At 60 ft above the ground, I am sure it was the highest mountain in the world or perhaps, the second highest right after Mt Everest that is. It was specially selected for us, me and my colleagues for the offsite training that we went through.
The activity was called rappelling. The Instructors made it sound so easy as if we just had to mount and do it. Do it, as in climbing one by one and then coming down with the ropes and the equipments that hung on our waists. It was the second day of the training session and we had to get up early in the morning. To someone who is attuned to doing ‘Surya Namashkar’ facing west, it was a torture to actually get up and see the sun rise from the East and be on time for the activity.
We were 7 women and 15 men out of which, 2 women did not turn up due to long chat sessions in their room, 2 decided to cheer us pertaining to surgery-requiring boils in the hair. So, the modus operandi was that I had to be the first to take it up among women.
I am good at mind games and gossiping as a sport besides badminton. I remember trying to scale the Siroy Hills of Manipur. The Siroy Lily, being the only species in the world, and having read, heard and seen pictures of it, I wanted to witness the solemn beauty with my own eyes. It was a huge success with dad scaling 5 % of its height and shouting words of encouragement from below, “Come Down!!! Come Down!” I went a little more with some of the Junior Telecom Engineers and finally gave up. Dad somehow managed to find out from people that it was the off-season for the Lilies and would be a futile attempt to really go up there, a theory we eagerly bought.
With such a dazzling record behind me, I was set to repeat history again. I knew it was going to be no mean feat but up I went. Initially there were grasses all around but after sometime, I had to climb the rocks with no grasses to hold on to. The Tenzing Sherpa in me got scared. To add salt to my injury, I saw one of the instructors going up and down at least three times as I was still struggling. Panicky, but I managed to reach the top. I intended to wave at my colleagues below, especially to the womenfolk who would be following my steps as an indication that it was easy and I would be coming down with the ropes. I bursted out,” Whoa, I am scared. I cannot do it”, with tears.
I even insisted that one of my male colleagues come down with me, which was against the rule. I was listened to, with empathy but was denied.
The only escape route was the way down, rappelling. The first few steps were really scary. I was told to stand perpendicular to the rock, keep my legs apart, not to bend my knees and release the rope slowly and to take small steps. I was also ensured that even if I release the rope, I would be safe as I was secured with those things hanging on my waist. I clung to dear life and did as told but I held on to the rope, even the one I am supposed to release. The rope can take up to 2500 kgs the instructor said, but you never know, I am just 2455 kgs lesser and there is always a first time. The rope might just snap. I heard some of my colleagues firing instructions from below saying my posture was wrong, to release my hands etc. to which I replied gratefully, ”Shut up!!” at the top of my voice.
I slipped and shrieked and screamed but I reached safely. Rappelling is not a repelling activity after all.
Out in the wild, we went treasure hunting too solving clues. That was one of the most interesting activities. We were back in college, along with the Managers, learning and debating. I won’t elaborate more but I cannot miss this. We were asked to vote for someone who was the life of the training session and ehem!! I was voted. I got a book as a gift from the trainer written in her hand,” Your enthusiasm will carry you a long way.” Now, you know the purpose behind the post.
Even with all the noises around, the resort exuded a wonderful sense of calm.
Been to Uduppi to meet J and family too. She has come home for a few days. Apart from her wedding ring, nothing ever has changed. Chatted the whole day and went to a river near by. Savored the visual delights of the water and felt as though I had all the time in the world to enjoy its beauty. The rain interrupted as it had other plans.
Planning to visit Kerala and Coorg once more and also Pune.
Monday, June 26, 2006
Thursday, June 15, 2006
The letter 'M'
M - Miss, Ma’am: The first time somebody addressed me as Ma’am was in 1999 in a post office by and elderly man. Yo world! This woman had arrived. Now, I have got used to it.
M – Ma/Motherhood: The epitome of love and sacrifice, comfort and peace in her laps. My confidante, my complain-box. My ego booster. My ultimate goal in life too.
M- Mary: There is something about Mary and I know the difference between Bloody Mary and Virgin Mary. Now that I know of Virgin Mary, we can do sex on the beach and many more things bottoms up and on the rocks. I don’t drink because I thunk about world peep. Hic!
M-Manipur: Home, food cooked by mom. It is where a dream was born. Yet, it is the place where the bullets rain, where bandhs are a norm, where we search for our brothers even in the morgues if they don’t come back home on time. Life ends by 7.30 pm. I still ache for this place. I miss it. It is the price I pay for independence. It is also where my dad drinks his pride morning and night. Somebody said so rightly; home is where the sad stories are.
M- Michael Jackson, Madonna: “ All I wanna say is that they don’t really care about us”, “Papa Don’t preach”. We were singing these songs even before we knew the joy of rebellion and grew up listening to them. Madonna still rocks. A person like my dad whose singing skills does not go beyond hmm hmm hmm also knows the moonwalker and the pop diva. I can proudly say, the rest of the world must surely be knowing them.
M- Mithai (sweets): To be romantic in desi style- My mithai! Amar Misti
M-Mumbai: The city, I once wanted to belong to. It had a charm about it. Still remember the sounds, the sights, the lights, the laughs…
Queen’s necklace, the gateway, Bandra, Marine Drive, Fun Republic, the dome and many more places. It was just a click, a ring or a flight away but Mumbai seem distant now.
Memories hit me, sometimes, they are welcome, and sometimes they are uninvited. The sunset near the beach, the breeze on my hair, holding hands, love letters in the sand, playing with kids and the comfort I had felt knowing that I was being watched by someone as if I had meant something. They say, “The tragedy of love is not death or separation. The tragedy is indifference. “ I died many times. I lost to this city my best friend through marriage, my love and a part of me forever.
M-Money: “It’s all about the money, it’s all about the dum dum de de de dum, I don’t think it’s funny.” It is not everything but it is many things. When I started working, I thought if I get so much before I turn 30, it is ok. I have crossed that and I still want more. Infact, much more.
M- Merilyn Monroe, Madhubala, Madhuri: All of you close your eyes and just say, ‘yes’.
M-Maradonna: He is the ultimate for me. Saw the black and white video clippings of his formative years and how he became one of the finest players of the world. I am not interested in the world cups anymore.
M-Michigan: The place where somebody whom I had hurt is there. I know I was wrong and I will always feel guilty. I have lost the trust of a friend and earned bad name as a woman. God is fair I say. I got back in parts for what I did.
M-Meghendra Sharma: Sanity Check. My only male childhood close friend left. He is handsome and one of the most eligible bachelors around and I am glad we have saved this relation by not getting involved. But I have made him promise to marry me if I remain single at 33.
M-Meg Ryan in the movie “When Harry met Sally”: “He said it was transitional, not serious blah blah blah… I thought he didn’t want to be married but the fact is, he didn’t want to marry me. He didn’t love me. “ I have watched this movie many times and every time I cry, wail, howl with her.
M- My Arunima: When somebody who loves me says it with conviction and confidence, I know I can believe in tomorrow.
This post also features at DesiPundit. Thanks!!!
M – Ma/Motherhood: The epitome of love and sacrifice, comfort and peace in her laps. My confidante, my complain-box. My ego booster. My ultimate goal in life too.
M- Mary: There is something about Mary and I know the difference between Bloody Mary and Virgin Mary. Now that I know of Virgin Mary, we can do sex on the beach and many more things bottoms up and on the rocks. I don’t drink because I thunk about world peep. Hic!
M-Manipur: Home, food cooked by mom. It is where a dream was born. Yet, it is the place where the bullets rain, where bandhs are a norm, where we search for our brothers even in the morgues if they don’t come back home on time. Life ends by 7.30 pm. I still ache for this place. I miss it. It is the price I pay for independence. It is also where my dad drinks his pride morning and night. Somebody said so rightly; home is where the sad stories are.
M- Michael Jackson, Madonna: “ All I wanna say is that they don’t really care about us”, “Papa Don’t preach”. We were singing these songs even before we knew the joy of rebellion and grew up listening to them. Madonna still rocks. A person like my dad whose singing skills does not go beyond hmm hmm hmm also knows the moonwalker and the pop diva. I can proudly say, the rest of the world must surely be knowing them.
M- Mithai (sweets): To be romantic in desi style- My mithai! Amar Misti
M-Mumbai: The city, I once wanted to belong to. It had a charm about it. Still remember the sounds, the sights, the lights, the laughs…
Queen’s necklace, the gateway, Bandra, Marine Drive, Fun Republic, the dome and many more places. It was just a click, a ring or a flight away but Mumbai seem distant now.
Memories hit me, sometimes, they are welcome, and sometimes they are uninvited. The sunset near the beach, the breeze on my hair, holding hands, love letters in the sand, playing with kids and the comfort I had felt knowing that I was being watched by someone as if I had meant something. They say, “The tragedy of love is not death or separation. The tragedy is indifference. “ I died many times. I lost to this city my best friend through marriage, my love and a part of me forever.
M-Money: “It’s all about the money, it’s all about the dum dum de de de dum, I don’t think it’s funny.” It is not everything but it is many things. When I started working, I thought if I get so much before I turn 30, it is ok. I have crossed that and I still want more. Infact, much more.
M- Merilyn Monroe, Madhubala, Madhuri: All of you close your eyes and just say, ‘yes’.
M-Maradonna: He is the ultimate for me. Saw the black and white video clippings of his formative years and how he became one of the finest players of the world. I am not interested in the world cups anymore.
M-Michigan: The place where somebody whom I had hurt is there. I know I was wrong and I will always feel guilty. I have lost the trust of a friend and earned bad name as a woman. God is fair I say. I got back in parts for what I did.
M-Meghendra Sharma: Sanity Check. My only male childhood close friend left. He is handsome and one of the most eligible bachelors around and I am glad we have saved this relation by not getting involved. But I have made him promise to marry me if I remain single at 33.
M-Meg Ryan in the movie “When Harry met Sally”: “He said it was transitional, not serious blah blah blah… I thought he didn’t want to be married but the fact is, he didn’t want to marry me. He didn’t love me. “ I have watched this movie many times and every time I cry, wail, howl with her.
M- My Arunima: When somebody who loves me says it with conviction and confidence, I know I can believe in tomorrow.
This post also features at DesiPundit. Thanks!!!
Monday, June 12, 2006
O blady, o blada, o bladoo, life goes on…
You meet someone, you know each other, you start liking and then you part.
O blady, o blada, o bladoo, life goes on…
Sat and watched the video clip that I had recorded on the farewell party of J.
Sat and watched the video clip that I had recorded on the last day with roomie.
She had danced wearing a dupatta and Shikari Sambhu (Tinkle comics fame) shorts.
The other roomie is going back to her country or to another foreign land.
Come August and I will be looking for a new roommate or a new accommodation.
You meet someone, you know each other, you start liking and then you part.
O blady, o blada, o bladoo, life goes on…
O blady, o blada, o bladoo, life goes on…
Sat and watched the video clip that I had recorded on the farewell party of J.
Sat and watched the video clip that I had recorded on the last day with roomie.
She had danced wearing a dupatta and Shikari Sambhu (Tinkle comics fame) shorts.
The other roomie is going back to her country or to another foreign land.
Come August and I will be looking for a new roommate or a new accommodation.
You meet someone, you know each other, you start liking and then you part.
O blady, o blada, o bladoo, life goes on…
Friday, June 02, 2006
The mincing code- Tom Hangs
The opinions may be biased as I watched in under the influence of … well, self-cooked chicken curry. If you don’t want to read further, bottomline: Tom Hangs!!
It was a much-awaited movie and I knew no one else but Tommy would suit the role of Professor Langdon. I watched it post dinner. Not that it was heavy, 15 minutes into it and I slept like a princessand farted like a king. I changed sitting (sleeping) positions and tried again but my eyes took a decision of their own and refused to watch my favorite actor.
The next morning, fresh air and all, I tried to watch it and lo! I saw dear dear Tom all over my small screen. Started thinking why is his face too big and that he has even got freckles. If the camera had focused on his face longer, I would have started counting the lines on his face. Once in a while he looked interested as if saying to himself, “Oh hell, I am on camera and I got to be acting”. The fact is, I was distracted and I blame it on the movie. My mind wouldn’t have wandered and pondered on such trivialities had it been interesting.
I read the book even before it became a rage. I mean, I acted as if I had never heard about it from any other blogger by simply not commenting on any such blogs. So, there I was one of the earliest, who read the book and it was always a curiosity to know how could such a book be made into a movie, which would run for just a few hours?
Well, well, well on the positive side, the makers have tried to include everything within the limited time frame and done as much justice as possible but the thinking process, the solving of the puzzles couldn’t be captured as lively as the book.
Read it on the papers that teens are saddened by the fact that they cannot watch it on the theatres as it is ‘A’ certified. It is their parents’ money and they are bound to be saddened. Obviously!!
Had I watched it in a theatre, even I would have really praised the movie and brushed away any bad opinions shared by friends by saying, ”you don’t know how to watch a serious movie” simply because I would have paid 150 bucks.
I have always admired Tom as one of the most versatile actors and I have liked most of his movies but this time, all the kings’ horses and all the kings’ men, could not put my interest back again.
It was a much-awaited movie and I knew no one else but Tommy would suit the role of Professor Langdon. I watched it post dinner. Not that it was heavy, 15 minutes into it and I slept like a princess
The next morning, fresh air and all, I tried to watch it and lo! I saw dear dear Tom all over my small screen. Started thinking why is his face too big and that he has even got freckles. If the camera had focused on his face longer, I would have started counting the lines on his face. Once in a while he looked interested as if saying to himself, “Oh hell, I am on camera and I got to be acting”. The fact is, I was distracted and I blame it on the movie. My mind wouldn’t have wandered and pondered on such trivialities had it been interesting.
I read the book even before it became a rage. I mean, I acted as if I had never heard about it from any other blogger by simply not commenting on any such blogs. So, there I was one of the earliest, who read the book and it was always a curiosity to know how could such a book be made into a movie, which would run for just a few hours?
Well, well, well on the positive side, the makers have tried to include everything within the limited time frame and done as much justice as possible but the thinking process, the solving of the puzzles couldn’t be captured as lively as the book.
Read it on the papers that teens are saddened by the fact that they cannot watch it on the theatres as it is ‘A’ certified. It is their parents’ money and they are bound to be saddened. Obviously!!
Had I watched it in a theatre, even I would have really praised the movie and brushed away any bad opinions shared by friends by saying, ”you don’t know how to watch a serious movie” simply because I would have paid 150 bucks.
I have always admired Tom as one of the most versatile actors and I have liked most of his movies but this time, all the kings’ horses and all the kings’ men, could not put my interest back again.
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