A Whirr of Images – 2011 In Retrospect

             Why does every year seem to  have passed by much quicker than any others ? is it just me or does everyone feel the same. Does the new year really excite you with the promise of the  unknown or does it  sadden you with the sadness  of one that went by so quickly ? As for me; it’s the latter. Every passing year  pulls a sad chord in my heart.

             2011 was exciting and eventful and I did a lot of new and exciting things that I had never done before and in that I am happy about it. But in my heart, I know I could have done much more. I don’t regret t but I hope to accomplish more in the coming year. Professionally; it was fulfilling and a successful one at that. My honey had a challenging but a successful year professionally as well . And more importantly; it was a great year personally. Pramila and myself grew a little older together with lesser differences and more smiles I guess. We went on wild hikes and beautiful  runs and we camped out under  dark skies littered with stars. We enjoyed all the 4 seasons in all it’s natural glory and I am glad I got a little closer to nature. Maybe we learnt a little more patience and made a few important decisions for our future.

              The world was tumultuous in 2011. The tragedies of Japan and Sikkim were difficult moments. At the same time there were renewed aspirations and hope for freedom with the Arab spring and the average citizens fight for freedom. These were equally sad events for scores of martyrs but the promise of a brighter future it holds is what gives humanity the need to celebrate.

              In Spring we camped in Yosemite and hiked some of  the most difficult trails for 2 days. In  summer; we were lying in the Napa valley listening to good music and driving across Mammoth lakes. We visited Mono Lake and its beauty took our breath away.  During Fall; we visited our family during a  whirlwind 1-month trip to Sikkim.  My father-in-law had a successful renal treatment and I thank god for that. In between all of these, we even stayed apart for a month and I am sure that made our hearts grow fonder.  Winters is here now and with it the warmth and cheer of the holiday season. It was a year well spent and I will miss it for all it’s fond memories. It’s sad for sure but I am also excited about 2012 and it’s hidden treasures of surprises and experiences. But I know it won’t be long before another Christmas knocks on our doors…

Chapters from my childhood: The joy of re-use

I have an incorrigible habit that was shaped during my childhood years.  I just can’t seem to  throw away any item from my house be it as small and simple as a piece of wire or a piece of wood. Something in my brain dings  to remind that I could find some useful role for that seemingly useless piece of item.  And I attribute this ti my grandfather. As I grow older and wiser; I seem to realize that my grandfather has had an huge impact on my personality and character. I spent only  5 years of my life with him but I guess those 5 years were filled with inumerable  moments that shaped me. My grandfather was a very strict, intelligent, socially introverted and a proud self reliant man. When I say socially introverted; probably  it had  more to do with his pride rather than the society. I feel  that he didn’t really enjoy the company of the people around him  in our small community; more like he didn’t feel they were a good fit in his universe .

He had very interesting dimensions to himself but one charateristic that stood out was his penchant and with it his ingenuity to ‘fix’ everything in the house himself. From dying radios and  scooter to leaking roofs; keeping aside tasks like painting the roof of the house. And yes, as long as I remember; he never ever  took  me to visit the doctor:not that I never fell ill. He was the plumber/carpenter/electrician/vetenarian/doctor all rolled into one – a sort of a “da Vinci’ of my small magical world ! And I was his man –Friday. We fixed almost everything and the magic of the fix lay in the resuing all that we could lay our hands on. Punctured tire tubes were cut into strips to fix leaking pipes; broken plastic pipes were melted to fix leaking drums; metal strips to fix leaking roofs and so on and so forth. He showed me how broken bottles made amazing funnels turned upside down which were soon replaced with ‘light’ plastic Coke bottles. The list is endless but worth a look.

Some of those characters stuck to me and today I find myself always trying to think from a perspective of reusing things that we would normally discard as trash.  And though the economic gain of doing so may not be significant; it is the satisfaction that is priceless.  Since there are so many ready-made items avilable allaround us; there is very little opportunity for us in this modern world to create our own needs. This is an outcome of modern development; but until not too long ago, we didnt always have the opportunity to buy a fix and we have always had to find our own solution and hence its instinctive in us.  I believe  this  suppressed instinct is tickled  when we solve our need ourselves and that’s what gives us so much satisfaction. And for that joy,  I am ready to think twice before  I discard another items though my wife would once again allege me of showing symptomps of a ‘hoarder’…

I for that matter truly believe when they say : .”One mans trash is another man’s treasure ………

Death Of a Friend . . .

It came all so swift and sudden one beautiful  evening when we were both gaping at the skies in awe of the beauty of fading light playing  on the clouds moments before being swallowed by the dark  summer sky. We had both traveled for 8 long hours that day passing across one of the most beautiful landscapes in the Sierra mountains not knowing that it was the last journey ! Boy, what a journey it was ..forever etched in my mind with winding roads across pine forest and white melting snow on deep  blue lake Tenaya .

Our friendship dates back 5 years to the fall of 2006 when I first met him somewhere in a small town in Pensylvania.. And we had been steady partners ever since. He accompanied me almost every place I went  and he always helped me  see things around me in a very different perspective and capture the right moment. We were together when I attended the first Halloween in San francisco and my best man during my wedding. I treated him well and in his silence I always kew that he wished well of me. He had a small vision but that was enough to tell a story.

Alll good things must come to an end  so they say; and so did this beautiful friendship ! But even in his death ; he still had his best gift for me.  All the pictures that we captured on that beautiful summer night was safe in him though he himself drowned  in  the  extremely alkaline ‘Mono Lake’. It was instant death and in a way I am glad because maybe it was quick and peaceful !!

Rest in peace – my Canon Rebel  XTi. He may have been born a camera;  but in life he was an explorer…and he died a good friend !!!

Home Ahoy – A Sikkimese vacation !!

I was on a long awaited vacation in India between Oct 14 – Nov 14, 2011 and now that I have finally landed back safely in San Francisco; I suddenly realize that I am exhausted to the core. It made me think if if indeed it was a ‘vacation’. When you say vacation, it instantly brings to your minds either blue oceans/white sands/beer/lazying around on the beach OR white mountains/furry coats/boots & amber lit evenings by the fireplace. It was close to neither !     I was certainly up in the mountains  and there were ‘cozy‘whiskey evenings’ but due to the recent devastating earthquake, the mood was sombre and  you really couldn’t get into a celebratory state.  Least  of all, going  home after a long stretch of 2 years certainly comes with its share of a mountain of things to get done.

Excited; we started our onward journey from SFO and after a seemingly unending 15 hour flight we landed in the desert metropolis of Dubai. We had chosen to fly by Emirates. With its interiors lined with palm trees and sleek designer stores selling everything from perfumes and gold to cognacs and whiskey; Dubai airport is a consumer’s dream. With images conjured up from reading articles about the conservative middle eastern society; this is not what you expect. But today consumerism is king and when the goal is profit; corporates will  always find a way to  make anything acceptable in any society. And yes, contrary to the old adage; in Dubai .. everything that glitters is actually gold.

Seven hours in Dubai was a breather and we were soon on our flight to Calcutta [not Kolkata]; a city that sums up everything that the human kind can witness in his/her life. Its like a huge pot of humanity where theres a small corner for everyone irrespective of caste, creed, nationality,  religion or economic standing. The weather is punishing but what really hits you hard  is the sheer multitude of people. Living in Kokata as I see it is  not just a race; it’s a rat race. Survival of the fittest is not something you get to teach or learn least of all talk about. Every step is a lesson  in one and here, you either  win or lose it !

Coming back to my journey, I was glad to be back and lining up at the immigration counter; for a change I had the  least doubts in my mind because I was coming back to my country and I had no fear of being  bombarded by a barrage of questions on why I needed to enter the country. That indeed is a great feeling.

One of first thing I realized returning to  Kolkata after 2 years was the price of  items.  I had a 500 rupee note from my last travel out of India and I could barely have a few small snacks before it ‘evaporated’ right before my eyes. The airport resembles a railway stations with hordes of low-budget airlines but on the contrary the price of items put 5 star hotel menus to shame. That’s just how it is…

Two legs complete and I had one more leg to go. 45 minutes and I had landed in Bagdogra. So close to home finally; but not quite. It was a shame that I had to wait almost the same duration for my luggage to finally tumble up the belt ! I don’t want to touch upon the subject of traffic in Siliguri ‘coz that a whole new chapter in itself of insane timing and intuition by machine/driver/animals/pedestrians and everything else that could be on the road. Spent two relaxing days in Siliguri with my in-laws and before long , I was on my way to Pakyong. I finally reached home on Oct 19^th after a treacherous but scenic drive along the Teesta now dotted by numerous tunnels and related work  in full swing. The roads are windy enough and added to that, the sharp and expert manouvres by the  driver   to avoid the generous pot holes on the roads makes the drive very roller-coaster like…’ [Aside: popular local joke I heard was that on account of so many  tunnels being dug in Sikkim; they want to rename the state as ‘todka-land’. Todka is the Nepali word for a hole]

Being back after 2 years is exciting  and the social events are treacherous. Having married just  a few years back; my extended family has swelled and meeting all the family members is enjoyable but the preparations is a task. In true Nepali tradition style; we slaughtered a ‘khasi’ and organized a series of bonhomie get togethers. Pleasantries were exchanged and drinks flowed in tandem as smooth and swift as the river Teesta. Laughter and excited voices ringing through the house always fills you with a spirit of bonding and the laughter only became deeper and louder as the afternoon went by. The ‘khasi’ was met  with fervent appetite accompanied by the all so popular  chicken and the Gorkha diet was on full show. Lunch was a celebration as it always should be wherever you come from !  The grand uncles sure must have heard a thousand pipers ringing in the ears by the time the rare Himalayan sun decided to go away after a brief appearance. The Himalayan winters are treacherous and during these days; the sun is but a fleeting visitor generally bullied to the background by the thick mountain fog. To sum it up; the get togethers lived up to their expectations as they always magically do.

There were a host of things to take care of and bunch of friends to meet. Sadly couldn’t meet  up with everyone as I had hoped. Driving is another thing I can help talk about. The roads were treacherous and the  condition were made worse by the earthquake and I guess I spent 25% of my total time on the roads alone. How frustrating is it when a 30 Km travel takes you close to 2 hours. Were it not for the beauty of the surroundings around you; the travel speed would drive you insane. Gangtok as always is a beautiful place to take a stroll and I managed one. In spite of all the tragedy of the past few months, the smiling faces of the people and the warm winter sun seems to soothe the souls yet another day. Life has to go on and its best epitomized by what I saw around me.

Before long, the vacation was drawing to an end and on Nov 7^th; I drove down the hills onto the plains  and right into the heartland of chaos – Kolkata. Spent two days there and off I was to my second home ‘Bangalore’. Coming from Calcutta; Bangalore  does feel  more paradise than it actually is. The airport is stunning and obviously the traffic isn’t as bad. The weather is its trump card; the only reason why I chose to be here over any other place in India during my wild college days. Spent 2 days in Bangalore meeting with close friends and also managed in a little bit of work at my office. The ‘youthful spending middle class’  is on full show in Bangalore. The costs are prohibitive be it of food; rent; apartments ‘et al but then supply somehow seems to be always short of the demand.  The cosmopolitan crowd has become even more diverse and the city is surely & certainly on its way to being a global hot spot. I had to see it to believe that Bangalore had its own Harley Davidson showroom; not to mention the Ducati one as well. I wonder who are these people who are splurging while  the erstwhile economic powers are withdrawn into a shell. The ELRTS train station bang on the middle of MG Road certainly was the only dampener. The beauty of MG road had to make way for  the overall good of the city I guess.. the ELRTS [Elevated Light Rail Transport System] may have been commissioned to reduce vehicular traffic congestion  but right now more people seem to come to MG road in their cars just to take a ‘joy ride’ on the new attraction .

It seems the traffic jams can go on for some time …as for me; I am just tired !!!

21st Century America – Stuck in Time !!!

America.. America.. the fabled land of promise:  The jingle is still the same but it doesn’t hold the same promise anymore and the world knows it. The great American dream is still out there but the dream is getting shorter and the greatest fear Is that  the dream looks like its about to end. A dream is a beautiful escape and America was epitomized  all over the world by the ‘Great American Dream’ : a dream which was real; one which you could plan and pace; one which you could actually live.  The dreamers came to the land in hordes and worked hard and it paid off for many. There could be a no better land of promise and the world queued up  on American shores each vying for their bit of the dream.  The capitalist setup helped the country progress and modern  policies focused on development of  infrastructure/educational institutions/research all helped the dream go on longer. America enjoyed unparalleled progress and prosperity  practically all through of the twentieth century barring the great depression and led the world in all fields of science/arts/sports/technology. They were the undisputed leader in every conceivable field and the world accepted their leadership. However the  twenty first century didn’t bring with it the same good fortune and the promise now threatens to be broken.

A culmination of  global financial crisis/unpopular foreign policy/small hi-tech work force and acute  capitalism seems to be all at work cumulatively and Uncle Sam is struggling today. The extreme focus on higher and higher profits have encouraged mega corporations to drive all jobs to Offshore countries who are living   their mini ‘economic dreams’ and in the process; while the corporates have certainly pocketed a larger share of the pie, their own folks are jobless. Why is it easier to find a person who has climbed Mount Everest than an item marked “Made in USA”. How terrible is it that a tourist has to struggle to find a souvenir made in the country he visits. Isn’t that the oldest and traditional way we associate a souvenir…marked with the country of  origin…

The educational system is touted as ‘modern’ and all round development is the mantra but at what cost. Where are the students in the engineering colleges ?   Why do they need to head to Asia to look for engineers?

Look all around and the decline of the country is grossly visible. The freeways are crumbling; airports look just the way they did a decade ago. Recently I heard a high-flier just back  from Shanghai to New York describe the journey on a late night show as ’A flight from modern day to the Flintstones..” Think about this:  In 1964, when the vast majority of the world was in awe getting adjusted to the idea of a color television; an American was walking on the moon. That was 1964 !! Color TV was introduced in the USA in1950, China in 1971 and it reached India a quarter of a century later in 1979. That’s how ahead the USA was compared to the rest if the world in technology. Today; when a high speed bullet train is a common mode of transport in China; Uncle Sam doesn’t know how it feels to have one running on  his land. So, what went wrong? Is it an unavoidable cycle of human civilization?  That whatever heights of greatness you scale; nobody knows  the secret of prolonging it…

Look all around in history..stating with the Romans/Chinese/Indian/Egyptians/Mayas/Aztecs … the list is long. Is America the latest entrant to the list ??

Maybe that’s just why we are  human . . .

Swallow your pride occasionally, it’s non-fattening !

Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom – The Holy Bible.
A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle - Benjamin Franklin.

There are a thousand quotes that celebrate humility and not for no reason. There is a certain aura to humility that the naked eye cannot see but the heart can feel its warmth and the soul can feel its depth. The definition carried for the word by the Oxford dictionary is as humble as it can only be ..”the quality or state of being humble“

All the great souls who walked this earth have been graced with this virtue that is rare indeed. Three of the greatest modern day sports-stars who come to mind instantly are none other than Rafael Nadal, Sachin Tendulkar and Lionel Messi. Towering personalities in the their respective sports that are followed by more than half of the world’s population; these champions are the best ambassadors for their sports. In this world of arrogant sports stars who are treated like gods by the media and fans alike; its difficult to fathom how they can be so grounded.

How many times have you been mesmerized by Messi’s lightning darts into the goal line; by Nadal’s almost impossible retrievals and Sachin’s match saving innings and not wondered how on earth they manage to play down their contributions. Each one of them have counterparts that are almost equally talented but the ‘human‘ side of theirs falling prey to glory and pride helps us to identify the greatness in the other. Ronaldo as opposed to Messi; Federer to Nadal; Sachin to Lara ….the list is endless.

Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility

Point Reyes – A Camping Experience

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Pics at Point Reyes

San Francisco – The Memory Lingers On ….

Sometime in the summer of 2004, destiny[or was it God]decided to surprise me and off I was flying over the Pacific,Atlantic and bingo !! I was inAmerica – The fabled ‘Land OfOpportunities’. I had heard/read countless stories of The Great American Dream and here was I- young, excited and in theUSA.

The first months were hardly exciting. My deputation was to Baton Rouge[Louisiana] and the place was almost close to dead. It was a true American countryside town – vast, meagerly populated andquite boring considering that I had just come from India- the eternal marketplace full of chaos .. or full of life in the words of the romantics!! Life was slow and sedentary; I felt like everyday was a Sunday and I guess it was mainly due to the fact that the neighborhood was so silence all the time. It was beautiful no doubt; the untouched lakes and the ever so friendly geese in the lakes who kind of responded to humans in a positive manner. Never had I seen geese flock around a car whenever one approached the lake and parked. I was more accustomed to birds and animals alike scampering away to safety even when someone was trying to stretch in the park. What a contrast… It was a little strange environment I would say because usually, I found myself walking all alone most of the time. People didn’t seem to walk at all. And then there used to signboard along walkways that read “Be careful of Crocodiles” .. I used to feel a little eerie. I would then suddenly imagine myself running on the pavement with a crocodile infull pursuit. wouldn’t that look funny? .. but that’s just what the Sign meant !

I was in the city ofBaton Rougefor roughly two months and then our officemoved toAtlanta- the land of peaches. It didn’t take me long to figure out the city’s maniac obsession with the fruit-almost every street, boulevard etc had ‘peach’ in it.Peachway Drive,Peach Parkway, Peach Roadand so on…it just drove me nuts !! How couldn’t you come up with a different name for Christs sakes? Where the imagination ?? But some things are always better left alone.

Atlantawas a huge city with a large black population. I felt I was getting into theUSAonly when I stepped intoAtlanta. The big city feel finally came on and I liked that.. the parties atBuckhead were out of the world – music, mud and beer; it was the closest you could get to the American outback!!

August 8, 2004: When I touched down atOaklandAirport; little did I know of how I would be associated withthe Bay Area in the coming years and how I would grow to love the city ofSan Franciscoas much as I do today. A regular US Airways flight touched down at around 10 in the night and after collecting my baggage I realized that I did not have the address of my guest house. A couple of frantic calls to my friends(half asleep in the east coast) and I was on my way toWalnut Creek. I met for the first time one My Venkatesh Chandrasekharan who would later grow to be a very close friend of mine.

When I stepped intoSan Franciscofor the first time. the energy of the city caught my attention. Everything was so vibrant. There was a certain vibe; the one you feel and makes you comfortable right away. From that moment on, I spent close to three years in the city and every moment spent was well spent. Being as beautiful as it is; I doubt I have ever walked so much as I did inSan Francisco. I have criss crossed the city taking pictures all along during my stay. I enjoyed the city so much that I never lost an opportunity to show the city around to any new visitors. I was like the perpetual guide; and I loved it. It was everything – the sublime weather; the view and most of all the myriad cross sections of people who occupied the different sections of the city, that drew me into it.

There isn’t any particular reason that stands out… I just love San Francisco...

Battling the traffic – Bangalore Style

    Its been a  month since I bought my first car:Maruti Swift. The past month has been a real baptism by fire when it comes to driving on Indian road; not to say killer Bangalore traffic. But I have passed the test with flying colors; proof of which is in not having a single scratch on my beauty!!

Not surprisingly, for the first few days, I left home early for office to beat the traffic madness and likewise left office early.But how long can you do that with the Indian work culture and now its back to the usual ‘desi timings’..

The French classes I started recently in Koramangala does help me beat the morning rush but once the classes get over at 9:00, the traffic in Koramangala has to be seen to be believed. French may be confusing as a language for a novice like me; but nothing confuses more than the psyche of the ‘Bangalore-bred two wheeler devils’.. Watching them ride from behind the windshield of my car gives rise to a wide range of emotions in me ; from being bewildered beyond belief to being driven to the point of madness. I always wonder: ‘What do these guys think ? that  they all wear an invisible cloak that helps them defy death?” What else could define the madness in  their approach to traffic behaviour?  Like the desert mole diving into any crevasse on the ground to avoid the eagles and the hawks; the bikers rush into any semblance of a gap they fathom in-between the bodies of cars like sprinting gazelles: and for what ? just a few metres of extra ground covered… for ultimately we all get stuck in the same traffic signal for eternity !!

“There is generally an explanation for most behavior … for some; there are none… !!“

The Hills have Awoken …

Gorkhaland ! Gorkhaland ! Déjà vu…. In a fraction of a second, I was taken back two decades in time; twenty two long years to be precise; back to that fateful day in a sleepy little paradise known to the world as Kalimpong. It was late June 1986 and a peaceful procession in demand of a separate state of Gorkhaland was fired upon. It was a prelude to a few years of bloody warfare and sad tales; of triumphs, loss and unbearable pain. But like endless instances in the past , it was yet another story of hope, struggle, triumph, power and betrayal – in the end all consumed by Greed !! It indeed was a sad tale people kept sealed within their hearts- as if to trick themselves into believing that it never happened. Until now, when once more a charismatic man has taken the charge with a promise to deliver. Mr Bimal Gurung is all charged up with great vigour to give back to the people what they initially set for – a state of their own. And now, the promise is clear – to not dither from the one ultimate goal of a separate Gorkhaland. Sounds romantic; but it’s going to be a difficult long walk to the goal. But the human spirit is enduring and not to speak of one that is tagged ‘Gorkha‘ … What more pride than the Field Marshal of the largest democratic army of the world quoting “If a man says that he is not afraid; then he is either lying or else he is a Gorkha” !

For the city dwellers used to the dash-and-back lifestyle, peace and tranquility have always been exotic words; but for the people of Kalimpong, this was the way of life. No wonder, Satyajit Ray found enough reasons to shoot in the mist layered Park Street or Rabindranath Tagore found solace and a spurt of creativity whenever he was in Kalimpong. One more in that list of creative artists adopting Kalimpong was Anita Desai. I remember the stone faced mansion covered in Ivys set amidst a sprawling lawn every time I walked up the ‘jhoda’ to my grandfathers house in Kanchenjunga. I think it was called ‘Mon Ami’ – a French name for a British mansion ??

The people of Kalimpong did not know how it would be to lose this idyllic lifestyle. Not until the struggle became a full fledged struggle with the might of the Indian security forces.New words quickly crept up in the local vocabulary – bombs, firing, raids, ambush, strikes. In a quick span everything went topsy turvy. I was in my fourth standard and I remember blacking out all the windows in the night. It was like war. The deathly silence of every blacked-out night used to be broken by the growls of the forces’ Alsatian’s followed by gunfire. ‘Raids are on- Be quiet’ - my grandma used to whisper and every second used to stretch like minutes. In the quiet and the dark, the old grandfather clock sounded ominous whenever it struck the hour. I havent evr since heard the stillness of the night as I did during those cold nights…even as a child, it was unsettling.

People have hopefully learnt from the mistakes of the past. The current agitation is more sober and the leadreship looks mature. And I only hope and pray that the struggle is a success that doesn’t pay for in innocent blood and lives. The path taken so far is encouraging and the leaders would do well to ensure that they do not lose faith on the modus operandi of a dignified approach – and most of all the pursuit of the ultimate goal of a Gorkhaland !!

Jai Gorkha !!!