history

class 8th.
probably first day of the academic year.
entirely new environment. we were all in high school now and we asked not be behave like "primary school kids". we were all teen-agers now(or would soon become)

first history class...
the first question teacher asked "what is history?"
no answer from us... all we were taught in primary was to study the notes given by the teachers and mug it and pour it out onto the answer paper on the day of exam. but this was not expected. what is history? there was no answer in the text book.

then the teacher said... "history is 'his and her story'. it tells us bout him and her, their life the, difficulties he and she faced, the way they overcame the difficulties. it tells us how we can learn from them. what we can do when we face similar difficulties etc etc"

that was a very good class as i remember. i like to read history. something about it attracts me. but i dont like to write a history exam. most of the questions asked in the exam have to do with dates, names, places etc etc which i dont think are as important as other aspects of history. when we have lesson about some national leader in the exam sure questions would be like "what was mr X s real name" or "when and where was so and so born" or "where did so and so complete his education from" and some other non sense...

what would make more sense is to have mention an incident which was of historic importance or which helped many people improve their lives or just helped someone to face a problem or change the way he led his life. for example the incident where gandhiji was thrown out of the first class compartment which led him to fight back, or the jalayanwala bagh missacre which changed bagath singh s life (in RDB they show him pick up mud mixed with soil from the jalayanwala bagh, which is true. he worshiped it). i feel that such incidents have more to teach rather than some dates which we are made to remember...

there is something about....

“Dude!!! What s wrong with you? she s not attractive, she s not good looking, she s not fun to be with, she dose not like sports… I can go on on for days. But you!!! You say you like her. you say you think you love her. are you crazy? Find yourself a good one. Actually you don’t need to find anyone. There are lot of girls eyeing you. Look at Neha! She s fun, she s hot. And almost the whole group knows that she has a crush on you. But you go on to chose Sowmya. Tell me one good thing about her yaar. And you tell all this now on communicator instead of telling it to me during the trek. We had 2 days. When we did nothing but walking and talking.” said i to Srinivasa“I don’t know. But definitely not Neha!!! She s not the kind of girl I want to spend my life with. Agreed that she s fun and all but definitely I cannot imagine spending my life with her.”“Alright. Not Neha. But why Sowmya? Just tell me one good thing about her!!!”“Man!!! A girl does not have to be beautiful or attractive or fun for you to like her or fall for her. It is something about her. I don’t know how to explain.”Long silence…Then again srini started…“ ok answer my questions. Are you very intellingent? Were you the topper in you class?”“No I was not topper”“are you very good to look at? Very handsome? With 6 pack abs etc etc?”“No I am very ordinary.”“are you very obedient? Do you listen to everything your parents tell you? Have you never disappointed them?”“no I am not very obedient. I have disappointed them couple of times.”“but still they like you. Why is that?”“that s because I am their son. You are talking about 2 completely different things”
“No just because you are their son does not mean that they should always love you. They do so because they find something in you. Something which may be you don’t know. Ok forget about them. We have been friends for a long time. We have fought, may be I have at times hurt you and may be you have at times disappointed me. But still here we are. Good friends. I know that I can always count on you. Dose this have anything to do with being handsome or intelligent or fun?”“No. I don’t think it has anything to with them.”“exactly. We are friends because i know that deep within you there is friend whom I can trust. And who is worth a lot. I hope you think the same way about me too.”“ya I too think the same way. But what s your point? How is this similar to your case?”“sowmya is good to be with.when she s with me time just slips by. I used to go to beach every evening and spend some time alone. I used to feel good doing so. But now every time I go to the beach I remember her, not that I do not remember her otherwise. But now when I go there I wish she were with me, walking hand in hand along the beach, the sun almost settling down into the sea, waves kissing our feet, wind blowing her hairs, making them touch my face…”“Ok buddy. Better stop imagining and return back to the topic.”“yes. All I wanted to say is that there s something about her which drags me towards her. Something which makes it easy for me to relate to her. I don’t know how to describe that something. It is not some kind of attraction or crush. I never felt that for any girl.”“hmmm if so then she must really be something. I know one thing for sure. She has her heart at the right place. She is a good friend. If you really like her then tell her.”

shades of nature(last part)

After a tiring day any food tastes good, but the dinner that night did taste well. And we had a peaceful sleep. Next day s Sunrise was really worth getting up early. But we had 2 big LOOSERS Narayan and Shridhar, who missed the sunrise.

Below the temple there is a cave which is supposed to reach bababuDDangiri. We left muLLiyanagiri soon after having breakfast. By the time we left the hill was getting covered by mist. We used a different route for the down hill trek. As always down hill trek was not tiring. On reaching the main road we decided to rest for a while but soon a goods carrier came by. Looking at us on the road the driver stopped and asked us if we wanted a paid ride in his carrier. Another quick photo session in carrier was in progress when we reached the town. He dropped us at the bus stand. After a royal lunch when we reached the bus stand buses for all 3 destinations – mangalore, mysore and Bangalore were ready to leave. Parting off we got into our respective buses with beautiful memories of the past 30 odd hours…

shades of nature (continued)

Before reaching the tower we realized that we had some uninvited companions with us. Huge flies which were hungry for our blood. They accompanied us almost till the peak.

The path we trekked was really thrilling and challenging at times. we walked on the ridge, along the edge of the hill. Crossing rocks added more to the fun. Shola forests look good. Patch of forest in the valley. Especially during this time, after few rains, different shades of green, flowers in some trees all this looked really good.

In one such patch shridhar decided to go in search of water. I accompanied him for some distance. someone else had sensed the presence of human blood. Leaches. I noticed few of them and warned shridhar about them, he did not find and presence of water source and returned back. Hungry leaches had got hold of human blood, good that shridhar noticed them immediately and got rid of them. I was planning to take the a couple of them back to Bangalore and gift them to smitha but decided against it as they would not survive the dry warm climate on the way back to Bangalore.
At one such place we decided to have lunch. We had balcony seat, watching the colorful shoal forest below us. By this time it had started getting cloudy. We expected rain very soon. As usual I took one of my favorite group pic, us sitting along the edge of the hill with our back facing the camera.

Having lunch under open sky, in presence of such catchy scenery is an amazing experience. After lunch and relaxation we put on our backpack and continued towards our destiny.

Arun and Srini had found a new means to entertain themselves. Partly translating kannada songs to English. Brahmanda oomkara became Brahm-happiness oomkara, aatm-happiness bla bla bal…. ide naaDu ide bhashe became ide state-u ide language forever mine-u aagirali, where-e irali how-e irili kannaDave nanna breath-inalli. Had there been any KRV activists they would have committed jumped from the peak.

The trek from Mulliyanagiri base was really beautiful and colorful, where as the trek before that

was more adventurous.

As we approached the peak more clouds were accumulating. We could see the clouds drifting towards us. We were expecting it to pour any moment now. We could easily make out that some part of the range was receiving rainfall.

The shades of nature was of wide range and I am sure that my camera found it difficult to capture this wide range of shades that the nature had used. It started raining as we started the last climb.

There is a temple on the peak. On reaching the peak we relaxed at the priest s house where we were to spend the night. The coffee we had there was really tasty. Now we were at the highest peak in Karnataka at a height of 6820 ft. coming out of the house we notice that we were about clouds. After having nap our lazy leader – Arun came out with us to see the Sun Off for the day. The sky was golden now. My cam must have really found it difficult now with the ever increasing range of colors that nature was exhibiting.

That day we witnessed mist in the morning, a clear blue sky later on, combination of white, grey and black clouds invaded the blue sky by noon getting along with them cool water droplets in from of rain, a golden sky during sunset and a pitch black sky with glittering diamonds embedded in it after sunset. To add to it the sweet songs sung by birds, the beautiful lust green view of everything below us…. As arun said in his message we really witnessed heaven. People who missed this… you know what you are ;-)

last part in Q

Shades of nature (part 1)

May 26, Monday evening. Around 8, travelling back (yes in Bangalore it really is travelling back, not just coming back) from office to my place talking over my cell phone, the voice on the other side said “you seem to be very exhausted. The trek must have been very tiring…”

“Trek and tiring? No it was refreshing.” I said

“Oh My god!! You are crazy!!”

The weekend trek. The best of the treks I have been to till now. But as Arun said “the best trek” keeps changing as and when the number of treks increases. Last week we went on a trek to MuLLiyanagiri – the highest peak in Karnataka.

Friday night Arun, Shridhar and me left to chikmagalore from Bangalore, Srinivasa from Mangalore and Narayan from mysore. Srinivasa and narayan reached chickmagalore at about 1 30 early in the morning. You can imagine how frustrate a person can be to go for a loaf around at 2 am checking out the distance boards, taking their pics, discovering a weird horse which was laying down and sleeping(horses don’t lay down and sleep) making a detained study of the town. And how much more frustrated can he be to check his weight a dozen number of times with all combinations – with shoes, without shoes, with backpack, without back pack and what not.(later that evening when I told this to shruti, she was like “I thought alteast your friends were sane, but now I am having second thoughts.”). yes that is srinivas and narayan for you, sane or insane…

We reached chikmagalore at around 5 30 in the morning. Without wasting anytime went to the restaurant in the bus stand. What can you expect to get at that hour? But when on a trek comfort is our least priority. Srinivas and narayna joined us there at the restaurant after their midnight to early morning “loafing around the town”, as always with a smiling face.

Outside the bus stand a private bus to bababuDDangiri was waiting for us. I was planning to have a second round of sleep, but when we entered it we came to know that it there were no seats for us to occupy. And within no time the conductor came to us and asked us to part away from our dear back packs, which srini was very reluctant to. For him his backpack is more than his girlfriend. This prompted us ask if we could occupy the balcony seats… right bus top seat. This was my first bus top experience and was awesome, it was thrilling at times, each time a the bus came across a tree, looking at srini s face we had to bend down so that we would not bang into a branch… luckily nothing went wrong….

Srini started clicking pics from the moment the bus started (yes sometimes srini can go to any extend with is obsessions). After about an hour of thrilling journey we reached bababuDDangiri. Due to rain during the previous week the scenery was very good. And weather on that day was good too. We were above clouds. Different shades of green on land, blue in the sky. Nature is really beautiful. There we decided to trek to maNikyadhara falls which is around 5 km from bababuDDangiri. I got one more proof to support a fact at maNikyadhara. Something our people are very expert at. Leave them at world s most beautiful place for just 1 day and the very next day when you visit the place it would be very difficult to recognize the place. It would have become the dirtiest place. Manikyadhara looks very much like a shower, very beautiful until it reaches ground, rainbow formed midway to ground,

but resembles drainage tank once it reaches ground. People there have bath and throw their clothes near the falls, the place stinks.

One more beautiful place ruined. I sometimes pray for a miracle to happen and destroy roads to all beautiful places.
Until that moment our plan was to get back to bababuDDangiri, catch a bus to chikmagalore and get down midway and start our trek to muLLiyangiri. But at breakfast (second round, and getting lunch packed) we decided to trek all the way to muLLiyangiri (around 14 km). after all we what work did we have but to loaf around and enjoy nature all we wanted was to get to the peak before sun set. On asking the route to the owner of the small eating place he asked us to got to the BSNL tower from where the path would be easily visible. Thus started our trek to muLLiyangiri.

PS: to be continued

when earth and sun met

I wonder who is the person playing flute so well. Such a sweet music. It has been coming from past few day. I ll find out today for sure.

Making up her mind to know the person behind the pleasant music dhara went to the park which was right in front of her house.
She sat on the bench next to the person behind the music without him noticing her. Minutes passed by but the sweet sound coming out of the flute did not stop.

Finally after sometime the sound stopped. Dhara had drifted to a different world. Her ears were filled by the music. It took some time for her to realize that it was over.

The person had just left. She wanted to know who it was, but she also wanted to listen to it for some more time. So she called "please do not leave. You play so well. Please play for some more time"

But he had not turned back. He was just heading his way. She wanted to catch up with him and talk to him. She got up in haste, tripped and fell down.

Soon she was assisted by a warm rough hand. "are you hurt?" came a rough voice
"no i am fine, but where is the person who was playing flute?" asked dhara searching something on the ground and soon she found it.
"please take me to him i want to know who is the person who was playing it so well." said she picking up her stick, her only trust worthy guide in this cruel 'black' world.

"it was me playing the flute." said the rough voice again. "i am sorry, i did not turn back when you called.
"thats alright. I am dhara"
"i am Tejaswi"

"you play flute so well. There was something in that music. So soothing. Yet so touching. It was something different. I got drifted to a different world. It was like you wanted to tell something thought your music.
You really meant what you played. I dont think it is just music. It has more to do with your feelings. There s lot of emotion in your music. Your music says a story. Something sad. Am i true?"

"what are you?" asked Tejaswi in a blunt voice.

"what do you mean by 'what are you' ?"

"you can say all this by just listening to my music? What are you?"

"so i am right. What is it that is troubling you so much? If it is something sad share it with someone, you ll feel better. Agreed that I am a total stranger. But that must be your + point. See I don’t know you, and I cant see you so even if you come across me somewhere you wont get embarrassed."

Tejaswi did not want to talk to anyone, but something made him feel comfortable talking to her. so he told her his sad story of how he was ditched by his girlfriend because he could not live up to her standards…

On hearing this Dhara began to laugh. Tejaswi became furious. Why on earth did he have to open his mouth to some stranger. There was not way anyone could understand his feelings. There was no way anyone could know pathetic his condition was…

“I am sorry Tejaswi. I didn’t mean to hurt you. But if this is all that happened I do not see any reason why you have to be sad.”

There was a long pause and then Dhara continued again “People feel sad when they have lost something valuable. I do not see what valuable thing you have lost. She didn’t have anything for you which you could have lost. You are better of without her. Where as her… She has lost something very valuable. Something which I guess no one can replace. She has lost you. So if anyone should be sad it is her and not you.”

Tejaswi was not yet convinced “you wont understand. Forget it. It is not easy for me to be how I was before. Everything has changed”

“yes everything has changed. But it is up to you to make best of the change…”

Again a long pause…

“Tejaswi do you see these plans?” asked Dhara pointing to a piece of land

“yes” said Tejaswi “the flowers they bear are very beautiful.”

“yes people say so. You know something? These plants were not here at all. They were small saplings in our garden when my grandpa and me planted them here. If they thought that ‘everything has changed and it is difficult to for us to grow…’ then you would not have seen the beautiful flowers”

“Ok they were just saplings. If you transplant a tree it ll die”

“Tejaswi actually the mango tree under which you are sitting was not here few years ago. It was in a different layout apparently in the middle of an upcoming road. People were about to chop it down. But my grandpa protested and made them transplant it here. Him and me took care of it for weeks. And now it bears most tasty mangoes I have ever eaten”

Long silence again…

“thank you Dhara. I got your point. I ll get back to my normal life. Someone better than her must be waiting for me.”

“That’s the spirit” she said trying to get up.

“Listen. When you came and sat inform of me I didn’t know that you could not see. In fact I had not noticed you for a long time. And when I did notice you, I thought you were staring at me that was the reason why I got up from here. I am sorry”

With a smile Dhara said “Funny is it not… I saw right through you in spite of you trying to conceal your feelings still you say that I cannot see….”

Those words pierced him. Very true… she had seen right through him.

Days passed and Tejaswi began to lead a normal to good life. Every evening he played flute in the park. People around were so used to it that they found something missing if they did not listen to his music for a day. Dhara and Tejaswi were good friends.

One day after the music Tejaswi noticed that Dhara was very happy.

“Anything special today Dhara? You look very happy?”

“yes. I ll be getting engaged next week.”

“oh! That’s great. Who s the lucky guy?”

Dhara was not very sure to answer the question. After some time she made up her mind and told him about her fiancé. Again was silent for a while and said.

“This is his second marriage actually.”

“Dhara. Are you sure about this engagement. He was already married. And according to what you say he is much older than you are. Why do you want to marry him?”

“But he must be a good person. Else why would anyone want to marry me. I am blind. I don’t want to be a burden to my grandpa. He s getting old now. If ll be difficult to look after me now. And how does it matter how this person looks or how old he is. For me both the ugliest and smartest man are alike.”

Tejaswi broke the silence this time “are you really happy?”

“yes I am” said she with a genuine smile.

Tejaswi said “You know what he ll do? He will blindfold himself like Gandhari did.”

“you think he ll love me so much?”

“are you kidding? He ll get scared of your face. So he ll blindfold himself”

“tejaswi you would have been dead had I not liked your music. Am I really so bad to look at? I ll never know how I really look. People say I look decent but I think they say it out of pity.”

Just then Dhara s neighbour, a small 5 year kid came and sat on her lap. Dhara started playing with her. And when the kid left she asked Tejaswi “she is so cute isn’t she?”

“how do you know? I say she is not cute.”

“now shut up ok. All kids are cute and beautiful” Dhara was really furious now.

“yes I was just kidding. She really is very cute and beautiful. And coming back to your fiancé he wont have to blindfold himself. You are as cute and beautiful as that kid.”

Dhara didn’t have anything to say.

On the day of engagement…. Everyone was waiting for the ‘would be’ groom to come. But Mr fate had something else in-store for Dhara. The ‘would be’ groom did not turn up. Only they got a phone call.

They ‘would be’ groom had a heart attack that morning was declared dead when he was taken to the hospital.

One of dhara s aunts (an evil aunt) began cursing Dhara. “I knew something like this was in to happen. She is an omen. Soon after she was born her mother died and within few years her father died and now this. I am sure something evil is in store for all of us”

“Shut up!! Do not speak evil about Dhara. It is not her fault that he died. She is no omen. She is source of life.” Said Tejaswi. Now turning to Dhara s grandfather “I was like a zombie. My state when I cam here, was worse that the mango tree which you had transplanted. She filled life into me. Today if I am really alive that is because of her. And you call her an omen.”

“we do not want your sweet words. She might be and angel to her grandfather but she is nothing but burden to us. Who will marry her? We will have to look after her through out our life.” Said the evil aunt.

“Sir, I want to marry your grand daughter, with your permission.”

“she is blind. Do you not understand. BLIND” said the aunt.

“no she is not. Her sight is better than yours. She saw right through me”

Wondering what happened then?

Poor guy tejaswi… lost his Bachelor degree and Dhara got Master s degree

smile please

A smile can say lot of things…

I was thinking of what a smile might mean for different set of people when there are no words to talk… I came up with these. Any corrections are welcome.

When a mother smiles at her baby “you are the cutest thing in this world”

Baby smiles to mother “thanks ma for giving me this wonderful world”



A father’s smile to son/daughter on his/her success “I knew you could do it. You are my son/daughter”

Son/daughter in reply to father “thank you dad for you trust and support”

A mother’s smile, seeing her son/daughter off at railway station“ take care of yourself. Eat well. You are still a kid how can you manage all by yourself”

Son/daughter in reply “will miss you ma. Don’t worry about me, I ll be fine. Love you.”

Elder brother/sister ‘s smile at younger sibling on his/her return after a long hostel stay “you have grown up J. All these days I have missed the quarrels we used to have”

Younger one in reply “missed you a lot. Now that you are back, feels like home again” (well I just hope this is what my brother thinks when both of us are at home)


Between two friends “thanks buddy. I knew that I could count on you”
Reply “don’t worry pal. I ll be there for you”


Wife’s smile at husband when he returns from work “you look tired. I ll get you something”
Husband’s smile- “you too must be tired. Come sit with me for a while.”
I can only guess this part)



A boy friend s smile on finding his girl coming towards him “ah!! My angel.”

Girl friend s smile”………. “ (it is highly impossible for a boy to predict what a girl thinks. So I ll let a girl to complete this