Dil ka chakkar...

अर्ज़ किया है... हम्म हम्म... ज़रा तालियाँ हो जाए.. :-)



यह दिल किसने बनाया
बनाया तो क्या सोचके !
आजाता है किसीपर
बिना किसीसे पूछके !
हस्था है कभी तो कभी यह रुलाता है !
और तो कभी यह सोच में पड़ जाता है !
इस दिल की घेहराइयों को न समझा है कभी और न समझेंगे भी कभी !
पर सच तो यह है की यह यूँही नहीं आता किसीपर कभी !
आही गया दिल तो कुछ भी करने को हो जाता है राज़ी
लेकिन इस दरमियान में कभी वो हार जाता है बाज़ी !
दिल तो दिल है मानेगा नहीं
और यह तो सुदरेगा नहीं
जब तक है जान इसे दडकने दो यूँही !

Perfect Strangers to Comrades

As this bug of riding has bitten me severely for a few weeks now, I set out on my next escapade to Yercaud Hills with these fabulous women bikers again . This time the group had new set of bikers with a few of them from the past trip. I set out in the morning at 5 AM from home and reached our first meeting point at 6am. We then started on our journey being led by Malavika , Sweeping by Sindhu and it was Sam , Anu and me in between reaching our next pit stop for breakfast at krishnagiri. We had breakfast at Krishna Inn , where I also happened to meet my good friend Rajan and his family . We waited for DJ with some drama :--) and then moved ahead by around 8.45 am. Steady speed of about 80 kmph enjoying the lovely morning riding thru the highway reading all the signboards and the village names , we reached the next point for some amazing “ Degree –Coffee” that’s what it is called. Hot coffee served in brass cups. We later reached Salem and was joined by another enthusiastic biker Thiri, who travelled all alone from Pudhukotai ( hope I got the name right) which is a good 250+ kms away. We all then started our last leg of the ride up the hills, 20 hairpin bends.. counting each one of them, just waiting to finish the last one, so we could go take rest and have some lunch as now it was almost close to 1 pm and hunger goddess had taken over control of my mind, body & soul.  Thiri had made arrangement for us at a lovely homestay in the Mayfair Avenue. Truly a homestay that I have experienced in the many years.  Hot food, rice so hot that a nice facial steam could be taken  ;-) … and same goes with the rest of the food.  DJ being kind enough to serve all of us ..  Filling lunch and time for a power nap.. We then left for a sight seeing… sorry sight riding by 4 pm .Boat ride at the lake and then to an uphill temple and then a Columbus ride which just made us feel.. childlike . I am sure DJ enjoyed the most.. ;-) .. sorry we enjoyed the most seeing DJ. We then got back to the homestay by 7 or so and then night food was getting ready.. . Bonfire lit and time to relax ,chill & yakking around and discussion topics covering 360 degrees of the world and as the night set deeper in, it was also discussions on “Bodhi Tattvaa”.. too ;-) .

It just made me wonder a few hours ago some of them were just names on the whatsapp group and nothing beyond that and here we were hours down the line talking as though we were long lost buddies catching up years after. All of us from different facets of life, different cultures and none of them really bothered to know what baggage of life you carry ,  but just bound by the one fact and that  fact being “the love of riding “  and this passion for riding making us from being “Perfect strangers to Comrades”. I think that is what journeys do… no matter where, who ,when  & how.

We started next morning more relaxed. Set out to see a few more spots and some crazy onlookers either clicking pictures or taking a video making us feel either great or weird .. We finally reached Electronic City junction by 5.30 pm and bid adieu to head back to our normal lives beckoning us. I came back Via my favorite NECE road , and it was just flat 40 minutes home.. my long time dream and best timing so far.

Finally all the while thru the journey for the most part it was the roads, hills, lakes , fellow travelers , some good music and just me .. And my random thoughts…

 

 

Silent bird sings a million songs !!

A Silent bird

Sings a million songs,

With melancholy

And feelings strong.

 

A voice so sweet

But filled with grief

Waiting for that spring

With hope and belief

 

Singing the tunes,

Of the happy days gone

Waiting for that sunshine

For life be reborn,

 

Spring in life is the hope

For all who are alive,

But life brings harsh winters

And that is the Circle of life !

 

Mysteries of life !!

There are moments in life

Truly mysterious,

Unsolvable are its secrets

Like the heart of the deep ocean.

 

Indefinable are the reasons

No questions to fathom

Answers discrete

And thoughts are just random.

 

Heart doesn’t  seek to measure

The methods of life defined

It only wishes to treasure

That emanates unrefined

 

The purity of mind

Sanctity of the soul

Passion that can bind

Is truly to behold

 

Mysteries are secrets

Never to be solved

Its best left untouched

So life can evolve !

When the rubber hits the road .... Ah!!!!!

 

It was the month of October last year , was reading an article in Deccan herald Supplement. The article read “ The women on the machines “. A short write up on enthusiastic women from the Bikerni Club , Bengaluru who gushed out of their routine norms to try the exciting and the free spirited art of biking. Why do I call it art, you will get to know in the next few minutes if you are not bored and still reading this blog of mine.. J

Now coming back to what happened , post reading the article thru the day the whole thought and urge to do something similar kept me occupied. A little bit of flash back to my life.. just to remember that I rode a Luna first when I was in Grade IV , 10 years old and I took to my fathers Bajaj Chetak in Class IX .. but as life progressed with its many twists and turns,and a major accident leaving me badly injured made riding as a passion take a back seat .. The norm of life took precedence over my inner urge to just set free and hit the rubber on the road..

Coming back from work that day, spoke to Vinayak , my husband on what was going on in my mind. He suggested that I should reach out to the club and get myself to be part of the group.. Next day I was just doing that and was fast enough to be welcomed to the group .. and here I am now writing my first experience .. I think its all about timing and will of the super power to make things happen at a time destined..

At home we had an RE thunderbird for the last 3 years, but mostly being used by Vinayak and me riding shorts trips within the city , NECE road … due to the phobia of injury still haunting with confidence levels of myself and my people not being great L. I nominated myself for two trips of the club earlier but could not make it for both due to work .. the third one I was clear that I was not going to  miss .. come what may.. and there I was all set on the 10^th Jan for  my first experience of a long ride ..

Morning 5.30 Am and Sunday… did not matter.. spirits were high .. got ready started from home.. still dark and barking dogs  running behind.. but was there at the said meeting point before time. .  We then moved on to our point 2 which was IPC… I did not know until I went there, which I am sure most of you would know that IPC is the Indian Paratha Company on NH 7 .. we reached there by 7.15 and waited for the others .. Weather was chill and still limited visibility .  Ordered for some hot parathas and Chai .. that was like heaven..  We then had our briefing session on what to expect, rules to follow during the journey, while I always understood the regular hand signals of riding, communicative signs were interesting to know and that is why I call it an art.. and then we started off on the journey with some happy smiling pics and selfies.. but with  butterflies still in my stomach roaming freely  screaming .. “ Can you do it ? “.

We started with about 60 Kmph and varied till about 90 Kmph on our onward journey. It took us about 2+ hours to reach Lepakshi . Few of us parked ourselves happily under the shade at one part of the temple while other enthusiasts went around the whole temple with a guide to understand the story of each of the pillars.. ( J ) kidding.. but really appreciate their patience as by now the weather was super hot in Lepakshi with the sun right above our head.. . We then headed to AP Tourism hotel, had our lunch with some spicy food and then decided to take the return journey with no breaks till we hit IPC again. From the time we started it was just focus with speeds varying.  Few of the rider were much ahead of me and I was trying to catch up with them with now my confidence levels slowing rising from the last few hours .. I started to accelerate to see at a point my Speedometer had hit 120 Kmph .. a sudden child like joy .. wondering “ is it me “… I continued the stretch on the same speed .. a feeling hard to express.. can I say liberated from my own inhibitions..  

We then reached close to IPC , to a Dhaba close by .. again some snacking time, introductions , debating on how the day went and understanding what could be done better.. basically expressing yourself on how the day went.. post which we all left to reach back to our homes …

Had a midway comedy too with the police with me and a few girls..  , hard to narrate though.. but the girls if reading this can have a hearty laugh..

At the end of the day , had it not been for these vibrant women I wound have still lived longer just thinking “ CAN I  “, WILL I “ and moved on with life.

Its more realizing your dream and releasing yourself from inhibitions to make way for living up to what you have loved just being there , doing it  and saying Ah!!!!

Just on another note.. this experience has also help trigger my blogs again.. let me do my best to keep this alive for this year.

have a fantastic year..

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 :-)