kaleidoscope of memories

The ceilings slump low , plaster has peeled off , doors broken , windows shattered ,without electricity - classrooms look like the inside of a cave , this is not the site of an earthquake , but the state of the public schools all across the country. The only bright side being ,the laughter and chitter-chatter of the young kids within these classrooms whose energy and enthusiasm to learn and play more than makes up for the dilapidated state of infrastructure in these schools. Supposed to be temple of learning , the learning outcomes in these schools are abysmal. Though having a great school infrastructure is not sufficient to improve the quality of education , it  is a necessary condition. YOU Can Be The Change How many times have you heard people around you saying , " Nothing can be done about these schools " , and you had nodded your head in agreement , but still had the belief that things can be improved. What is it , that is holding back folks like Y...

Savithramma , all of fifty years , squats on the floor , trying her best to separate out dry waste from mounds of mixed unsegregated garbage, piled in a waste segregation center in Bengaluru . Unperturbed by the mosquitoes breeding on the  pile or the smell emanating from it , she goes about her task mechanically without wearing safety mask, glove or any other protection gear. This is the story of thousands of POURAKARMIKAS in the city of Bengaluru , who earn their livelihood by collecting waste from households , cleaning streets , segregating them at the collection centers under inhumane conditions. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE ?? We, the proud  PATRIOTS of this country ?? BBMP , the government body responsible for waste management  in the city?? The POURAKARMIKAS themselves, for choosing to take up the sacred job of cleaning the country ??  Sadly, the proud PATRIOTS of this country, who go on social media and rate Swacch Bharat Mission to be the bi...

The chants of  " Har Har Mahadev "  resonates in the wee hours of a chilly September morning as naked sadhus smeared with ash all over their body , carrying traditional weapons , performing acrobatic acts march with pride towards the river Godavari in  Nashik for a holy bath . Welcome to the largest religious gathering in the world , The Kumbh Mela  -  perhaps the wildest party on the earth which goes on for a duration of two months. Known as Naga Sadhus , these mystic ascetic saints reside in the caves of Himalayas and only visit the civilization during the Kumbh Mela. SHIVA , The Adi Yogi The Naga Sadhus , strive to follow the hard path laid by the original yogi of the universe - Lord Shiva .  Shiva , the origin of spirituality , made cremation grounds his home. Bored with the society at large, he smeared ash all over his body, tied his hair into a Jata (matted hair) , and with a demeanour of  a rowdy, stayed limitlessly blissful...

"The endless open road offers infinite thoughts and perceptions". There is nothing more liberating than riding a cycle along the coast, aided by the sea breeze, divine music of the lapping waves and the sight of golden sand against the shimmering blue sea. Winay and I began this epic  journey from Mangaluru - a good 400 kms away from Bengaluru, during mid- January, while Winay's purpose was to understand the people, fishing culture , languages ,and traditions of the Konkan coast , mine was to just cruise along the coast, and savour the local cuisine, exotic beaches coupled with impressive sunsets. At the end of the journey, it was a role reversal of sorts as he was charmed by the terrain and I , with the simplicity of the country folk.             Day 1 - A saga of punctures and flat tyres  :( :(  It was a quite sunny morning when we set off from the broad inviting streets of Mangaluru. The only people out on the streets were...

I sorely miss those childhood days,when the clouds invited us with its roaring thunder and in a split second we were out in the open riding on a cycle with the head held high and the arms outstretched to feel the essence of the downpour,until the clouds had emptied its quota of rain drops and we were drenched like never before!!!To reconstruct these breezy images we decided to embark on this journey,a journey that was a blend of 18 fab people and a number of alluring destinations...                                   DAY 1 :  My clock read 5:10 pm when i was done with the final exam of the semester,I hurried back home before I could get bored to death with all the post exam-discussions..After packing all the essentials which included torch,umbrella,jacket,chapatis and chatnipudi to go with it, I was on my way to the Bengaluru Railway Station.My co-trekkers arrived...

As the mercury took an upward swing across NAMMA BENGALURU ,the only plausible solution to beat the fierce heat was to hit the road and travel to cooler destinations...Left to choose between Thekkady-Munnar and Coorg ,we decided to visit the latter(given its proximity to Bengaluru!!!). DAY 1: With the cries of  " HIP HIP HURRAY " we left the pick up point- BANGALORE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY at 10:00 pm.After brief stops at few more pick up points we rolled out on the inviting SH-17 that connects the state capital-BENGALURU with the cultural capital-MYSORE.. No sooner did the A/V system become alive with peppy music than the bus turned into a dance floor....                       "AND I THOUGHT MUSIC IS THE ONLY SANITY IN THIS INSANE WORLD"     Just before the clock struck 12 there was an outburst from the heavens.Chased by a thundering storm we zipped along the highway.The enchanting mix of music,fl...