Long Way to Go...

Another lazy afternoon….. looking outside… no concrete thoughts… dust has covered everything, the roads, the lampposts, the trees… as if the green is hiding behind a dull veil. Feeling a little bit sleepy… but I know I can’t sleep, can’t sleep until by works are done. There is a long long way to go. Wondering whether I can at all reach there? How long I have to wait to see my dream coming true, how long?

I have been a performer and want to remain that for the rest of my life, come what may. Yes, dance is my life and it means everything to me, just everything. Can’t even think of surviving without it. Organizing a cultural programme, but lot of things are there to be done. We all are trying hard. God knows when we can achieve our goal.

I won’t loose hope, I won’t. Maa has always taught me to try and try until I succeed. Thanks Maa :-) . It is because of you and Baba that I can at least dare to see the dreams. My dream will come true and I know all of you will be there on that day. So friends, see you on 6th Feb 2010 at Mohar Kunja (opp Rabindra Sadan, Kolkata). All are welcome. :-)

Where Alauddin Saw Padmini

Hey people, trying to share this with you for so long. But couldn’t manage time. Finally I am going to show you something. Many of you might have seen this. For others I hope it will be a genuine surprise.

Want to know which was the exact place where Alauddin Khilji was sitting while looking at the image of Padmini? I tried to capture it with my analogue camera way back in 2004. Though the photo is not very clear I hope you will at least get an idea.

This is where the beautiful queen Padmini was sitting.

Who says India is poor in science or technology? Just think of the idea. Since Alauddin was not allowed to see Padmini face to face he had to see her image and the way the whole thing was done is just brilliant.

Let me share two more photos with you.

This is a Shiv Mandir inside Chitorgarh.

This is the sacred pond where the ladies used to bathe before offering worship to Lord Shiva.

Mere Bharat Mahan… :-)

Happy Durga Puja

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMUvf9GKlMM&hl=en&fs=1&]

Wish you all a very happy and peaceful puja. :-)

Sunshine On My Shoulder...

We all love to see sunrise or sunset. The scenic beauty of the moment is just amazing. Isn't it? I tried to capture some rare moments with my analog camera at different point of time.

Sunset at Falta:

It is the same sun hiding behind the small hill. :-)

Sunset at Udaypur:

See how it looks from the seashore.

Sunset at Puri:

Just felt like sharing the pics with you. :-)

The Journey Continues...

Friends I promised that I will be back with my story. So finally I managed some time to spend with you.

I missed to share an interesting fact in my previous post. Whenever we used to come across some local children they used to greet us saying 'Namaste'. You know what does that mean? You are supposed to give them chocolates. This was the cutest of all the kids.

Such a Sweetheart:

On our way back one of the most interesting incidents of my life took place. We were supposed to go to Phalut from Sandakphu. But due to bad weather we had to change our plan. We decided to follow a short cut and reach our next destination Gurdum. The route was through dense forest. The view was awesome. Can’t resist myself from sharing it with you.

Way to Gurdum:

When we were coming down, some local people joined us. Actually they were going to attend a marriage ceremony at Gurdum. When we reached there we found that none of the families was ready to provide us accommodation as each and every person of that small village was going to attend the marriage ceremony.

We were hungry but couldn’t have anything since every day we used to cook our meal after reaching our destination. Thank God! Our guide Vinod daju (local dialect for elder brother) and our porter Lakshman could read our face. And you know what? The local people also requested us to join the marriage ceremony and invited us for lunch. Mmmmm…. delicious. After four days when we were bored with our own cooking we finally get a chance to have a great lunch. The savor of each and every dish was awesome.

Finally a family agreed to let us stay in their house for that night. They were very poor. But I was speechless to see the beautiful decoration of their house. Every single item was handcrafted. Trust me, the aesthetic beauty was no less than that of a five star hotel of any metro city.

We left the house the next morning to reach Srikhola. On our way we crossed several small valleys. As soon as we crossed a valley and looked back the small villages were really looking like perfect framed photographs. Within a few hours we reached Srikhola. I really don’t know how to describe this place. I am running short of words to depict its beauty especially the meandering river and the view from the hanging bridge were awesome. Earlier we planned to stay there for that night. But our guide and porter were in hurry. So we left Srikhola for our final destination Rimbik.

Way to Rimbik:

We stayed there for that day. The lunch and dinner were just too good. They also served Khorsani (a local version of pickle). I will never forget the taste. Oh, and how can I forget the mouthwatering momo. Everyday we used to have them at least twice a day and each time they tasted equally good or and let me tell you far better than any five star hotel of Kolkata can prepare.

So that was the end of the story or should I say a new beginning for me. Thanks to Vinod daju, Lakshman, Dona di (our instructor), Epsita di (my teacher) and Ekka (my junior). Without your support I could never reach my dream destination. :-)

A Journey to the Dreamland: Sandakphu Trek

Hi friends… when I was thinking of having my own blog I was confused what to talk about. Then I decided to start with something which I believe from the bottom of my heart. I believe life is a journey… a never ending journey. Human body is subject to decay but the journey of the soul never comes to an end.

So I think what could be a better option than sharing with you the experience of my journey to the dreamland... The Himalayas. Mountains beckon me from childhood. But I never knew that life will give me a chance to explore the mystery of mountains this way. When the proposal came to me I couldn’t say no. And you know what the best part is? My parents didn’t hesitate to allow me to go for a trek to Sandakphu after I explained that there is no risk involved if you get ready with proper planning, follow the right strategies and mountaineering rules and take necessary precautions.

The Route We Followed:

We started the journey in June 2006. I was so excited I couldn’t concentrate on any other thing. We reached NJP and hired a car to reach a place called Manebhanjan, from where we were supposed to start the trek next day. Manebhanjan is a small town with no similarity with places like Darjeeling, Gangtok or Kalingpong. The first time I came to know how it feels to stay in such a small picturesque hill station.

A Small Picturesque Town – Manebhanjan:

I was unaware that more surprises are waiting on the route. As we proceeded we went on discovering the hidden treasure of nature that was in store for us in every bend of the mountains. We started early the next morning for our first destination Tumling. The route was so beautiful that I wouldn’t have mind if it would have been a never ending journey. We crossed a spot called Meghma. The name is apt because the cloud was so thick we literally couldn’t see beyond a few feet. Just take a look at the spot.

Meghma – “Walk in the Clouds”:

The next day we were supposed to reach Kalipokhri. We got up only to discover that it was a cloudy day and if we decide to start we can’t escape heavy rain. Since we didn’t have much time we decided to leave the trekker’s hut at Tumling. Rain made the journey even more difficult. No regrets as I discovered a fresh new look of the Himalayas and enjoyed every drop of water falling on the leaves… the sound of rain drops… as if the rain had covered the mountain in a blanket of mystery.

After much struggle we reached Kalpokhri. Wondering why such name? See this.

Kalipokhri – The Black Lake:

Weather was not so bad the next day. When I came out of the trekker’s hut early in the morning I was speechless to see the snowcapped peaks around. Till then I have only heard of them or seen them in pictures but they were right in front of me for the first time and I realized my life has got a new meaning. I was thrilled and wanted to reach our final destination Sandakphu as soon as possible.

We just packed our ruck sacks and set off for the journey. Alas! When we reached Sandakphu there were clouds all around hiding the mountain peaks. I was sad to hear that there is least chance to get even a glimpse of Mt. Kanchenjunga. But the place itself was so beautiful that I wished I could stay there for the rest of my life and I am sure you will feel the same after seeing this picture.

Sandakphu – Paradise on Earth:

I didn’t know that the greatest surprise was still waiting for us. We were having dinner. Suddenly Anil, a porter of our fellow trekking group arrived at our trekker’s hut and requested us to come out immediately. We followed him to discover Mt. Kanchenjunga flooded with moon light. (Sorry friends can’t share the picture as none of our cameras was so powerful to capture the eternal beauty.) We were spellbound. The natural beauty touched my soul. For the first time I realized the prowess of the Creator, the Almighty. I can’t express how it feels when you first discover that you are a part of that vastness. It was like a dream come true!

I think I won’t stop if I keep on writing as there is so much to share. So I think I will continue the story in my next posts. :-)