Enthralling Trails

Jessie covered her hands tightly around her bent knees; her head slumped as she gaped elsewhere. She didn't recognize the alteration of twilight into the crack of dawn. She had a woebegone expression and looked out apathetically. She had aroused early in fact she had not slept a wink last night. She and her sister Nancy consoled each other but some happenings cannot be over and done so easily. Nancy envisaged how blissful they were a few months back. Nancy was my close friend and a colleague, who resided at Nallasopara west with her sister. Both were married and owned two apartments in the same housing block. Their spouses were employed in Saudi Arabia and so would visit once or twice in a year. They belonged to Mangalore and spoke Konkani. They lived in Nancy ’s flat and had sub-let Jessie’s flat. Mumbai is a metropolis of dreams and people state it is the grace of Mahalakshmi and Haji Ali which contributes to prosperity.  Jessie worked at Church Gate for ...

  Pune city is alienated into twin cities like Hyderabad and secunderabad. The erstwhile is Pune and the latter is called Pimpri Chinchwad. The Municipal powers taking care are called Pune Municipal Corporation and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation correspondingly. The city is undergoing a fast transition since its inception as an IT hub.  Many of the land fills have been converted into stunning locales. There are more than hundred green spaces in PCMC itself. One of the landfills which endured a radical transformation was the bird park or the Veer Savarkar Park .  The place with all the garbage and sewage water underwent an astounding renovation. A variety of birds migrate here in winter and can be seen perched on the foliage  The variation has transformed the area into a paradise from a mosquito infested region. However during monsoon the grass grows high transferring it into a habitat for deadly snakes. The park also has a small pond called Ga...

As my sufferings mounted I soon realized that there were two ways in which I could respond to my situation -- either to react with bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force. I decided to follow the latter course.”   ―   Martin Luther King Jr.                          There was profound stillness, the crowd was solemnly grave. I and my sister were ushered from school. I could see my father standing in the midst of our neighbours with tear filled eyes. We faltered to enter the veranda. I gazed at my father questioningly; he gently took me near my mother’s lifeless body.  I was distressed. How could my mother who had consecrated me with good wishes at half past eight breathe her last? Tears didn’t gush as it takes time to come to terms to not many realities in life. In one of the rooms my brother was inconsolable however weeping copiously was my eldest sister who was no more tha...

 After eleven long years we finally purchased an apartment in Pune. The edifice is actually multifaceted, a cluster of four smaller structures and a few row houses nestled in a colony  called Rajyog Marg; however the lane has no resemblance to a stately street. Its narrow and the situation of this street is dismal with potholes. It is a worn out lane as there are quite a few new apartments being built and people proudly compliment the area calling it mini Mumbai. When we enter an adjoining lane through this lane the view is overwhelming. Close at hand stands a spacious and majestic complex .The name board of the building has not been put up as the completion is yet to be assessed by the municipal authorities. Each block has seven floors with five flats on each floor. There is an office which will be used as a club house later with green lawn in the garden lined  by palm and other fast growing trees. There is sufficient space for walking, playing and chatt...

Way back in the year 1991 I got married and had to move to Mumbai where my husband was employed . I was brought up in the laid back city of Hyderabad experiencing the joyfulness of living.   Neighbours and friends believed I was fortunate to shift to Mumbai which was then Bombay as they considered it was a city which could alter dreams into veracity .I never liked Bombay because of the multitude and grime regardless of the fact that we were in this world  for ten whole years. Within a month on reaching there I started working at St’Francis school Vasai in the western suburbs of Mumbai. We were residing near Vasai at Nallasopara in one of my husband’s cousin’s flat which had been bought by him as an investment. The flat was located away from the station in a scenic spot with mountains and a small pond too. Commuting to Vasai meant  boarding the early morning train which was at 6.45 am as we had to be in the school before 7.10 a.m. Eight of us working for this scho...

A P J Kalam says when people in their later years look back with bewilderment and regret, they will not be able to accept the choices made . They will wish for another chance .A meaningful old age comes out of a meaningful life. I have been a teacher for more than two decades and have worked in various schools at Mumbai , Hyderabad and Pune. I learnt that  the art of teaching was rampant in my blood genetically as my father was also one for a short time. Perhaps it was the respect for the profession by my family which helped me understand the nobleness of the endeavour. In our profession though we reek out values in children ,teachers envy each other for creativity,  a gain  in higher position like corporates without accepting what facilitating  knowledge means to this profession  mostly challenging their values . In the year 2005 I joined the school run by Chinchwad Malayalee Samaj and here I met my friend. Duly we understood we shared the same interests...

Scenic Durga Tekdi We lived in Siddhivinayak Nagar near Appu Ghar at Nigdi in Pune for eleven years. The area happens to fall in the cantonment area of Dehu Road and has been leased for ninety nine years I believe.It was beautiful to be close to nature after our stay in the concrete jungles of Mumbai . We were living in a row house which is a lot similar to an apartment with common walls but stands apart due to the garden area ,terrace and a first floor like a duplex.Our colony turned out to be the last one in that area and our backyard was the prohibited area of Durga Tekdi an artificial forest built on the ghats by philanthropists who watered  fast growing silver oaks and cared for it to make it the most exquisite walking area of nearly two and half kilometers uphill. We led a very contented and peaceful life in the area with merely a scarcity of water haunting our peace. Finally our house owner agreed to get an underground water tank dug so that in dire scarcity we could ...

My day begins with a morning walk in the beautiful Veer Savarkar park at Akurdi in Pune. Each day the crowd varies but a few are regular for their walk like us with the same timings. They say walks or any form of exercise secretes Happy Hormones and serotonins which calm our agitated nerves and thus keep us focussed and peaceful throughout the day. Though the regulars never greet each other and there is no sign of recognition despite the fact that we have known many for years.  In the picturesque surroundings I look forward seeing a beautiful person ,a graceful old lady.This old lady who is very regular for her walks has captured my attention for days together.. While we are walking briskly calculating the calories burnt, the frail and feeble body of this lady is barely able to drag her a few steps . Clad in a clean voile sari ,her hair hanging loosely plaited on her shoulder ,with loose hard soled shoes the lady drags herself across the longest walking path greeting others with a...

R T E The most beautiful kids in this world happen to be the children of the laborers busy building a seven storey luxury apartments in haste for the owners to move in during the auspicious laxmi puja ceremony of diwali. There are many kids in the basement. the oldest an eight year old who carries her little brother in her lap and  and plays with the other little kids who are two to six years old finding her path through the sacks of cement piled in the basement. Whether it rains or it is sunny it makes no difference to their play. The occasional break is their lunch in the dilapidated hutments built opposite the sprawling building. Probably they are not aware of RTE or about schools. What catches their attention is the trolley of sand left unattended. they run to take a turn  rolling it as they behave like their adults. Is  right to education  a mere melodrama too much of sound signifying nothing. Think about it. This blog of mine will include the most beau...

Robin Sharma says "smell the air ,see all the details -the more precise the better".A few books change your life  wonderfully well. These days I find myself enjoying each and every moment in life to the utmost. Every small beautiful moment experienced leaves me rejuvenated, it could be as simple as the raindrops or the dew laden leaves. An underway bridge separates Akurdi from Ravet in Pune due to the railway lines. There are three underway bridges leading to Ravet at a distance of half a kilometer but as these are quite old and ill maintained it is usually filled with rain water or sewage water at times. Due to urbanization the place is undergoing a rapid development and people have started finding residential buildings more accessible to Hinjewadi from this place. It was the fifth day of Ganesh Utsav yesterday and  many of the Ganpati idols were being trundled along the subway  in cars and other large vehicles. The subway got jammed due to the vehicles moving either w...