New Additions to the Living Room

It's been an awesome Sunday. It started with a long, adrenaline pumping, beautiful cycle ride into the outskirts of city (40 Kms). Five of us started at 5.30 am in the morning and completed the 40 kms within 3 hours and only one pit stop. Nothing like cycling on weekends to break the drudgery and to get those sleepy body cells active again.

Early morning start

40 kms on the road

Next on my agenda this Sunday was a bit of furniture shopping.

Gradually and slowly I have added some unique pieces of furniture to my new home. Latest additions to my collection are these vintage teak wood chairs and an beautifully crafted glass table.

The chairs are comfortable, sturdy and elegant looking. I need some appropriate size cushions to complete their look.

 The table, made entirely of glass has added a bit of drama to my otherwise boring living room. The stem of the table coils up like human DNA making it very eye catching.

Another addition was a wooden table crafted in the shape of an elephant.

Love the metal detailing on the table.

My living room furniture is a heady mix of contemporary and vintage pieces and somehow they fit in very well together.

Happy with my new additions and happy that this was a Sunday well spent!

YEY TO NEW BEGINNINGS !!

The first few weeks of June have been very testing, not just for me but for everybody around me as well! It's been a month which has broken my comfort zones and of many I know. The only comfort that can be derived from all this is from the lines,' Change is for the better!'

For me, at a professional level major organizational changes in my company have demanded that I step into a new role. I took up the challenge with mixed feelings. I am excited about learning a whole new field of work and expanding my work profile but at the same time there is nervousness about fitting in and meeting expectations. On  weighing the options of sticking on to my previous profile (which I can confidently say that I have a good grip on) versus moving on to something new and very coveted at this point had me in a fix for sometime but in the end my thirst to experiment, explore new territories and test my own capabilities got the better of me. After all , I never want to turn back at a lost oppurtunity and say, 'What if?'

My dear friend R, has decided to leave his small little apartment which had been his abode for a good number of years for something more spacious in Mumbai. As he beings this arduous journey of finding himself a little space in the city of skyscrapers, the situation has been complicated by Rain Gods. Mumbai experienced heavy rainfall in the past one week making the sea waves rise to a good three feet and flood the streets. The traffic come to a virtual standstill. Murphy ' s law at its best!

And history repeats itself! My little cousin sister, D, is all grown up now , ready to enter college. Coincidently she decided to take up my stream ,  medicine that is. The  coincidence doesn't end there cause she even qualified and chose the same college  as mine. As she prepares for the new chapter in her life and sends a volley of wassapp updates and images from the college, I get this strong urge to be with her there! Indeed the time spent at the college campus was a period I remember very fondly and which I am very proud of.

Yey to new beginnings cause they bring with them much excitement,  butterflies in the stomach and uncertainty to what the future holds! The beauty of life lies in its unpredictability!

The Quirkiest of May!

While I was sipping on my cold coffee on a summer afternoon of May , I read about a rather weird yet hilarious offer being made! A young lawyer from Kenya, offered to marry US President Obama ' s daughter who is just sixteen for fifty cows, 70 sheep and 30 goats. 

The fellow professed his immense love for her and also suggested that once she moved to his village after marriage he teach her how to milk a cow, cook ugali (a starchy dish) and prepare mursik (a sour milk). This by far was the quirkiest news of the month of May for me. Of course it made for great coffee time gossip and brought out a smile on everybody's face whenever it was discussed.

I can't say any in about the genuineness of the proposal being made here but one thing I can can say for sure that in today's day and age of globalisation and technology all it takes to be world famous is a little bit of quirkiness!  The lawyer from Kenya became a rage world over as the news about his offer spread like wild fire across the international media!

Image from Google (lawyer on the left and Obama daughter Malia on the right).

As if this was not enough another quirk that started doing the rounds in May was that the devastating earthquake that struck  Nepal , a small country adjoining India, was blamed by some Indian politicians on religious offence of eating beef and cow slaughter by the people of Nepal.

 Image from Google (Nepal Earthquake)

Nepal experienced  the worst earthquake in decades , which was 7.5 on the richter and lead to much destruction and death of thousands of people. However some insensitive politicians had to give this tragedy a communal flavour and blamed this event on the wrath of Gods. The cow is considered sacred in the Hindu religion and Hinduism is the dominant religion both in India and Nepal. Thus a few fanatics had to blame this tragedy on the slaughter of cows taking place in Nepal to meet the beef demand. This was happening even though geologists had given detailed explanations about the reason for the earthquake. There is really no end to superstitious belief and the manipulation of people's sentiments by politicians.

Image from Google (Nepal Earthquake)

Last but not the least, Maggie , a noodles brand in India which has been a favourite of millions for ages was found to contain very high levels of lead and monosodium glutamate. These high levels are not fit for human intake and therefore the product was banned country wide. However the moot question here is that if Maggie noodles which is such a common brand that it is available on the shelves of practically every grocery store and is marketed by a very well known brand i.e., Nestlé could violate the food safety rules like this then what is the status of the other lesser known products. Really there is a need to beef up our food security laws, here in India.

                                        Image from Google 

Grilling the Summer!

Okay peeps..its getting hot hot hot here in north India! May has been excruciatingly painful with the number of cases being treated for heat stroke and constant warnings to corporates to cut on electricity consumption steadily rising  ! The mercury has touched a whopping 45 degrees.

I watched  the movie MAD MAX FURY recently and the whole concept of the movie  i.e., wars in the future for water as most of the cultiviable land turns into desert on earth and water becomes scarce, makes sense. An out and out action flick, it was a pleasure to watch it in a 3D theatre and there could not have been a better time for its release than the months of peak summer. Oh wait, June is going to be worse! But the met department is predicting that the thunder Lords might be a little generous and we may get a few showers in June! At least a few days with a couple of degrees less on the mercury barometer!

Official trailer of Mad Max Fury

Summers may be painful but the optimist in me has decided to dedicate this post to the good I see in summers!

First and foremost I have to begin with food! Nothing gives more happiness than a swelled,  hyperglycemic tummy.

The juicy , sugary fruit that I relish i.e., watermelons, mangoes and litchi are summer delights!

Image from Google

Second,  It only seems fair to bring up exercise after talking about food..

What I love about summers is that I can swim like a mermaid. It's just so relaxing to be in the pool on a hot day and it is such good exercise for the whole body! Just perfect for losing those extra pounds that were put on in the winters plus if you have a nice pool , all the more nicer..
Nothing like watching the starry sky while creating ripples in the water at night.

Third is a passion that I can fully exercise in summers i.e.,to paint and smother my hands with colour. I love to paint with oil colours and winters is  not a very supportive season for this activity as it takes days for a painting to dry. So here are some of my experiments..

I know I am not quite there yet but if I keep on it , it can only get better.

Fourth, includes travel. The best part about summer travel is planning a trip to the mountains to enjoy the weather there. A few days away from the scorching heat and in the serenity of the mountains can indeed bolster confidence to face the rest of the summer with a smile! Indeed the trip I planned this year was memorable.. a sweet 10 days off work and into the curvaceous hilly streets of Himachal.

A cup can be viewed as half full or half empty! Choice
 Is yours!

Road Trip Part 3- Delhi to Mcleodganj

The last leg of my trip included the journey from Palampur to Dharamshala to Mcleodganj. A total distance of approximately 2 hour on road.

The drive from Mcleodganj to Dharamshala is on a beautiful hilly road which takes you closer and closer to the magistic Dhauladhar Range of mountains and is lined by lush green tea gardens.

On way to Dharamshala from Palampur

Dharamshala is a small hilly  town snugly sitting on the base of the Dhauladhar and is an hour away from Mcleodganj. It has its own airport and cricket stadium.

Dharamshala

A slated house in Dharamshala

Airport

 Mcleodganj  is the current base of the Tibetan Spiritual leader,  Dalai Lama who took refuge in India after conflict with Chinese authorities in Tibet. The town is teaming with visitors from inside and outside of India. Small little restraunts and shops line the busy streets of Mcleodganj. The shops mainly sell Tibetan art, stones, woollens etc.

Mcleodganj

Mcleodganj

A famous temple that is situated at one end of the town is Bhagsuna Temple.

A beautiful waterfall is about a 20 minute trek away from the temple.

Bhagsuna Temple

Bhagsuna Temple

Trek upto Bhagsuna falls

A Tibetan monastery is also situated in Mcleodganj . It is also the abode of the tibitian spiritual leader, Dalai Lama.

I believe in treating my journey like a friend. There should be planning for the meeting, choosing the right clothes, looking forward to the fun together. So for this road trip, I decided to colour my hair. Here's a pic!

Road trip -Part 2 (Palampur)

This post describes the second leg of my road trip from Delhi to Mcleodganj. For the first part read here Part 1 Road trip to Mcleodganj

After 7 hours of road travel from Chandigarh to Palampur,  we were finally ready for a day stop before we headed to our final destinition i.e., Mcleodganj. Mcleodganj is based in the foot hills of the magnificent Dhauladhar Mountain Range and is the current base of the Tibetan Spiritual leader,  Dalai Lama who took refuge in India after conflict with Chinese authorities in Tibet.

Palampur is 2 hours away from Mcleodganj and is another hill station worth exploring. Every house in this bustling town can boast about the beautiful backdrop of the stunning Dhauladhar Range. Just walking around the streets of this town is a beautiful experience as humongous ancient deodar and pine tress line the narrow hilly streets and green tea gardens can be seen everywhere. The ancient houses with wood work is another treat to see.

A hilly road in Palampur

An old house

A view of the beautiful trees and mountains

Green fields , wild roses and mountains in the backdrop

An old house with slated roof

Tea plantations

Humongous Deodar

Places to visit in Palampur:
1. Local market : great place to pick up locally made Organic Kangra tea or woollens

local market

2. The Taragarh Palace : it is located a bit on the outskirts but the drive to the palace is beautiful and gives a feel of the Royal luxuries.  The palace belongs to Maharani (Queen)Tara devi. The palace has been converted into a hotel and rooms are available for stay.

The royal dining hall at Taragarh Palace

Portrait of one of the Royal ladies

3. Neugal Park: This is a small park with a cafe and a beautiful view of the mountains

Neugal Park

4. Saurabh Van Vihar: another park with a lake and a beautiful view of the mountains. This park is dedicated to a local martyr, Captain Saurabh Kalia (1976 – 1999). He was a brave  officer of the Indian Army who lost his life as prisoner of war, while fighting for his country against the Pakistan army during the Kargil war.

5. Drive down to the Neugal river or Beas river and enjoy waddling it water.

Neugal River

Beas River

6 . Norah Richards house: the remains of the mud house and theatre of a European lady , Norah Richards, who decided to settle in this beautiful town have been preserved and are open for visitors to see. She was a theatre artist and a writer.

Norah Richards mud house

Norah Richards theatre

Insides of the mud house

Indeed this small  hilly town is breathtakingly beautiful and a must for travel enthusiasts to visit. It offers a lot fun activities to do or just relax and enjoy the beauty from one of the many hotel stay options available.

Lastly, a photo of the guest house I stayed in... We stayed in the of new wing but the interesting part is that the old wing is a 100 years old and was built by the British during their colonisation of the area. A church and a cemetery  were located close by.

New wing of the guest house

Old wing of the guest house (over a 100 years old)