Duality(Varanasi)

Does a place calls you or you call a place?

This has been my question since I started traveling. It has happened many times and I am sure with you as well, when you make all plans to visit a place but never make it. And sometimes without much effort you are traveling to a new place. 

A second visit to Varanasi was on my plate for quite a few months. The first visit was to understand and capture the moments of this age old city. Which towards its culmination, ended with a promise of second visit. The incidents leading to this second visit brought back the question again. Though I had lot of difficulties settling on leaves, train schedules and finally finding a place to stay in busy tourist season. But once the dust settled, the ghats embraced me with their calmness and gave me time and peace of mind to ponder on answer. 

Duality - Stillness and Motion

Sitting on the ghats, you watch people pass by. Some passing in their mortal forms from one point to another. Some passing from this earth to some other earth, heaven, hell whatever you want to call it. You see the river passing by, the boats, the sun, moon, time pass by. And my mind diverts to another question – what exactly is passing by? What I am seeing as passing by or me who is passing by these moments in time? With each water drop, each boat, each second, each individual, I was the one who was actually passing by. I was passing in time for a better understanding me and the world around. Sitting at a single place I was able to draw a connection to the other dots on this big map. 

This made me realize, that place is not a variable, variable is me. The places remain as they are. They just reflect my mind, my mood and make me feel as I want to be. And as soon as this thought entered my mind, the duality cleared. For all the questions I had in mind the answer was singularity. It was ‘me’. It’s not other people or places I need to understand, it’s me who need be understood.

So are all questions answered? No my friend! This leads to a bigger question.

What is I without ‘I’?

Rishikesh - The Right Connection

Mystic Rishikesh

Amidst my Excel columns and Outlook reminders, came an ill typed mail.
"Hey man! I am going back home this weekend, do you want to tag along?"

The sender of this mail was driving to Dehradun, and my mind was driving crazy. One part of me wanted to be free and roam around in a place where I don't belong, understand it and in process understand myself. My other part told me to understand the Excel sheets and in process understand why I am paid X amount of money. Finally on Friday my hands packed up a bag and I was magically in my friend's car seat. He dropped me at Roorkee, from there a bus to Haridwar and then to Rishikesh.

So what did I understand and learn this time? Well I will say two things for sure.

What you see and think, the first impression might not be true.
On bus ride to Rishikesh, was joined by two backpackers from Maldives, who looked like our cousins from southern India., two backpackers from Europe, and a group of 'taus'(uncles) from greenland (read Haryana). The 'taus' like me initially thought the Maldive friends to be Indian and one of the 'taus' thought of striking a conversation.

Tau: "Haan re chore, kathe se away se?" (Hey lad, where are you coming from?)
Maldive friend: Blank looks.
Tau: Repeats.
Maldive friend: Repeats blank looks.
Tau: Repeats the question third time.
European friend: "Usse Hindi nahi aati" (He doesn't know Hindi)
Tau: Now blank looks.
Everyone sitting nearby including me: All blank looks.
European friend: "Usse Hindi nahi aati" (He doesn't know Hindi)
Tau: "Haire duniya! jo socha wo galat. Jisse Hindi aani chahiye usse nahi aati, jisse nahi aani chahiye usse aati hain" (Oh my god! All that I thought was incorrect. The one supposed to know Hindi does not, one supposed to not, does)
Me: "Tau, jo dekha, jo socha wo hamesha sahi nahi hota" (What you see and think, the first impression might not be true)


Then came my second teaching while sipping tea. Sign language might be primitive but that's all you need while you travel.
I was sipping tea with Sushil ji, a local tea shop owner. As it was raining we didn't expect any customers. Then suddenly came a man running, half drenched, looking for shelter. Sushil ji took this opportunity to offer some tea, obviously not for free, he isn't running a charity. While Sushil ji was busy, we exchanged smiles and glances. I pulled out my pack of nicotine to have a smoke, and he gestured to pass on one. I did gladly, only a smoker knows pain of dearth of nicotine. I asked his name. He said "No English". I asked "Hindi?" "No Hindi". So with all the sign language I could muster was finally able to convey the message - How would you travel and survive in India, if you know neither Hindi nor English. And he made one gesture, pointing a finger, no not the middle one, but the one pointing towards sky, denoting - The One, known by many names.

That's when I realized, it doesn't matters where you are, who you are with, you just need to find the right connection to be one with The One.

Why fences?

Why fences?

Every time I look at a fence, I do not have the question whether it's built to keep things in or out, why are they built at the first place. To me fences symbolizes some kind of differentiation. These fences come in two types. There are visible fences like the ones to demark territories. Then there are invisible ones which we have invented like nationality, religion, financial clout etc.

We all have been on both sides of the fence and we know that none looks good. Then why do we have fences?

Growing up

Every pencil was dear to me in childhood. I don't know how many pens I have lost after I grew up.

Growing up is a classic paradox of life we all have faced. When we were child, we always wanted to grow up. And after we grew up, we wanted to be a child again.The fact is we all know that we have no control over growing up (physiologically), and we forget that we have control to be a child always (psychologically). But not exactly child, or the world will put you in asylum.

So is there a way to enjoy best of both the worlds? I suppose there is - by growing up physically and keeping some of your childhood traits alive.

Think! As a child how curious you were. Your first instincts were always to touch a new thing, feel it, smell it, taste it. (Just don't try this at opposite sex after you grow up, might be creepy)
It is all due to curiosity you had at that point of time. The curiosity to know the unknown.

If you recap reel of your life, this curiosity helped you learn new things. And as you learned, your self confidence grew. In fact what you are today is due to the things you learned out of your curiosity.
World calls it life experience.

So why stop after you grow up? Be curios, learn something new always!

Pushkar Camel Fair

You go to market to but groceries, cloths, and etc. Have you ever been to a market to buy a camel? That place is India is called Pushkar, where during the annual camel fair you get to see camel trading.

Pushkar is believed to be the only city in world to have a Brahma temple, however there are more. The town is essentially based around the Pushkar lake, which boasts of 52 ghats. Most of the times this city remains quiet, with only tourists being Israelis or people extending there trip from Ajmer (another blessed city).

This city comes to  life during camel fair, where only two creatures you see in abundance are camels and foreign tourists with big cameras. This is one of the fairs which still conducts as per Indian traditions. Camell sellers and buyers come from far off places. For instance, one seller had to walk six days from his village to be in Pushkar. These people are very helpful and close to earth due to hardship in their own lives. They are also overwhelmed by the fact so many visitors come to see them.
This place is a good market for cloth paintings, small handicraft sculptures and obviously camels.

You have lot of places to eat and rest. Just look for areas near the lake, opt for lake view if you plan to stay. If you are carrying tents, you can pitch them at mela grounds and enjoy neighborhood of camel herders and sellers. There are few people who cater to demand of horses. The government during the fair arranges for cultural programs spread over a week.

But if you really want to enjoy the actual fairs without the tourists, visit 2-3 days prior to official fair dates as that's when actual camel trading takes place.

 

2 Es of society

I was born and brought up with 2 E boons of modern society. Education and electricity. If we can stop corruption, many like us will be able to enjoy these two boons too.  

things to know before you visit India

In recent times I have noticed that we get many foreign visitors to India. Some for backpacking some on business trips or on student exchange programs. Even being an Indian, I have been into cultural shock many times when I travel to different parts of India. So I thought to summarize some of the basic good to know facts if you are planning to visit India. But as advised if in India, be open to ideas and do not generalise.

·         Body Parts  In India body parts have different meanings and hierarchy. Feet and left hand are considered to be dirty. So if you are visiting any religious site or even in homes, it’s always better to remove your shoes and cover your head unless asked against it. Do not eat or give/receive money with your left hand.

·         Dress Modestly Even though kamasutra was written in India, Indians have this notion that white skin people are sexually active than black/brown skin. So it’s better to dress modestly covering your body parts and not revealing specially if you are travelling to rural areas or religious sites.

·         Public display of affection like kissing and hugging is strict NO-NO.

·         Being hounded and cheated  Unfortunately begging and touts have become business for many. Especially in major railway/bus stations, tourist and religious sites. Foreigners are generally considered cash rich, so be ready to be hounded by beggars and cheated. Know the actual rates through your friend or local acquaintances. If you feel you are being harassed or cheated approach police. (Though might be of help always)

·         Be ready for stares Common people in India consider foreigners to be some sort of celebrity. So be ready for those stares on public transport, roads, or most of the places you visit. Also you be might be asked umpteen times for a photograph to be taken with common people.

Above stated information shouldn’t deter you from visiting India, because it is one of the countries where you will also be overwhelmed by the hospitality and your sense being tested for different kind of views, smell and taste.