Free Soul

Nothing more to hold
No bonding to behold
Life has come a full circle
You are now a free soul

No Joy no Sorrow
Nothing more to borrow
Seen it all
As there is no tomorrow


No body, No form
Flying at will
Far away from home
To places unknown


Something is left behind
Tears and memories
A new life beckons
Go! Go ! you are now a free soul

Saluting My Teachers

Today as I was going thru the newspaper, I read a small note on Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

I realised that today is “Teacher’s Day”. For some time I was actually on to a flashback trip to remember few snapshots of my life as a student. I began to make an effort to see if I remembered all my teachers from the day I started school. Below is what I did

LKG- Gladys Mam

UKG- Venny Mam

1st - .... not able to remember  :-(

2nd – Annie Mam

3rd – Dhanalakshmi Mam

4th – Venkateswari Mam

5th – Flavy Claire Mam

6th – Usha Mam

7th – Sundari Mani and Dhamayanthi Mam

8th – Prema Mam

9th – Aruna & Geetha Mam

10th – NBS Sir

My Sports Guru - KTR Sir

College - Dr. Gururaj Karajagi, Vijaya, Sathyavathi, Manu, Prakash SKS Sir, Mangala Priyadharshini , Prof ChackoSuguna, Ramakrishna , Shekar Sir, Nagendra Sir, Chandrashekar Sir.

My Sports Guru @ College - Late .Venkatashamappa Sir.

I am actually feeling quiet bad that I am not able to recollect the name of my 1st Standard teacher. Miserable on my part :-(

For few moments when I think, the question that comes up is , what would I have been, had these people not given me their best for whatever I am today?. It’s more than 19 years since I am off school but still as I close my eyes I can see those vivid pictures with each one of these people relating to some instance that happened in school. The encouragement I got , whether to pursue sports, studies or music or dance these people gave me and not just me but thousands and thousands’ of people like me each year . I still remember my Sports master who would come in to support me due to shortage of attendance since half the time I was out on tournaments. Unfortunately he is no more and it still softens my eyes as I write. I remember being made the school leader and the very next day taking a whack on my palm for being noisy :-) . Those college elections , cultural event preparations.... I miss them all. I still can remember the talk on Gandhi that Gururaj karajagi Sir gave which still makes me get Goosebumps.
This is like two important pages of my life that I have opened for you to view.

I am sure as you read this, you will also stress on your mind to think of those teachers who have made you what you are today. I take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to all my Teachers for making me stand as a human being with dignity. It’s not that today is the only day, but today holds a significance to take a minute to express.

I am going to now make an effort to catch up with my old friends, to see if I can get the name of my 1st Standard Class teacher. I really need to :-)

Freedom yet bonded

Its been years since I scribbled the below note. It must have been way back in 2000 when Bangalore was still to an extent a peaceful city.


Last 12 years if I sit back to see how life has moved.... I must say it has moved in F1 speed. Each one is running as fast as one can and the focus is predominantly shifted to everything being associated to making upto something in life.. but what is it?...  name, fame or money. Each one seems too exhausted but the determination to keep it on is highly visible. Life was not as hectic even 10 years ago..... It just feels even with all the freedom, man still remains a glorified bonded labourer even today to various things of life.

On the eve of  Independence Day, wishing  each one of you a free and spirited life ahead.
Slogans were heard everywhere,
Gunshots were fired in the air.
We called them patriots.
But aliens called them slaves.

Dressed in white,
They fought for freedom
They were men with mettle
And real wisdom


They spoke one language,
Visioned one goal,
Followed one mission,
Honest to their soul.

Shedding away their tears,
They fought for years.
Many died….
With bullets and swords pierced.

One day at midnight…
14th August 1947
Came the night of freedom,
To see India like heaven


Today we have the independence,
But there has been a slow death…
Death!!! of a patriot within us
Goals different and souls apart,
Confused how to end and what to start
Fighting for luxury beyond par….
Is this what our martyrs died for?

Feel the spirit of Freedom, in its true sense !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A medal to take home

The most awaited Olympics is underway and each day as I open the newspaper I quickly try to browse the medal tally page to see which country stands in which position and with how many medals.


As I had my cup of tea, I just began to think, what about all those people who are there to represent their countries but have won no medal. Are they any less ? they would have been focusing on their sport and practising with sleepless nights. The sacrifices they would have made to stay focused and the hard work they would have put in to make their country proud. Does that all go in wane? They are the unsung heroes according to me. But what remains a hard truth is the world lifts the man who brings the metal home.

Sushil kumar's match is to happen today and I sincerely hope he becomes the man to bring the shiny gold medal home....and make us all even prouder.  

The man I love the most

It’s been 17 long years
that you have not been around
I realise that I have lived more
without you now

However old I get
Does it make a difference
My thoughts do amble
Thinking of you every day

I have grown over the years
From a little girl to a woman
But my love for you
Only Deepens

It’s now another year
And the day you left
you are my very soul
Leading me day by day....

Being "+"

This incident happened at Devbagh Beach resort while we were waiting at the beach for the boat to arrive so we could be taken for a drive into the ocean to see dolphins. Most of us were already seated and we were waiting for one more family to join us.


While I waited…. And with my camera ready … I saw a fisherman who came to the shore….

He then walked in , threw his net and waited for a while and then slowly pulled out his net--- not a single fish to his dismay. I was closely watching him to see what would he do next . He walked further down the beach and a little more deeper into the water and spread his net and waited for his catch. I was curious to watch what his luck had in store for him this time but by then we had to start and our boat left. It was almost 2 hours by the time we returned… I  almost had forgotten about him with the rough waters taking our ferry into all turns… and scaring my life out. But as we got down and walked towards our loghut I see this man sitting with his net and a basket removing quiet a few fishes :-)

I am a positive thinker and this little incident only made me feel more positive… (+)  :-)

Our tirade of failures will never lead us to success nor even get closer, but continuous attempt to achieve is what will lead us to savour every bit of it.


This  reiterated my thoughts to be only more positive.

Below is just a glimse of the episode that I tried to catch ...

Gorgeous Gulmohar

At the far end of my school playground stood a gorgeous looking GULMOHAR tree. Most of my lunch breaks was spent sitting under this tree with my friends. I used to always wonder how this tree which just looked green throughout the year came to so much life during spring with such beautiful orange, Red flowers. So much so that the leaves just looked vanished from the tree. Today after so many years i get to see this beautiful sight in bounties near my house. Last three seasons I have been thinking to write about this and finally today is the day I am doing it. During the first week of May they are at the peak of looking the most gorgeous before that first shower happens . I will try and get few snaps then too... I used to always hear this beautify song by Gulzar and wonder why a name of a tree for a beautiful girl... but as I started growing... began to realize the meaning of it... and what thoughtful meaning for all the moods we carry :-)

"Gulmohar Gar Tumhara Naam Hota
mausam- E-Gul Ko Hasaana Bhi Hamara Kaam Hota"

Mobile - RIP

My mobile had just died and had gone for a replacement. I was assured the new mobile would arrive in the next 2 days time and a spare mobile was at home. So effectively for the next 2 hours or so I was all alone. Slowly the realisation began to sink into me that I was all alone. The gadget that is stuck to many a lives when we are awake was not around. Not that I take calls 24/7 but my mobile has so far never been on a switched off mode.
Began to feel really hungry and walked across to a nearby KFC store. Got myself a meal and sat down at a corner window that gave me a good view of MG Road. In a span of over 20 minutes I sat to observe the passers by as I began to eat my food. I would have probably seen around 90- 100 people criss cross the junction and atleast 70% of them had stuck their mobile to their ears. Some smiling as they walked and some with a frawny face and a one man was literally yelling his lungs into it. One man was standing taking the call and not realising he was literally massaging the grills on the pavement and helping BBMP clean the dust … I am sure he must be talking to someone really special that made him just feel not part of this world and did not realise what he was doing,.
My phone ringtone was still buzzing in my ear , and was still wondering how many people would have tried to reach me, would people have got worried my phone was switched off…. In about sometime I actually started feeling very light and nice… feeling I just had all the time for myself…
But one thought kept bugging me… in this life we live … this gadget has become an inseparable part…whether people may use very limited, normal, maximum , Excessive etc etc etc…..
But let’s face the truth… this Gadget would RIP when the user does so.

Passion is what it takes

Have been taking the indigo flights quite a few times in the recent past and there is something that I have observed very closely…
There is surely something that sets this team/crew apart from that of the other flyers. Few quick aspects I noticed were
1. The security checkin desk works at a alarming speed to clear the crowd. Not just the desk but the crew have handheld devices so they move thru the crowd and clear as many people as they can.
2. The way they keep the momentum on is like we are probably not getting into a flight but are standing for the tickets of a football match ;-)
3. When we board the flight, while the monologue done by all airlines is done here as well, there is a little extra information such as giving info about the location each crew member belongs, the place they come from and the languages they all know.
4. When they make this almost 7-8 min boarding announcement, they don’t hide to the side but stand as though it is a stage performance and deliver this speech.
5. Their hairstyles are not the same, neither the shoes and they are not the perfect dolls as in many flyers.. but all of them have an amazing smile, willing to help.
6. The food on flight is a pay and eat service… have you seen their boxes …. Each box has something really nice written on it. A short story, an anecdote on the food item we are eating… which actually holds the attention of the eater… to eat and read…
7. And while you disembark from the flight the pilot also stands at the entrance with a smile to say bye J
I can see these guys ( atleast in all my experience with this flyer)…. have very high passion levels which also may be a good reason to see indigo inch to success slowly…
And I am one of those believers that “passion is what it takes” to make anyone successful while all other aspects are strong peripherals around this.

good times to terrible times, the KF way

Was on the KF flight recently, quiet tragic. My experience of this airline had been one of the best. the delhi -bangalore flight was so sad , it suddenly looks like a haunted castle with sad seats, terrible good and poor maintenance with no inflight entertainment and the hostess having just no energy

Its sad to see an airline so flamboyant going dire straits