmir so I preferred rising early and I am glad I did that as I witnessed the most splendid dawn of my life.
           The sun was still hidden behind the snow laden mountains , and throwing a little light over the waters . The lake of tranquil waters was reflecting the tranquil sky. 

Reflections..

 Birds swimming in  the green waters of have started their day.Some were diving deep in the waters to look for their foods and the colorful small fishes were enhancing the underwater beauty . There was a variety of birds I  have never seen , ( waise bhi you dont get to see beauty in cities :( ) . I could hear the "Azaan"  in kashmiri language which was adding piousness. Lotus leaves all around me was adding more greenish shades in to that colorful mesmerizing morning. 

Dal Lake premium residents 

                                   

Sun , lake , mountains and Lotus wishing each other goodmorning

                   I could not recall any other morning as amazing as that coz I witnessed another God's wonder that day ,a pair of duck swimming towards the place from where I could hear the Azaan. Their was a small piece of land , you have to climb 2,3 stairs to reach that place.The couple in white (I could not distinguish between a she duck and he duck ,but 1 duck was following the other so guessed , they are a couple :P ) stopped in the midwaters and  waited for all people in the mosque to leave. I guess they had an idea of the time because as soon as they came , the people were done with  the morning prayers and started leaving for their place in their shikaras. When all left ,they came near that dry area and started taking water of the lake in their beek and throwing it over their body ,brushing their bodies with their beeks and putting water again. This act was repeated several time and than they stood up , shrugged water from their bodies and moved in to the dry land and rested . It was now left over to Sun to soak water from their bodies. Now I knew the reason why ducks are so white :).  Is not that amazing . 

Could you spot those white beauties taking a bath

By this time recital of Mantras could be heard from the Shanakaracharya temple on the top . I saw a women rowing the boat and making the morning more musical by the sound of the water striking with  the "patwar" . As soon as the day started rising, the activities in dal lake increased, the local people in the dal lakes started their daily chores , A vegetable seller with fresh vegetables in his boat , Some catching fish in the Dal lake for meal , some selling kurkure  kind if stuff and all on boats We spotted people taking cylinders also in the boat. 

He was catching fish and having hukka and other things in his boat :)

They carry cylinders like this 

The Sun has arrived by now and my friends also woke up so I enjoyed my must have "Steaming cup of tea". My friend opted for a kashmiri kahwa. Kahwa is a kasmiri tea .It is if 3 types - 1 is salty they have milk it is with milk  , second one is tea with dry fruits and third one is with saffron . It was time now to get ready to walk in and explore other parts of this heaven. Shanakaracharya mandir , Nishat garden , chashme Shahi , Pari Mahal , Hajrat Bal, was on our itenary .

I am just loving it :)

Kashmir ( A trip to heaven ) - Day 1 - Shikara ride and mesmerizing houseboat

Gar firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, hami asto, hamin asto, hamin ast.

             In my early years , when I saw "Roja" , "Kashmir ki kali" and some other movies ,I use to wonder can there be a place as beautiful as kashmir. Snow laden mountains ,  magnificent flowers , lotus spread all over the lake and much more. Will I be able to visit such a place ever in my life. I am truly lucky and blessed that my long cherished dream turned in to reality , this May , when I reached kashmir.
             It is truly said about Kashmir "Gar firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, hami asto, hamin asto, hamin ast" .This visit has rejuvenated me and I am in so much peace with myself after being in Kashmir for 4 days . This has revived in me the inner peace and strength. I could not ask for more. I still feel in Kashmir , still dream of the beautiful landscapes ,I met there .Hence sharing with you all my Tete - a - tete with kashmir .
             Well our trip started officially when we reached Dal lake and I stepped my foot in to the colorful shikara . Shikaras are colorful a little big size boats , with a comfortable sitting arrangement , they also called "Shikara Taxi". There were shikaras all over the Dal lake and numerous houseboats .

One of the Shikaras

We than headed towards our houseboat "New Bulbul" through the lanes in water. There was houseboats everywhere , lotus leaves or Water Lilly.Houseboat is a  complete house built over a large boat You will have everything in the houseboat. When I entered the houseboat, I was enthralled by the interiors . A small cute bedroom with a Kashmiri kadai bedcover, a dining room , with wooden carved table ,a small cute drawing room with TV ,Small washroom with a bathtub. Carpet was spread across whole houseboat. The wooden carving on the walls of the houseboat was so intricate and beautiful that just can't be described. 

Drawing room Houseboat

Dining Room

             After taking rest , we decided for a Shikara ride on dal lake was. So we had shikara taxi called "MayFair" at our service in few minutes with "Fayyaz" as our driver. Do you know that there is everything in Dal lake , schools , medical shops, etc. Can you believe it ? . Many people make their living by selling vegetables and other eatable on a boat. There were many houeboats all over the Dal lake some were personal too where people were living as we live in our apartments. Every houseboat has a boat  with it in which they go from one place to another in Dal lake. During our ride many people were coming to us to sell their stuff like jewellery , kashmiri hadnicraft ,flowers and so many other things . A must mention These people are trulely salesman. They will somehow infact anyhow convince you to buy their services. They have a pet dialogue "sab khaya piya  yahin reh jayega yadein sath rahegi"   :) and they are true in this also . We were also convinced by them to buy some jewellry and got ourselves clicked in kashmiri dress .

Photosession in Kashmiri dress

Fruit chat vendor on a boat

Flower vendor

          The view of dal lake from a shikara was such a great experience. We can see water all around and colorful shikaras , some were enjoying water sports also.. A kahwa during a shikara ride a must have .                                                                                
           Fayyaz told us about their marriage traditions. People in Dal lake marry during September. They  hire big boats specially used for water sports and all baratis and gharatis take a ride  in Dal lake on those boats , after that, all people come to bride's place and take marriage vows , then after a gala feast all return to their places. "Vazwan" was what I heard  was  the famous dish served during marriage.
          While he was telling us about their traditions we reached floating vegetable market.  They have vegetables gardens which float and to identify them, they hold it by some wooden pillar sort of thing. 

Floating vegetable garden

Next was a proper market of clothes , wooden handicrafts etc.  built on boats . There are two types of market one is private and the other govt where you will get discounts. We bought some shawls and bedcovers from there kashmiri wooden work was also amazing. 

Shops on Dal lake

Shops on Dal lake

By now our watch displayed half past 9 , it was time to get back to our Houseboat. After a delicious dinner in houseboat,  we wrapped ourselves in the cozy blanket ,in our cute little houseboat and slept.

Such a bliss!!

Killer looks are liked by Girls

Killer looks are liked by Girls... 

Isn't  the topic interesting , this was some heading in newspaper ,I didn't got to read the article but definitely it made me think that this kind of stuff is what most of the guys discuss about. How they can impress the girl in their neighborhood or in the college or girl in another team in office. oops! Am I thinking too much .

        I have a friend of mine who says he can write a book on how to impress a girl. Whenever we talk , he tells me a story how he impressed the other girl in past. I am not sure, if he really was able to impress a girl by applying his tips , but would love to share those interesting tips .Here are some of them , I am sure you would enjoy reading !
[All my girl friends , let me know if you know any other tip applied on you to impress you :) ]

• Good sense of humor .                                                                                                                   If you have a good sense of humor, she will definitely like your company. Well I guess, this is true and logical  to some extent . Who would  not love to spend her time, with a lively guy ,who makes every other person with him laugh.
• Don't show them that you are after them. Act as if there are more important things in life than girls.(I know actually the truth is opposite)                                                                                               Again a basic rule .."You always want the thing which is out of your reach." So If the guy is not after girls, all girls will be after him :)
• A little bit caring attitude, atleast on display.                                                                             "Let me hold your cup of tea for you ,its hot. you will burn yourself."  Will any girl be able to resist such a caring person ? I don't think so. Who would not love to have a friend ,who is so caring that he always keeps you on the side of the road, where there is no traffic.
• Be a little possessive.                                                                                                                 Just be a little possessive about her .  If you take her out , make sure that she is comfortable and doesn't feel lonely ,making sure that you give her space. Act as if you are jealous, when she talks about some other guy.
• Appreciate them.                                                                                                                         Keep praising and appreciating her. Make sure that when she makes an extra effort in getting ready for a party , you appreciate her at the same time and be little honest too . Like If you love her more in saree and she has put on a dress , tell her you look beautiful in this , but you look best in saree. or sometimes I like your hair opened or something like that :)
• Be dependable.                                                                                                                             Act such that girl have confidence in you that whatever is the problem , you will resolve.
• Stick to your rule book (May be imaginary :))                                                                                                                              Just don't agree with the girl for all that she asks ,instead go by your rulebook , put up your opinion as well.
• Sometime Use catchy liners                                                                                                           I guess apart from some exceptions , all girls like some filmy kind of lines in their praise one or the other time they won't show but definitely they love to hear .
• Last but not the least Just don't overdo anything.

These are some of the simple but basics tips that all of us know , but what I think is If you are really a man, you won't have to do any thing , girls will be impressed by you.

Would love to know your opinion on this . Please comment on this or mail me.

Love in those days

Holi 2013 , It was on coming wednesday and I reached Meerut on saturday ,  applied for  two days leave and than wednesday was Holi . Well I took bus from MohanNagar this time, was not expecting any seat as Its was a before Holi weekend, but luckily I got a bijnore deepo bus and a seat next to conductor.  Jab aapko thoda sa jyada mil jaye tab achcha lagta hia na :) well this time the journey was  not so eventful and unexpectedly trafficless roads :) , but 1 beautiful thing i noticed this time would definitely like to tell you . An elderly couple was sitting next to me , Uncle seem to have some eye operation recently as he was wearing a black goggle . They were enjoying each others company , sometime sitting quietly or sometimes discussing one or the other thing. , but they seem to be happy and contended . They were travelling to their son's place , but were not aware of the route properly, The conductor told them that the Bus will go to their place but they will have to buy the ticket twice. One till Mujaffarnagar and then from mujaffarnagar till their destination , they seem to be confused and wanted to confirm with their Son, The old woman took out her simplest nokia set and tried dialing the number I can see the effort which she was putting up to dial a number . all these cell phones all old people i have seen find difficulty in using it :). The other side seem to be busy so she kept her cell back in her simple purse which i was able to see full of medicines ,keys reading glasses and some religious books, They were not listening to any music in their ears as all the younger generation in the Bus was busy doing.   Suddenly a child throw a balloon from the road ( Holi hai ) and it hit uncle. Aunti  immediately took out her handkerchief and started wiping water from uncle face . It was so sweet . Just loved that moment ,
she than got up close the door of the bus asked the person sitting in the corner to close the window. She was so worried , checked twice if all water is dried or not as Uncle was advised to stay away from water.
I felt as if true love you dont have to show off , it can be just felt. I could feel how much she loved uncle.
i think love in todays generation  is far different from our parents generation , these days we want equal or  more in return , but in  olden days , both sides were not very demanding like All wify's in those days were very less demanding , they used to be homely and never demanded time or anything else from their husband , while husbands were also not very demanding.
but these days both sides want more and more , they have lot of expectation from the other half. Like Husbands wants their wife to be smart , earning , homely everything they want. And similarly Wife is also demanding she wants her husband to give her time , lavish lifestyle , i mean all these sort of things ...
I know its a debatable issue whether demanding and expecting is wrong but 1 thing for sure expectations definitely leads to misery  as when we expect it means we want the other person to be like us, to think in our way , to behave as if we would have behaved if we are in his place  Is this RIGHT ?? Are we doing right by asking him/her to change her completely for us This is unfair ..We really need to think on this and instead of changing ourselves we should create a third person HUM which embodies both's . and we should not change ourselves.
I am sure if you understand what I am trying to say I guess these lyrics will explain you my point ... Its a beautiful song and one of my favourite It completely describes how a marriage should be ... :)


Apne rang gawaen bin, mere rang mein ghul jao
Apni dhoop bujhaye bin, meri chhao mein aa jaoOh chalo yoon kare,Tum, tum bhi raho, main, main bhi rahoonHum, hum bhi rahein
Saathi janam janam, u me aur hum.

Jaise Baadal Paani Ka, Yaarana Hai
Jaise Gul Aur Khushboo Ka, Dostana Hai
Waise Hee Rahein Hum Tum

Tere Mere Haathon Mein, Koi Bhi Pinjara Na Ho
Ek Duje Par Apna,
Haq Toh Ho Kabza Na, Ho Har Haal Mein

Ek Din Toh Who Lamha, Bhi Aana Hai
Dono Me Se Ek Ne, Chale Jaana Hai
Baatein Yeh Sabhi Hum Tum, Jaanlein Abhi Hum Tum
Dono Mil Ke Saath Mein, Aise Jeena Seekh Lein
Taaki Jo Peeche Rahein, Usko Na Ho Mushkilein

Teeno mil ke saathchale

Perspective

I just wait for weekends so that I can visit my mom and relax at home ,place where I have been born and brought up , where  I can relate to myself ,where I don't feel like lost in crowd.. Every weekend on Saturday's I get up early pack my bags and travel to Meerut. Last weekend I took bus from AnandVihar and choose to sit nearby a couple. As soon as the bus started for Meerut soon I guess I was just lost in to some thoughts when suddenly my mind diverted towards the discussion the couple sitting next to me was having. Husband said "See Santro ka mausam aa gaya , wo dekho santre"  Wife said "No they are lokat". Husband didn't agree ,"nahi wo santre the wife Nahi wo lokat the" ..  They both were not coming to an agreement and then they decided to keep shut. After moving few Km ahead husband again said "wo dekho santre hi hai na" pointing towards a thela and wife replied to this, "hmm ye santre hia lekin wo lokat the"    :)
Both stick to their version :)
Noticed something ??
They both were talking about their version , Both knew the difference between lokat and santra both knew what is lokat and what is santra , they didn't just gave a thought to this . I was wondering that Why Wife didn't thought that my husband knows what is santra and he can't be wrong and why husband didn't think that She knows difference between Santra and lokat , she must have seen lokat , she can't be wrong ?
I am sure both were correct the husband saw santre wala thela and wife saw a lokat thela. Both were correct ,but the problem was :-
1. Their was lack of trust
2. Ego
3. No effort to try to understand the other person
4. Some kind of zid in both apni bat manwane ki

I guess EGO , ZID to prove themselves right , blocks our thought process, we just think in the box , what we have seen , we do not think out of the box what the other might or Must have seen or in such a situation

Its always happens that we just see our version and we do not try to understand in what situation the other person can be .

Recently few days back I was in a great trouble ( its ok now :) )  , I yelled for help from my friend , she said she will get back , I waited for her reply for few days but she  didn't reply.. I was very angry at her atleast she could have said NO that would not be a problem and I would not have waited for her reply or help for so long and would have looked for other options ... I fought with her , At that time she just said sorry and kept quiet . After few days .. we were on phone and this topic again rose ,I started getting angry over her again , She tried telling me why u get angry all the time try to understand , the other person can be in some problem , but i was not liestening , She than finally told me about her problem which was bigger than mine and that was the reason she could not reply and she just didn't tell me coz i was already in problem , would have got worried .I  felt so small and guilty that i could not be with her in the worst of times i was just so engrossed in my life and problems , why i could not have understood that she can also be in problem , why i just saw my side , why my trust over her shaked in times of trouble , what made me think that she would not help me ...

Its just that .. I just closed my eyes and was just able to see what i am seeing , what i am thinking , i was making  my assumptions on the basis of what i am seeing and not taking the consideration about the unseen...what about contingency which we consider even when we do project estimations , why dont we do it in our real life ??

I know this was a very small thing and  in life there are so many such issues and things happening which we generally forget , which do not effect lives as such , but actually THEY DO , they do affect us in very small EMI's. They pile up.They burn our pockets of happiness.. like i lost so much of time in being angry over my friend . Definitely these will kinds of things wont lead to BIG SAD things but surely will lead to a leakage in your life from where small happiness will vanish gradually. you will stop enjoying a softy or a gol gappe sort of things ... I hope you get my point ...

Well I guess no java code , no google nothing can be as difficult as to keep up a good relationship ..

you really need to TRUST , you really need to SEE ON THE OTHER SIDE as well , wear the other person's shoes, you really need to NOT TO loose faith in bad times...

We really need to put in efforts to keep our life happy , to enjoy small things to increase our bank balance of love of our friends and relatives and Family  ( money balance bhi chahiye bhai :) )

An affair with the career

This time my favorite day "The Saturday" started with a cup of  tea with my roomie , "jave" (vermicille) on cooking gas and simultaneously packing for Meerut. I took bus from AnandVihar .A young couple was sitting near me . I planned to start a novel based on some DCE (Delhi college of engineering )guys. While I was reading about the fun in college  time, tension free life , I heard the girl next to me scolding her friend for his busy schedule. ,"All the time you are working , why you don't eat properly bla bla " and to this the boy replied . "Stop it Preeti, Enough why all the time you are after my life I know what I am upto I have to do lot of things in life I have to do training and all I have to earn money and I need to switch job for that I have to study , I don't have time for friends and all other things  and so on he continued.
This reminded me of so many instances where people have ignored their friends for life , relations just for career. I still sometimes see and old friend of mine online late nights with whom I am not at all in touch now ( He lost gem of a friend :P ) as he is also too busy with his career He had no time for friends , for dinner, for LIFE
 I remember my manager post's on facebook
"and we are the trend changer:) we celebrate festivals, birthdays, holidays only on weekends"  because We don't have time. Many people work on weekends.

Does this means that we all having an affair with our careers and spending most of our time to make our career ?
In school days I use to think , once I will start with job I will have a good life and I guess all of us have thought so but dont you think that our life has turned out to be something else ? Was this the life what we have dreamt of in our childhood? Missing all our festivals , missing all our best buddies marriages and the best incident I have heard was one of my manager was working whole first half of the day on his marriage day :) .Why we are not saying to work pressure and why the Managers burning their Sundays to burn ours ? :P

The question arises "Is an Affair with the career a good option ? " How we can sacrifice the small happiness of our lives for the sake of a career. Why don't we say NO when the work starts occupying the time meant completely for us and for our family ? When our career has taken a high priority over the family ?. I really fail to understand this . In the name of making their future bright , are not they loosing on happiness of present , which will never come back ? How can Dad's miss their new born for onsite ? Onsite can wait but won't you miss seeing your child grow , speak first word , taking first step. Dinner with family and to top today's generation find solace in front of the idiot box (TV) instead of spending time and chatting with family.
Is sacrificing our life for the sake of the careers which is governed by a bell curve or some new policies is GOOD ???
We need to think .
But here among all the business of our life I would like to mention that their are few people I have seen who beautifully manages their work life balance. They are at the peak of their career and still have possession of a beautiful life at home. My DM of my previous company she is a great woman I am really surprised how she manages her family , She is  DM Delivery Manager at such a young age  in such a big company and still she enjoys girlie lunch with her friends , she prepares yummy and styloo dinner at her home , holidays with her daughter ,goes Gym and works a lot .I don't know how she manages and I am sure she must be having much more responsibilities than ours.

I guess it's on us whom we give importance what are our priorities and how do we manage. I am not saying ignore work do it with responsibility and ownership but Say No when it trades your happiness with a small pay hike .

Missing the greens..

Some  2 years back , I was travelling in my rickety infy bus, sitting on the window seat (My favorite) , thinking something .Suddenly my mind diverted towards the things happening  outside , I felt as if I am watching some movie through the glass pane of the bus.
         The movie started with some small children playing and waiting for their school bus. Their mothers discussing and sharing their thoughts about the school and all other things related to their children in front of the gate of a high rise apartments , I can see some colorful Buildings trying to touch the sky and on the other side of the road there was just barren land and a small tea shop where some people are drinking a hot steaming cup of tea. Some small huts  and a small tap where 4,5 women were standing to fetch the water .
          Now my bus  was moving from a part which is yet to be developed ,still there was land on both sides of the road and  construction is in its very early stage , The workers working there have made their  small temporary living arrangement to make beautiful houses for the richer section of society. The day just got started so they are doing their daily chores , washing utensils and few brushing their teeth by Datun(toothbrush from a Neem tree) .
            Then the Bus moved towards the part of land untouched by Man.  I can see an orange line or horizon in front and which embarks the beginning of the limitless sky painted in grey and blue shades and end of the land which is brown in colour. Tress on both side dancing on cool breeze as if greeting good morning to each other. I felt peace within for no reason just at the beautiful sight.
           I felt as if ,God created the beautiful land and sky, and adorned the land with the awesome flowers and trees. The whispers of tress,cool breeze blowing ,such a beautiful place called Earth is, but some monster disguised in the form of human being  came and started cutting the jungle and instead created a concrete jungle and We are just spectators . We feel content in AC air  instead of cool breeze , artificial trees instead of real trees.
Long time back I heard a story  about a King who loved the ho voice of a koel every single morning the koel used to come and sing for the king and king used to love it Than somebody offered him an artificial koel who can sing like real koel. The king forgot the joy he used to have from the original koel voice and started feeling happy but soon he started missing  the original koel.
I am sure something like that is going to happen with us as well. currently we are happy  owning a flat in a high rise building , a swimming pool gym and all other modern amenities ,but sooner or later we will be missing the real things , Don't you miss sleeping on "chat" (Terrace)  ,watching at stars in summer at your native place ,I miss  all that  Do you ? :(