I will remember

I am, because I travel. I love to see new places and explore worlds I’ve only heard of before. I firmly opine that life’s gifted to you only once, and before you part with it, make sure that you have seen everything that it’s got to offer. In roughly, twenty two years of existence, I have been fortunate enough to travel the length and breadth of my country, to places near and far, and in a way, understand what it truly means to be Indian. From the snowy reaches of Ladakh to the spectacular sand dunes of Jaisalmer, I have been amazed at the sheer beauty of a landscape so varied; yet so well stitched together by its cultures, traditions and people.

There are some places you like, some that you don’t; yet others which leave a lasting impression on you long after you visit them. Places, you would always want to visit time and again, just to relive the priceless relationship that you share with them. These are not always well known or famous but then, they are special in every sense of the word. Here’s a compilation of three ‘special’ places I have discovered over my wanderings.

1. Pangong, Ladakh

Approximately two hundred kilometers from Srinagar is the town of Leh, an unlikely settlement in the middle of nowhere. You might remember it from the Bollywood blockbuster ‘Dil Se’ (1996) which was shot extensively here. Rocky brown mountains covered with snow and freezing temperatures make this land one of the most beautiful, yet punishing locales on the planet. It boasts of the world’s highest battlefield, Siachen, where for the past twenty years, two different sides have lost countless brave hearts, not because of the needless war, but due to the harsh and unforgiving environment that still continues to take its toll. Infamous this land might be, it holds some of Kashmir’s most prized treasures. Among them are its world famous monasteries, the world’s highest passes – the Khardung La and Chang La and of course, the world’s most beautiful lake, the Pangong.

A five hour drive from Leh through some of the world’s most desolate territories would bring you to Pangong. As an afterthought ‘drive’ would be an understatement for a no holds barred roller coaster ride through roads that deserve every bit, their place in the annual Raid de Himalaya. There were moments of pure terror during the journey when even our trusty off roader started freewheeling dangerously over a frozen cliff. It was hours later that the military trooped in with their snow moving equipment, that we finally heaved a sigh of relief.

Pangong, like the rest of Ladakh has had its share of glory in contemporary Bollywood. ‘Swades’ (2004) had some breathtaking shots of the lake, as Shah Rukh Khan sailed across it in a yacht. If that’s a bit too far back in time, the last few shots of ‘Three Idiots’ (2009) were filmed at the lake; (Yup, the part which has ‘Phunsuk Wangdu’ (Aamir Khan) reuniting with his buddies after five long years). Well Aamir and SRK had already been there; so I guess that left just me out.

Pangong’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. It’s the most insanely beautiful sight that I ever laid my eyes upon; a simmering blue expanse of freshwater, hidden behind the mighty Shivaliks. On the yonder side is China, where two thirds of the lake is situated. Far removed from human habitation, Pangong is an ode to the enigma of nature. The only sign of life at the lake is a makeshift tea-stall, manned by a Ladakhi couple which serves deliciously hot tea made of yak milk. Feel like taking a dip at the lake? Forget it. The water’s freezing cold and sure to give you goose bumps in all the wrong places! The wind is no different from the water; brrrr… Jackets are compulsory couture, so are multiple layers of warm inners… Vegetation is sparse here, the hills surrounding the lake are bare rock camouflaged by snow, which lends this place an eerie; yet distinctive appeal. Secluded, seductive and intoxicating, Pangong tops this list.

2. Chandni Chowk, Old Delhi

Delhi holds a special place in my heart. It’s where I find myself every autumn, navigating through its busy bylanes in three wheeled rickshaws. Elders tell me how the city has changed over the decades, from being a laid back third-world capital to a bustling new age metropolis that shows the way forward to a country in transition. Low waists have replaced the sarees, swanking new metro trains have replaced the yellow and green CNG buses while ten lane expressways and snaking flyovers crisscross the city like a concrete maze. The rapid pace of development is evident everywhere, even in Delhi’s suburbs (termed as the National Capital Region). Gurgaon and Greater Noida have come to be known as the ‘desi Manhattans’, thanks to the innumerable malls and high rises that have sprung up here. Yet hidden amidst all the modernity, with most of its charm still intact is Old Delhi. Its not a hard place to miss. Take the first right from the Red Fort, and voila, you reach Chandni Chowk!

Chandni Chowk is where Old Delhi resides. It was once filled with mansions of nobles and members of the royal court, along with elegant mosques and gardens. Today, despite having become extremely crowded and dilapidated, it still serves as the symbolic heart of metropolitan Delhi. It goes on for miles and miles on either side of ancient alleyways that date back to a few centuries. This was Delhi's former imperial avenue, where the Moghul emperor Shah Jahan rode at the head of his lavish cavalcade. That scene is hard to picture today, as bullock carts, bicycles, taxis, freight carts, cows, auto-rickshaws, horse-drawn tongas, and pedestrians create a constant, breathtaking bazaar. As in the days of the Moghuls, commerce is everywhere. Astrologers set up their charts on the pavement; shoemakers squat and repair sandals; sidewalk photographers with old box cameras take pictures for a small fee; medicine booths conceal doctors attending to patients; and oversize teeth grin from the windows of dentists' offices. Peer through a portico and you might see men getting shaved, silver being hammered into paper-thin edible sheets, or any other imaginable form of commerce, while outside a goat blithely chews vegetables from a merchant's cart. Not to be missed is the ‘parathon ki gali’which roughly translates into ‘paratha lane’. Here, you can feast on any conceivable kind of paratha; aloo, gobi and for the not so faint hearted – mirchi! There’s always so much to experience at Chandni Chowk, which makes each visit so truly memorable. Watch Gowarikar’s ‘Delhi 6’ for an incredibly realistic portrayal of old Delhi; if you can take your eyes off Sonam, that is.

3. Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu

If I can fill my lungs with fresh air

If I can fill my sight with greenery

If I can fill my ears with bird calls

I consider myself alive!

If Don Quixote was Indian, he would most definitely be Tamilian, hailing from this quaint little village near Nagercoil. India’s windiest place, Mahendragiri is home to droves of windmills that whirl away merrily all year round. A joint venture between Suzlon and the state of Tamil Nadu, this is Asia’s largest wind farm generating approximately 50 MW of green energy each year. Its location in the foothills of the western ghats, between two parallel ranges, is reason enough for the wind to get turned on this frequently. Also present, is a wildlife reserve, which is as exclusive as it gets. Located inside the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Mahendragiri campus, entry is restricted to those without passes. The reserve is a bird watcher’s paradise, home to countless species of the winged kind.

Mahendragiri is best explored on foot in the wee hours of dawn. Set out early enough, and be greeted by the sight of peacocks dancing to welcome a new day. Leading the four legged brigade are the blackbucks, which look menacing, but deep down, they’re really good hearted creatures. The month of March sees Mahendragiri in full bloom as the valley transforms into a kaleidoscope of colours, with flowers of every hue lighting up the valley floor.

Do remember to stop over at these places if you happen to pass by them, someday. They’ll make your journey, well worth it.

The Three Mistakes of My Life

I am screwed. S-C-R-E-W-E-D would be a more accurate representation, maybe. In the past four years, I’ve seen my life blowing up in front of me like a fourth-of-July firecracker, while I stood helpless watching it go kaboom before my eyes. Why is this happening to me, God? What have I done to deserve this? Why single me out for (as C.R. would have put it) “balatkar” when all I asked for was a “chamatkar”? This, ladies and gentlemen, is my story, in my words.

I might sound very chetan bhagatish as I put it down; hence bear with me. I’m neither an IIT Delhi undergrad, nor am I packing up for a one way trip to Ahmedabad in the near future. I’m jobless (not that I wanted any in the first place), officially single, and yes, most importantly, very well endowed with academic investments in my fucked up university. I regret, those were mistakes… the three mistakes of my life.

Mistake 1

The air was abuzz with change. It was a new century, a new government and new hopes. Loyola School had a new ISC batch to look forward to. Fifty black and white little future additions to the multitude of doctors and engineers who roughly constitute 99 percent of India’s reproducible population. Did I say fifty? Nah. There were two of us who were different. The human reproductive system wasn’t our cup of tea, nor were the COOHs and CHOOs of organic chemistry. Aah… we were entrepreneurs. So what if we couldn’t pronounce the word properly, half of our classmates never knew what the goddamn thing meant anyways! The stock market used to be our fodder for the physics period, while chemistry saw us doodling pie charts to cater to our incredibly waterproof and wildly fantastic business plans. Warren Buffet and Carlos Slim were THE people to beat. All we wanted was a villa by the sea, a seven star yacht and a bathroom large enough for an occasional baseball tournament.

All said and done, we were not bad students. We wrote our tests and rarely if ever, flunked, and if we ever did, we took it in stride. I was the average Joe, never really bothering to put in all the extra effort to challenge the revered ones at the top, while always maintaining a respectable altitude from ground zero. In contrast, he was Mr Inconsistent. His graph was a drawn-to-scale representation of the Swiss Alps. Sometimes soaring to reach unheard of heights, before charting an undignified free fall to the depths of oblivion.

Enter, the Kerala University with its engineering entrance. One thing that remained constant was our dedication, rather, the lack of it. Engineering was a one night stand, entrepreneurship was the ultimate goal. Not a surprise then, when we barely managed to fall within the 3K barrier. We parted ways, our quest for technical excellence leading us in different directions. Multiple rounds of counseling and several cups of coffee later, MBCET and electronics it was for me. Mistake number one.

Four years on and I realize that I’ve come nowhere. My ambitions, my goals were different. I’ve never really done justice to either, my dream of becoming an entrepreneur, or my avatar as an electronics engineer. Listen to your heart, take your own road. It’s easy to become a glory hunter, its tough to walk it alone.

Mistake 2

Love happens; like it did when you came into my life. If looks could kill, you would have been booked for murder, sweetheart. My heart skipped a beat each time you looked at me; and stopped altogether the day you turned and smiled. I wake filled with thoughts of you which have left my senses in turmoil. The world, my dear, marks its history simply by AD and BC. I mark it by the first time I saw you. All these years, I wanted to tell you what you really meant to me. I never could. My heart is full of so many things to say to you - ah - there are moments when I feel that speech amounts to nothing at all. Countless times have I tried to talk to you, faltering each time as I got closer to you.

Mistake number two. I regret not that I loved; I regret my helplessness, my inability to express my love for you. Is it too late now? It never is; for there’s always hope, remember? Until then, love, a thousand kisses; but give me none in return, for they set my blood on fire.

Mistake 3

I lived my life in college like a playboy on steroids. Beach parties, Monday matinees, intra-lecture siestas; I’ve done them all. What drove me was a wacko belief that I was too smart for engineering. The series exams were an annoying reality one had to live with. My preparations for these usually started in earnest the previous night, before ending up in tatters on the day of reckoning, which was marked by two hours of uncomfortable butt wiggling in some drawing hall. I had turned into a pack of cards, all shuffled up, with the jokers running riot.
Mistake number three. I was stupid. Why did I expect things to work out just fine at the end? They never would, especially when I did not put in the dedication and effort that was required of me all these years. Pay heed if you do not want to end up where I am, when you finish up. Make sure you give your best to whatever you do, and do it with utmost sincerity and conviction.

I might be screwed, but give up, I wont. My mistakes have shown me the way forward, and I still have a long way to go. You game, Carlos?