Enthralling Trails

“Do all the good you can while you still have the opportunity.”   ―   Lailah Gifty Akita It was a new dawn, a  scenic morning when people welcomed the year, according to the Hindu Calendar. In Maharashtra there were celebrations correlated to Gudi Padwa, while in Andhra Pradesh it was festivities associated with Ugadi. The Konkanis were going to celebrate their new year, while the people of Karnataka too were carousing. Having my roots in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and having lived in Maharashtra for more than two decades, I felt the best way to celebrate was through an early morning visit to the  Swami Ayyappa temple at Dehu Road . The temple is amidst the sprawling greenery tucked away in the Sahayadri mountains of the western ghats  extending from Lonavala to the cantonment area in Dehu. With the development, we find a few hills, some of them called the Shasta hills that are holy with the Shrine of  Swami Ayyappa .  The trek on the Sasta ...

“Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts . It is about one life, influencing another.”   ―   John C. Maxwel   Ranbir runs his Tailoring shop at Pradhikaran in Nigdi. I met him  for the first time more than a decade ago, when we were new to Pune. I wanted to alter a dress, and was looking out for a tailor who could do it. 'Prakash Tailors' is a well known tailoring shop in  Pradhikaran. Ranbir was also an employee of Prakash Tailors. The shop is a small one in the hub of Nigdi where one had to wait for a turn during the busy hours. There were three tailors called 'Masters' and many young boys working under these 'Masters'. The 'Master' is the  master brain behind the design, the cutting and stitching of the dress, a few youngsters are given the opportunity to seam the stitches, add buttons and beautify the dress according to the requirement of the customer. Prakash tailors would always delay the customers as they were willing to wa...

“Happiness is not a goal ... it's a by-product of a life well lived.”   ―   Eleanor Roosevelt A reunion of our school batch was planned more than a year ago after we began unearthing each other on the Facebook. A few of my classmates were responsible for weaving the fabric  of friendship all over again. A WhatsApp   group was created by a few more. Technology transported us into the most beautiful phase of childhood, yet again, regardless of our grizzled appearance and responsibilities. We began sharing our joy with a greater maturity and waited for the ‘D’ day with great excitement. There were a few who had booked their tickets well ahead while a few of us joined at the last minute.  Our spouses were more than kind helping us leave the domestic responsibilities at their mercy. It was a three day celebration as we felt a day or a short meet would never be sufficient . The city of Hyderabad was chosen as the meeting place as we were the Alumni of the ...

  Today is a new day! Many will seize this day. Many will live it to the fullest. Why not you?"   —   Steve Maraboli   She looked aside heaving a sigh and told me that this was momentary like others, this would go by like all other moments in life. Her beautiful large eyes were filled with anguish and pain. I was just an empathetic listener, could do nothing for her. When we are cheerful, we find the whole humankind joyful; but when we are miserable, we feel aloof engulfed in our world. I saw her slowly tramp towards the gate and walk away with her painful foot. She has been a friend for a short time, but the plainness in people is something which has always fascinated me. I understood her to be genuine. I heard through others that she is a wonderful writer and orator in Marathi, but my introduction to her was when she came looking out for her class to the second-floor staff room. I spoke to her and as time went by we grew closer as she and  I belong ...