TTTT #66 - When we found peace, tranquillity within a city - Bhujia hill - Bhuj-Gujarat

During our Gujarat trip, in the month of December 2017, we found a place of peace, tranquility and spirituality. It was filled with intense spiritual energy that, I felt I had to write about it from that day onwards.

We started our Gujarat trip journey from Bangalore and managed to reach Bhuj in about a day and half, all by road. So the next day we managed to see local tourist spots including local Museum. Half a day went there and considering we were tired after travel from Bangalore we spent a couple of hours sleeping. Post which we went to see the Rani Mahal and Raja Mahal the former was destroyed by the great Bhuj earthquake of 2001, and the Raja Mahal was where the movie Lagaan was shot.

It was quickly 6 pm and it was time for sunset. One of the local told us, to go to Bhujia hill before it becomes dark. We reached Bhujia as the sun set. What greeted us at Bhujia hill was an absolute bliss. Huge peace, tranquility, no lights, no people a hillock, lots of steps to climb to get to the top. Fire sticks used to provide
sufficient light. We spent around 1 hour on the Bhujia hill and believe me, it turned out absolutely beautiful. Each time someone tells me they are going to Bhuj, I suggest them to go to Bhujia hill especially in the evening. You can get a beautiful view of the city. Minus the crowd. What more you wish to expect!

Cheers

Headache :) -

Yesterday being Sunday, I had headache by evening. I thought it was because I had eaten less. I ate biscuits but, it refused to go away.

Did a little bit of retro, the week before was bit tough, work wise, plus stupid meetings. I had ended it all with almost 3-5 hours of GTA 5 play on my playstation. So I felt indeed it was the exposure to the monitor which made all the difference. Coupled with my mobile where I randomly watch tik tok videos or check messages or browse.

I cannot really blame it on the kindle though :)-

Cheers,

TTTT - #65 - A stranger who refused to acknowledge his Kannada lineage :)-

I have strange tales of co-incidence, some are of pride, but some are really forgettable. One such incident happened post my completion of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

I completed the yatra and came back to Nepal. We had a accomdation for 2 days at a 3 star hotel, Hotel Landmark opposite Kings Palace. It was surely a posh locality.

We came on probably 21 July 2019 evening and ate food and slept off. The next day when I was climbing down from my room which was in the fourth floor to ground floor, I heard a couple converse in Kannada.

I could immediately catch up to them. They looked like Indians and spoke in Kannada which is my native language. So out of curiousity I asked them in Kannada, "Yaava uru nimmadu" ? which roughly translates to " which place is yours" or " where are you from "..

The gentleman replied in Kannada, we are from New York :)

He didn't mention about any lineage. Generally people who are born and raised in India, tell that they were born and raised here, but settled outside since a long time. But this gentleman, refused to tell about his other details, may be because I was a stranger.

But either way, I felt, he had disassociated with this own motherland.

Cheers,

Mohd Rafi - a legend

Aye Gulbadan - Mohd Rafi - Hasrat Jaipuri, Shankar JaiKishen, Shammi Kapoor, Kalpana

I think, if there is someone who could be called father of playback singing, its got to be Mohd Rafi saab. I have grown up listening to Mohd Rafi saab songs. Though I cannot remember each and every song, which movie, I think I can name a few.

My love, respect and interest in Mohd Rafi saab almost tripled post my visit to Kashmir. He is worshipped there. Some things should be treasured and what better than Mohd Rafi saab in Kashmir, where his sung songs have been shot.

Mughal Gardens - Nishat, Shalimar, and couple of other valleys.

I also feel, the beauty of Kashmir and other places has been elevated, because of the voice of Rafi Saab, the words of the lyricist and the melody of the composer and the priceless expressions of the actors!

Cheers,

PS - In this song, if you can observe, how Kalpana madam, changes her expression when she's facing Shammiji and when she turns her back on him.

You can easily read a persons intent when you observe him carefully :)

I think, you can say a lot without saying anything vocally, just by expressions, and the prime example can be found in this song, set as an example by Kalpanaji!

A 22 year old phenomenon

Today evening after I finished my work, I ended up reading. I was continuing a book by Satyajit Ray which has collection of stories which have been published from sometime in 1970's to 1990  I guess, forgot the year, my bad. I have been reading this book for a while now, its a good 700 pages one on hard print.

So I had music for company and there I was listening to Michael Learns to Rock and reading in a dark room, without much distraction.

This whole experience took me back to 22 years, when I was a kid and staying at Malleshwaram. I still remember, sitting on the same bed reading a book with Michael Learns to rock playing in the background. Just that the book was either Famous Five or Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew. And it happened to be borrowed from Friends Circulating Library - Rajajinagar.

Now I was at Uttarhalli, reading on a purchased book and I could afford a dark room now because I had kindle paper white with backlight. So many years and all of a sudden you realize, you are indeed lucky to have lived through all those years and experiences. Also you feel sad so many years have gone through and you have not noted the memories of those years.

Actually my grandfather used to write diaries, but as a kid never understood the importance of them, now all of a sudden, boom you grow up and on one such day figure out what you did 20 years back and all of a sudden things begin to haunt you!

I thought worth making a note on my blog and worth thanking God, parents without whom, today would not have been possible.

Cheers, 

Age is just a number Christine McVie

Here is a song sung by a beautiful lady. The lady in the video is 70+ year old. People are used to telling we should act our age, we should stop doing certain things after certain age.

But to stop doing what you love just because you are of a certain age, doesn't make sense.

Here is Christine McVie - and Lindsey Buckingham :) who too is around 69 when the video is shot.

I could never imagine, live singing to be this good :)

Interesting comments on youtube - songs.- Prologue

Its been quite a few years, I have been listening to songs on youtube at work at home and since few years, I have been reading and observing comments on youtube.

Some of the comments are very interesting, funny, creative and some of them highly intellectual. So I thought of making a note of such comments in my blog, just to re-read what kind of appreciation people hold for someone's music in their lives.

Its really wonderful to see how good music impacts lives of so many people, be it inspiration wise, be it upliftment, music really helps.

Cheers,