Bangalored!

 ‘Be proud of your town because it is a big part of who you are!’ said some wise gentleman.

“Pride without knowledge is like a tree without roots!” said somebody else, a little wiser maybe.

Of late I have begun to follow their words and I have started learning about Namma Bengaluru. What better way than to read all the literature about the place we live in? While discussing our common interests (read books!) a friend recommended me ‘Peter Colaco’s Bangalore: Century of Tales from City & Cantonment’. I was on an eager search the same day.

“Your search ‘Peter Colaco’s Bangalore: Century of Tales from City & Cantonment" did not match any products. Try something like using more general terms or checking your spelling” said Amazon.

“Sorry, no results found! Please check the spelling or try searching for something else” said Flipkart.

 “Sorry, out of stock” said Sapna Online.

“Out of stock, it is in print Madam...” said Mr Maye Gowda of Blossoms Book House with his signature smile.

And then like all roads lead home, I sent this on our WhatsApp group of Akruthi Books.

Pat came Guru’s reply, a dear friend and the owner of the bookstore. If there is something called as cloud nine, it was this text for me at that moment. There is a reason why some book stores become your favourite, it is because they are run by warm people who make the place feel warmer than home. They make a way to your heart. They are not about sales. They are not about discounts. They are not about author meets and greets. They are not about book reading sessions. They prevail for something beyond all that, for the higher purpose of reading.

I received the book by post today and cannot wait to read it. Thank you Guru :-) I am Bangalored, of course for good. 

Off I go on a nostalgic through Namma Bengaluru :-)

PS: For all those who love reading and who live in Bangalore, do visit this bookstore at Rajajinagar, a quiet but bright basement very close to Bashyam Circle. I bet you cannot stop loving this little den and getting some books!

Here are the details:

Whom to contact: Mr Guruprasad on 098866 94580 [Ask him about a book, he will review it in a line or two within a couple of minutes for you :-) !]

And where it is: No. 28 (Old No. 733), 2nd Floor, 3rd Block, No. 31/1, 12th Main Rd, Gayathri Nagar, Rajaji Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560010

 On Map: 

 

 -R.

Picture Perfect

This morning I happened to see these two friends and how happy they seemed to be with each other, aren't they? The broken winged butterfly knew where to go, the lone wild flower knew who would come. And when such people get together, everything has to be picture perfect :-)

“When you start to really know someone, all his physical characteristics start to disappear. You begin to dwell in his energy, recognize the scent of his skin. You see only the essence of the person,not the shell. That's why you can't fall in love with beauty. You can lust after it, be infatuated by it, want to own it. You can love it with your eyes and body but not your heart. And that's why, when you really connect with a person's inner self, any physical imperfections disappear, become irrelevant.”

-Lisa Unger-

-R.

The Matter

Like ice in water

I melt in your being

I maybe afraid to say

Anything else but this truth

I maybe afraid to go

Anywhere else but with you

For you are where

My joy and journey is

For you are where

My mind and spirit is

In the only state that we live
And call it a good life
With all its twists and turns
When there is an angel like you
Subtle and simple, silent and strong
To hold me even before I ask
To treasure more than I love you
Is the only matter that matters

-R-

Beautiful People

Two beautiful people who have nothing to say, nothing to do

 because everything remains said and everything already done 

but somewhere in the corner of their hearts wish that

 they were always together, always.

FRIENDS, but naturally.

-R-

PS: If you think there is just one turtle in the picture, look close you will find the other one right beneath it. Well that is the thing about friends, they stand for you just like the ground beneath your feet, rock solid. But too hard to notice. This picture was clicked when I was with my friends of such kind a few days ago :-)

A Happy Friendship Day to you all:)

Guilt

SPEECHLESS. And thats exactly the reason I connect to him. The guilt of being wrong for reasons whatsoever is tolerable. But the guilt of not doing the right thing at the right time,unforgivable and unforgettable. If only such guilt was not so difficult to carry, life shall be more livable. 


-R.

The Party

The best thing about the oldest of our friends is that their advices come when we most need them, often even without asking. Everything they say or recommend are enough to put things back on track. They can break our heart open the way it needs to be. There is something apart from motivation in their words, their actions and the way they put matters across. Knowing them pretty well we often fight, judge, and come to conclusions. At some point we may even think that they may not be the best in town for help or for any kind of solutions, we may lose hope but the truth is whether we realize this or not there is our guardian angel in one form or the other in them. Their casual comments, subtle remarks and sometimes just one thinkable thought is enough to give us that one push. One such friend of mine asked me today "Why don't you live life like its  a party?" I have been thinking since then, and I am glad that I am:-)

Considering where the worm in my head came from, I could not stop sharing this strip:

Picture Courtesy

“I want a life that sizzles and pops and makes me laugh out loud. And I don't want to get to the end, or to tomorrow, even, and realize that my life is a collection of meetings and pop cans and errands and receipts and dirty dishes. I want to eat cold tangerines and sing out loud in the car with the windows open and wear pink shoes and stay up all night laughing and paint my walls the exact color of the sky right now. I want to sleep hard on clean white sheets and throw parties and eat ripe tomatoes and read books so good they make me jump up and down, and I want my everyday to make God belly laugh, glad that he gave life to someone who loves the gift.” 

-Shauna Niequist-

-R.

Jeene Ke Liye

'Har ek friend zaroori hota hai' so says the new Airtel ad.Quite a catchy jingle right?;-)I loved it. This one is stuck in my head since days. We all have these subtle 'full-of-life' moments now and then. Thanks to  the buddies around us. We 'need' them, but everyone on everyday? Well maybe, or not. When and why do we draw a line or cut the connection.How do we keep them if we want to? What do you have to say about it, are friends only a necessity? Why do you need friends?

"Do khwaab dekhne ke liye

Do pal hasne ke liye

Do gaane gunguna ke liye

Do dost jeene ke liye"

-R-

You And I

Tomorrow is the first Sunday of August and we all know what is special about it. Cards, gifts,  parties, roses, texts, wishes and friendship bands aside think of that one friend who gives you this feeling every moment “Ah! Blessed is life!” If you have one, well you are lucky and if you have many, luckier! It is not hard to find make such friends, but it is harder to keep them. And the efforts are not always mutually exclusive.

While we have grown through various phases of life we have categorized our friends into childhood friends, school friends, gully friends, pen friends, stamp friends, coin friends, cricket friends, college friends, neighborhood friends, travel friends, office friends and then came this current network era of online friends, orkut friends, facebook friends, twitter friends so on and so forth. It is more of the lasts in this list nowadays.Don’t you think this categorization is pretty lame and ordinary?

How many among these are the ones who give us that ‘blessed life’ feeling? Although the availability of candidates for our idea of friendship will be surplus, the way in which our relationship shapes up  will depend on a hundred other factors and circumstances. Not all carbon turns diamond if you notice;-) A few among the bunch touch our hearts where no one has ever dared to. These are the people who love us just like how much we love them or maybe even more!

Isn’t this entire concept wonderful, two persons by random chance meet and relate to each other so much or so little and still never get fed up of being with each other! Sociologists say ‘No man is an island’, everyone needs friends but how many of us today make them only to keep them? Or do we make them only because we need them? Why does it have to stop at that or does it?

I have so many such questions in my mind. In all these years I have lost friends more than I have made, a few weird ones just choose to stay for all the goodness that I show ;-) When I look back I realize nothing was planned, everything just feels like it was meant to be. Of course I regret not keeping in touch with a few, the distance has inevitably come. But what is it that makes some friends really special that you can do anything to keep them? Will things be the same if we do not talk to them or see them for years? Should be, right? Actually more often than thought we are scared of losing such friends, at least I am!

And on occasions like these I come up with such gratitude filled blog posts, I also make sure that I show a little of my love in some way or the other everyday to at least one of them. Because I think ‘Life Is Too Short To Hide Your Love’ and my friends are the ones who make everything about it matter. These are subtle feelings, it may not matter if we do or do not acknowledge every time I know. But I am sure most of you will agree when I say that sometimes a laugh, a hug, a smile, a look and even a little tiff with such friends makes a lot of difference in our lives, a lot!

This post of mine is dedicated to all of them and this poem is for that friend of mine who makes that huge difference in my life:

You And I

The smile in your eyes when you show me the clouds and stars in the sky

The tight bear hug that you give when often and for no reason that I cry

The endless fights that we have when our fiery moods swing low and high

The spark in your voice when you shout and mean only the truth but no lie

The sound of your silence when you hint ‘Anything for you O’ friend my’

A million such things beautiful turns friends like  ‘Us’ from ‘You and I’.

-R-

Nothing matches the feeling like this song does. A Happy Friendship Day & Sunday to you all:)

-R.

Academia Here I Come !

This made it here.

“I of all people can’t be normal. You think I should be ‘normal’? Myself? I need to sit and work in the rules of the setup... its really tough…”

So said a Calvin prototype who I look up to when it comes to such rare sense and sensibilities. On such occasions I end up giving him lengthy advices [most of us are good at it ;-) ], some practical and some very idealistic. At times I wonder if I can follow everything of what I suggest him!

When we want to do something new we begin with soaring spirits. We have ideas, plans, expectations and our own way of doing things. Everything appears perfect and colourful, what we actually see is the tip of the iceberg ;-) As time passes we realize that the system is sophisticated, the truth is every system is, was and always will be! There are assignments, projects, deadlines and submissions always on our mind no matter what our area of study or work is or how interested we are in them. There are rules meant to be followed although we laugh them away by saying they are meant to be broken. There are important people above, below and at the level of our hierarchy to be handled. There are countless limitations that will stop us. There are just too many things that we slowly and tactfully need to get aware of. It is a process precisely and to be good at it is a skill. All this comes with time, patience and experience. 

The joy of learning and living comes with a lot of pain. It is really okay to complain, crib and whine occasionally, pretty human thing ;-) If you are in a mess seek for help, ask for some more time or just take a break and do something you really do not mind doing anytime! And of course do get back to what you are supposed to do actually ;-) If nothing of this is possible, just face it! Monotony and dilemmas hit all of us now and then, but it is up to us whether we make it synonymous with our routine or decide to separate them.

Quite a wisdom to take right? Did not I tell you most of us are good at something, well I belong to the most! Over here it has been two months of masters in Microbiology right now. I have thirty four more and the rest of life left ;-) And it never ever before had occurred to me that I can be busy doing this all day too! I am finding it strangely nice. I managed to write this while I was making my dissertation protocol right now, break time you see ;-). Because writing is something what I feel like doing anytime, so here I am giving some free advice on my blog. No better place than this, what say you my kind reader? :-)

The legend always inspires me...

I am back to work, protocol calling...

Academia here I come! :-)

  

-R.

Friends For Life

I wander here now on a busy but lonely street

While my heart thumps with a not so new beat

My eyes search and find things that I need not

How do I tell you’O my friend I miss you a lot!’

Ah!From dusk to dawn what nostalgia strikes

Through the wild those dozen treks and hikes

Those ghost stories to each other that we told

And the winds that hugged us together in cold

Cricket in pitch dark,not mornings we played

For on each night out hours awake we stayed

Scooty rides and treats that nobody calls food

No roads of our town that we left for any good

All the bonus birthday bumps,cheer and shout

A silly joke till this day that we can laugh about

Each treasure like these that binds us in knots

Are clicked and captured in million snapshots

When I see them,I know you are still the same

Wish we freeze our times more than in a frame

For now separating us are the ocean and skies

To meet you,my best friend are my silent cries

We shall for life,not if soon tread hand in hand

Remember no friend is left forever in an island

Come lets create the future like our past again

If not for us,for the friendship that will remain

-R-

PS1: Dear boys in this picture,I know this is some heavy stuff for you.This poem is my little gift to you.This picture is one of my favorites just like you.I know you are not the kind of friends who wear their hearts on their sleeves and talk often.Time,place and people that surround all of us are now different.Having watched you for all these years as a common friend this is what I have deciphered-you guys are friends for life!I know this poem is just like a grain on the shore:)I just hope that you,my gubachis like it:)You can dedicate the poem to each other,let me know who wants to first!

PS2:This poem is written as a part of Poetry Potluck Week 29-'Photographs,Memories And Nostalgia'  at Jingle Poetry.

Thursday Challenge #2-Reflections

Your Friend Is A Reflection Of Yourself...

PS: I have a bunch of awesome guy friends who used to go on treks and trips come sunrise or sunset.This picture is picked from a tiny 6 GB collection of their photos on my hard disk.Times have changed and each one of them is now in a different continent.But somewhere deep in their hearts I am sure there must be a silent wish to get back to those wonderful days and spend each moment together again.This one for all of them whether they are in this picture or not,just to say that they are being missed... 

To reflect more visit Thursday Challenge

-R.

Heavens Else

Image courtesy-JuliaHurts-Deviantart

Two foot mine set out on a long but beautiful road 

With all things in my backpack,quite heavy a load

I looked ahead and turned not to see my folks cry

While they waved me with their tears a goodbye

Wheels on the streets and aeroplanes in the skies

Boats in the waters and all that runs,sails or flies

Board I did to wander in a paradise far and away
Singing to me myself 'Oh what a perfect holiday!'

A world it was of bridges strong and buildings tall

Every fine wonder that man alone hath made it all

People I met,places I reached,pretty nice and new

Grabbing each moment of joy that a journey threw

But alas!My gypsyish delight was not meant to last 

For I forgot memories are God's present from past
 No letters nor a call and I thought I could care less  
I had lost more than I had gained is what I confess

As I slept in the chaos and woke in the silence long

On one good night I remembered my mother's song
My father's sweat hidden behind a smile for my sake
And my forever friends fighting for my birthday cake

Off I strode back then on a way safe and the shortest

To meet the guides and comrades of my life the best 
 'They are waiting!'some thing from inside always tells
Home is where my heart is,not in any heavens else!


-R-

PS:Written for Poetry Potluck(Mon)-Trips,Travels And Vacations at

The Canary's Speech

For someone who prefers sandals over heels this came as a total surprise.'Style and me huh?Poo you gotta see me!' is what I thought when I saw this...

My blogger friend Poonam of Beyond Horizon has honored me with this award.

I am pretty poor at giving award speeches.But today I am going to try.All I have to say to you is Poo that you are one of the most likable people that I have come across till date.I am not saying this because you thought of giving me this.I mean it and words are all I have to prove.You deserve my gratitude for you have been there with me quite literally and 'very bloggingly'.To me the most satisfying part of writing a post is reading comments from people like you.You have helped me blog better and I thank you for that.We may not meet over cups of coffee,we may not share jokes and we may not lend our shoulders to cry but deep down in my heart I know there is someone just like me out there who reads me between my lines,who understands things I do not want to tell and who makes me smile with her every comment here on my blog.You made my day today Poo,a zillion bear hugs to you.Keep blogging,for your words have the power and panache,spread  them beyond every horizon!

In between all the thoughts and feelings that we give and take in this virtual yet beautiful world of bloggers,I give this award to these sparrows who have touched me with their words,they deserve this and more.Pass this and all happiness on,blogging is a pleasure because of people you.Thank you everyone.In random order:

Sameera-Life In A Jiffy-For the many bubbles she sends;-)

Bikram Mann-Me And My Random Thoughts-For being an ardent appreciator of my every post.

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart-My World-My Perception-For writing soul stirring stuff.

Sarah Malik-Embodying Emotions-For the serenity with which she carries us through the disillusions and delusions of everyday life.

Lakshmi-Confessions...of a lost female...-For holding my hand when I baby stepped with this blog.

Muddassir Shah-The Rosette Stone-For speaking his heart with the most simple words always.

Pratibha Singh-Pratibha The Talent-For the awesomeness of the talent that she owns.

And as a continuation of this speech I am supposed to blow my trumpet,a seven times exactly!Now that is like letting the monkey inside me on my favorite tree.So here is something about me that will make your brows and ears stand up:

• Read a book and then talk to me.
• I do not forgive easily,forgetting is a difficult and different story altogether.
• If you have a sweet tooth for sweetcorn,you are my friend for life.
• I can be ruthless,uncaring and barbaric if you intend to harm anyone who makes me smile.
• The canary does turn into a penguin at times.
• I hate the fact that my brother's hair is curlier than mine.
• I became a blogger by chance,I will remain as one by choice.

"Your blog is your unedited version of yourself.Your blog is what you say when there is nobody standing over your shoulder telling you what to do.It demonstrates how you think outside the rules.It is one of the very few places where you have complete editorial control.Don’t take that for granted"-Lorelle.

I more than agree with this quote,cheers to everyone who work on their blog and keep their flow of freedom alive.

A good day to you all!:-)

-R.