Enthralling Trails

Touch the underside of a penny you find   on the street Doesn't feel any different unless you close your eyes ―   Dave Matthes The newspaper had a last corner reserved for an article on the Dombaris. The producer of the film expressed about his oncoming  film that tackled the lives of gypsies in India called Dombaris. T he   Domba   or   Dom   ( Sanskrit   ḍoma , dialectally also   Domaki, Dombo, Domra, Domaka, Dombar, Dombari   and variants) are an  ethnic     or   social group , or groups, scattered across   India . (wiki . 0rg) Dombaris are nomads therefore do not have Adhar Card or any other proof of identity. Their moves are dangerous and once in a while they die performing the act. It caught my eyes owing to the association of the word with the Telugu language. It hasn’t been long since I met a Dombaris family.  The large open space between the shops in the open lane leading to Chintamani Chowk in Pune has an array of people occupying the space periodically. Just

“I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange, I am ungrateful to these teachers.”   ―   Kahlil Gibran The advent of winter towed along the festival of lights that bound a holiday break for the schools and colleges. The weather has turned cooler with cold winds blowing, rousing people to  exercise and interweave health. Indians have turned more conscious than ever regarding their physique and general well being. These days people prefer buying small quantities of  pickles and savouries rather than making large quantities of these at home. During our childhood, maids were engaged specially to pound roasted chillies and other spices to get the precise aroma that was handed down the generations, yet we prefer eating a lot lesser of these. Broccoli, mushrooms, lettuce and others have encircled their way into the Indian homes replacing the fiery and oily curries. The mornings no longer look like the crack of

“When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways--either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength.”   ―   Dalai Lama XIV I looked at the lady and wondered whether I had taken the right decision. Nestled among the green trees is a stark yellow and green building which opens on all the four sides into the bare land in our neighbourhood . There are two gates on either side that resemble alcoves leading the long paths into an underground parking. It has a series  of steps all around that lead to huge shops on the peripheral side. The  shops on the inner side have a ceiling which is high, and most of them have a spiral staircase to the loft room making it look like a mini retreat. Our long walks in the evening helped us discover this place. The shops are still non functional hence our eyes could not miss out this lonely new beauty parlor for women with its shining new hoardings. There are two communit