The innocent unreal aspirations of childhood continue to make their presence felt even as an adult. When I was eight or nine years old, the changing shapes of clouds and the starry nights had caught my attention to such an extent that I wished to reach the sky and explore that world. I had enticed a close friend of mine Soni with my fabricated story. I had convinced her that there exists the prince of clouds beyond the skies and that he comes and meets me when I am alone. I still remember convincing her about life on stars and planets. She was so much allured by the story of stars and planets, that she had given me gifts to make sure I call her when I meet the prince of the clouds again. When she had continuously insisted on meeting the prince of the clouds, I had created yet another story of the prince of the clouds being locked in the dark planet.

Life beyond the unknown and mystery about the universe has been a part of my imagination since childhood till date. As Steve job calls it connecting the dots, I can now connect with the flights of my imagination when I am writing my first children’s fantasy book called Secrets of Zynpagua: Return of the princess. Every character of the book has lived with me since childhood.

I wish I were an astronaut and could go and explore the world beyond the realms of the horizon.

This was a submission to Sunday Times, Soul Curry.

She continues to bless me!

2002 was the final year of my management course at Symbiosis Pune. The year had particularly decided to test my strength. The never ending placement season began with a slow, disappointing note. There were a sequel of interviews taken by me, where I reached the last stage of selection post group discussions and initial interviews, but the final result did not go in my favour. My confidence was shattering and it hurt to see myself lagging behind. My classmates had begun to doubt my capability to become a management professional. There were others as well in the class who were going through this psychological hell. There was this one classmate (girl), who could not manage clearing the group discussions. The rejections were taking a toll on her.

We both were short listed for the group discussion for a well known Non Banking Financial Company ‘A’. Since the G.D was held combined for quite a few management Institutes, the prowess in breaking through others and expressing ones views, made all the difference. I definitely managed to pitch in between the war of words but my classmate struggled to voice an opinion. Something occurred to me and I took her name and asked her stance. Post this she took charge and both of us sequentially reached the final round of Interview. The choice had to be made between one of us and as destiny had it, she cleared it. She received the pat for getting into a top NBFC and I had to compromise and join an export house in Bangalore. It was a family run business, where I reported into the Chairman, a man in his late 70s and someone endowed with a very foul temper. Since I had a meager salary, I stayed in a paying guest accommodation. Though I was taken in as a management trainee, my task involved arranging the files in ascending order and receiving guests with flowers. To add fuel to my frustration, the classmate who had joined company ‘A’ quit within two months because she was getting married, and here was I struggling to make a career. My disillusionment reached its zenith.

The owner of the paying guest house was a devotee of Goddess Kanaka Durga. She recommended that I should begin worshipping her. Something within me did not want to mistrust the lady’s belief in the Goddess and I silently commenced praying to the Goddess Kanaka Durga. For the next 4 months there was no respite and then my friend Saugata Basu sent my CV to the same company ‘A’. This time I cleared, and was given a higher position than what my classmate acquired 5 months back but the posting was in a hard core Telugu speaking city- Vijaywada in Andra Pradesh, an upcountry location. I being a single north Indian girl was literally in tears to be in an alien environment and initiated the search for a new job as soon as I joined Vijaywada. Within a week my disillusionment got an answer. The office colleague informed me that the city was famous for Goddess Kanaka Durga Temple and that if she had called me that far, she would take care. I stayed back in Vijaywada for a year, and true to the faith I have in the Goddess, my career moves have been enviable since then and there hasn’t been an interview I haven’t cleared post that. She continues to bless me.

Gopnath, Sam dunes Jaisalmer, Bandhavgarh: Published in CFO connect, Oct 2011

Some people travel for leisure, and some to take a break from the humdrum of everyday life. There are still others who do so in search of a difference – to explore the unknown and get absorbed in its environs. Where nature plays host and engulfs you in its remarkable milieu; yet so real, happy, and enchanting. This is where life can be found in its most pristine form, unadulterated, and smiling. Each such place is an inimitable experience, and also hides lovingly in the arms of the Indian subcontinent.Among these places is Gopnath Village in Gujarat, which is situated on a cliff, with the sea splashing on all sides; Sam Village in Jaisalmer is an endless caravan in the sand dunes; and Bandhavgarh reserve in Madhya Pradesh, is the land of the roaring tiger.

Gopnath Bungalow
This is a king’s palace situated on a cliff, surrounded by sea on three sides and the countryside on the other. Veiled by cotton fields, it is located in the coastal area of Bhavnagar, in Gujarat. The Gopnath Bungalow was once the summer residence of Maharaja Krishna Kumar Singhji, the ruler of Bhavnagar.A chance visit – We chanced upon this place while returning from Diu to Ahmedabad by road during our visit to Gujarat in the first week of January. A passerby had informed us that there is a nice bungalow in Gopnath. Our Gujarat journey had been mainly in a vagabond style, stopping on the way where we wished to and staying overnight at suitable places. In keeping with our style and mood, we followed the directions given to us by the village folk. The road leading up to the bungalow is a narrow kachcha road through cotton fields. The journey seemed endless, as every time we stopped to ask a passerby, the standard reply was that it was just another 30 kilometers away. We finally arrived escorted by a guide on a bicycle, who we followed in our Innova. At the bungalow we were greeted by two tall and plump gentlemen, with their faces totally covered under the monkey caps that they were wearing, shaking in the chill.

A bungalow on the sea– Wild bushes covered the view of the magnificent bungalow, with each room opening up to a view of the sea right in front, rumbling with the resonance of splashing waves and roaring sea breeze. Each room was decorated in ‘Maharaja Style’, with ancient paintings on the walls, brick beds cushioned with mattresses, and very spacious balconies, including a marble tea table. Whispering in the air were ghost stories that rhymed with the wheezing sound of the breeze, the splashing sea, and the ancient figurines on the wall.Tea at the bungalow – The presence of the tea table reminded us of our thirst for a hot cup of ginger tea, in the freezing cold. On inquiry, we were directed to a dhaba adjoining the bungalow. Having grumbled our way to the dhaba, we had to eat our words after we had eaten there. The place serves out-of-this world, tea, and the most authentic Gujarati food I have ever had – from poha and Upma to meals with bajra roti complimented with pure white makkhan, and served with melted gur (jagri). The food was served by the host, and we ended up feasting twice more than our stomachs can normally take, having given in to the scrumptious meal before us. After we finished eating, we walked down the yellow-white fields to the adjoining temple of Lord Gopnath Mahadev.

Spell-bound by nature – The next morning we were up at the crack of dawn and were completely spellbound by the spectacular sight of the sun’s rays walking staunchly into our rooms; the open doors rendering a breathtaking view of the sea from where we sat with the wild tidal waves splattering on the undefined coast. We had been warned not to swim because of the abrasive coast. It was an experience to remember for a life time!

Sam Village in Jaisalmer
My distinct memory of Sam Village is of dancing on the dunes with the natives. My existence completely melted into the melody of the ektara, my feet swaying dreamily. The Sam Village is in the Thar Desert, about 40 km away from the city of Jaisalmer.The journey from Delhi – There are two possible ways of reaching here from Delhi. The first is surely more pleasurable and demanding; just 12-14 hours in a car, cruising along the immaculate, broad and curving roads of Rajasthan, crossing Jaipur, and Jodhpur on the way. The other, more unassuming option is a train journey that takes about 16 hours, as the train stops at almost all the known stations between Delhi and Jaisalmer. I chose the humbler option, the train journey, starting in the evening, since my gang of five girls had opted out of the journey at the 11th hour. We were just two girls who decided to go on the daring journey in the foggy month of December. We opted to take the train as it was safer than two girls driving alone on the roads. It was our good luck that our fellow passenger in the train was a BSF officer who generously elaborated to us all that we could do in Jaisalmer and at Sam. When the train reached Jaisalmer station at around 12.30 pm, the next day, we were happy to be greeted by two gentlemen who had been sent from the camp at Sam, where we were going to stay.

Camp at Sam Village– We embarked in an open jeep from Jaisalmer station to Sam Village. The rickety vehicle carried us noisily along on the deserted road, crossing some very up-market hotels, built like huge forts, on the way. We reached Sam in three hours, and managed to take a lot of photographs, in our attempt to grab every moment. The village was lined with brilliantly festooned tents with an elevated stage in the centre of the camp. After our evening tea, a majestic camel called Mustafa, sauntered gallantly into our camp to carry us two girls to the dunes. Mustafa, who had knelt down to allow us to climb on to him, had to bear our squeals and giggles when he straightened up to begin his journey. We heroically sauntered along on giant Mustafa’s back for almost an hour till we reached the top of an enormous dune. Poor Mustafa also had to tolerate our gibberish, juvenile banter for more than an hour. Our arrival was well timed to see the sun setting – an enormous, orange ball, gradually sinking behind the puny dune.A musical evening: The lingering dusk was a perfect setting for the folk singers and bards to enthrall us with their music and dancing. The ladies circling around and letting their coloured lehangas (long skirts), spread in the gusty wind and gyrate back onto their legs. After Mustafa took us back to our tent we rested awhile, and then set out to attend the cultural events in the evening. That night we went to sleep early as we had decided to wake up at 4 am to salute the sun, when it rises in the morning amid the breeze and the dunes.

Blinded by the sun– The next day we were woken up by the alarm, at 4 am. The biting cold slapped my cheeks as soon as I got out from under my quilt, so I dived, right back into bed. The next few minutes I lay awake hearing my friend noisily washing her face in the washroom. I then heard Mustafa’s owner asking whether we were ready. In 15 minutes we were out climbing back on to Mustafa’s back for our ride into the dunes to catch the first sight of the sun as it rose. The cold wind blew in from one ear and out from the other. Our legs had frozen hanging next to the camel’s body and our teeth rattled. We sat there cuddled up on a dune, waiting in the deep darkness for the first ray of sunlight. It was about an hour later at around 5 am, that dawn broke and by 5.30 am, the huge, round orange orb came out from hiding and splashed light everywhere. With a click of our camera we captured this sight for eternity.Later, after returning to the camp we slept till it was time for us to check out and go on a tour of Jaisalmer.

The Golden Fort – Jaisalmer, the city of Raja Rawal Jaisal, a Bhatti Rajput ruler, built in approximately, 1156 AD, stands with the same exuberance as the other destinations in Rajasthan such as Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Udaipur. The main attraction of the city is the Jaisalmer fort also known as the Golden fort. Magnificently ornate and flaunting the colour of the lion, it stands still sheltering the houses of the natives in the city. The Jaisalmer city thrives within the arms of the fort and its economy depends on the inflow of tourists and local handicraft, and weaving.

In the interior of the fort are the rooms of the ancient rajas and ranis, who conspicuously resided within the flamboyantly carved walls, embellished with mirror work. We did buy a few bandhani duppattas and mirror work cushion covers, and bedsheets, and the elegant, colourful thick bangles, before proceeding to board the train back to Delhi.

Bandhavgarh: The land of the roaring tiger
The journey – Our decision to head to Bandhavgarh, situated in the Vindhyan mountain ranges of central India in Madhya Pradesh, was an impromptu one. It was the sweltering month of June which everybody said was the right time to sight the Royal Bengal tiger. The route we took was Delhi to Agra, and then to Gwalior, Jhansi, Orchha, Khajurao, and further on to Bandhavgarh. The non-stop journey is almost 800 km by car from New Delhi, but we decided to break journey at Orchha, where we stayed overnight. We had an unintentional rendezvous with yet another unblemished haven, where the Betwa Riverflows gracefully, and energetically, splashing on to the huge boulders in the surrounding areas. We stayed overnight in a reasonably priced heritage property called Orchha resort. This area is surrounded by temples of Lord Rama and the Fort. The next morning we woke up late, and after paying homage to the deity, we headed straight to Bandhavgarh, which is about 300 km from Orchha. We did cross the Khajurao temples but due to paucity of time, we did not stop to see the temples.A night in the jungle – The route is fairly isolated and dry in the hot weather. Hot puffs of air managed to sneak into our air-conditioned car every time we rolled down the windows to ask passersby for directions. We drove through dusk and an unforgettable night that followed. We failed to notice the sudden change in the topography, and drove right into a jungle. After passing by several monkeys and hearing eerie sounds we spotted a lone human being whom we asked for directions to Bandhavgarh. By that time we had covered at least five kilometers of the jungle. The gentleman informed us that we were in the Bandhavgarh National Park, and he was the resort in-charge. He then gave us directions to navigate ourselves out of there but we were distracted by our green and dark surroundings and the eerie sounds and it took us a while to explore our way to the resort.

At the resort – The resort is an immaculately planned property with big cottages sprinkled at a distance of almost a quarter of a kilometer from each other. At the entrance of each cottage was a lantern that had been lit, which dimly illuminated the area around it. The all-wood cottages had a balcony that opened up to the wildlife beyond. After a delicious dinner, we headed back to our cottage for a good sleep before facing the tiger in the morning.

The jungle safari – An open jeep was waiting to take us on the jungle safari. We had pre-booked the safari for both the tala (deep jungle) and magadhiareas and so were spared the waiting time at the government forest office, where there were many people waiting for their chance. The morning safari was to the Magadhi area, where the female tiger with her two cubs could be spotted. The driver and the guide were evidently familiar with all the nooks and corners of this reserve and knew exactly where to go. We crept behind other vehicles and secretly waved at the deer and birds that we passed by. Soon we came upon a slender, jet black snake, hastily wriggling through the bushes but we kept silent as we had been instructed to. It is said that when the tiger is around, the deer, the monkey, and other animals emit warning sounds to the fellow residents of the jungle, and this is what our driver and guide were looking out to hear. There was dust blowing everywhere and our hair had become like straw, but we did not mind resembling Einstein, in our quest to spot the tiger. After four hours we had located quite a few animals but the tiger remained elusive. We returned to our resort by 10 am, with the hope that the evening safari would be much more promising, and we were greedy to meet Bengal’s pride. We spent the rest of the day waiting in excitement for what the evening would reveal.Meeting the Bengal tiger – Around 4 pm, we began our evening safari, with caps and goggles and a scarf to wrap around our faces, to avoid the blistering dust. We were well rewarded as after 45 minutes of searching we came upon a small pond and in front of it stood a brown and black striped beast lapping up the water. We stood stock still not daring to even breathe, waiting to capture the image of the tiger with our cameras. After this, the remaining part of our safari was a cheery drive in the wild!

Australia Animal World May12 .

The hustle and bustle of Sydney; the rich wine of Hunter Valley; the turquoise gleam of the Blue Mountains; the quaint town of Melbourne; the vivacious Great Barrier Reef at Cairns; and the picturesque Port Douglas – each place majestically contributed to making our journey to down under awe inspiring!Arrival in SydneyOn December 1, 2011, we flew to Australia for a month’s trip. It took us almost 24 hours to reach Sydney from New Delhi. Around 8 pm, the flight attendant announced our arrival at Sydney Airport. As the plane bent southwards heading down, we saw the distinct Opera House on the right just before we landed. Our well wishers had warned us against carrying any food articles, whether packaged or open, on the journey and so we did not. Soon after we de-planed, the endless clearing line and thorough checking had us cribbing and restless. But once we had crossed the exit point, it was relatively convenient to find a cab and get to our hotel. A helpful policeman dutifully instructed the cabbie to take us to our destination, which was a hotel located in the vicinity of Darling Harbour. It was drizzling, and the night was cold and foggy, quite unlike our expectation of an Australian summer. When we approached the hotel (which was an appealing European building with a glass exterior), a terse lady at the reception greeted us and handed us our keys. Fatigued by our journey, we slept early, but our minds were restless and feet wanting to begin exploring.

The kangaroos, koalas, and lorikeets, Dancing white peacocks, penguins, and the coral reef, The fish and sharks too, did smile. Driving, diving, and flying, The trip went by in no time, It was a wonderful holiday, the best of times!

A bus and ferry ride

The next morning we were directed to a shop in the nearby market to buy the day’s bus and ferry ticket for AUD20 per person. We purchased the tickets and unquestioningly waited for the bus at the nearby stop. The bus came in no time to carry us to Circular Quay – the hub of Sydney Harbour, situated at a small inlet called Sydney Cove.

On the southern side of Circular Quay is a walkway that leads to the Sydney Opera House and Royal Botanical Gardens; while on the northern side, a short walk takes one to the Harbour Bridge and The Rocks market, one of the oldest, most interesting parts of Sydney, offering open stalls and artifacts, local dresses and bags. The Parramatta River is the main tributary of Sydney Harbour and gallantly flows through making its presence felt at Darling Harbour, Circular Quay, Sydney Harbour, and Manly, among other places and renders an outstanding view from the footsteps of Opera House.

The Sydney Opera House boastfully stands in the backdrop of Sydney harbour over the Parramatta River. It was designed in 1957 by Denmark’s Jørn Utzon, who was inspired to create this structure while peeling an orange. Opera House is sprinkled with eating joints and coffee shops. We tried an Italian Pasta that brilliantly complimented the foggy milieu with its sizzling steam and delectable preparation. The Sydney Harbour offers an excellent opportunity to walk leisurely and explore the place, with its attractive shops selling niche curios. After an exciting day at Sydney Harbour and Circular Quay, we caught a ferry to Darling Harbour. The ferry ride was fascinating, with the skyscrapers, and innumerable hotels, on both sides of the river, pacing with the speed of the ferry. Its on-board café provided out of the world, sumptuous muffins! They were enormous in size, but quickly melting in the mouth.

The occasional drizzling outside pulled us out of the cabin onto the open balcony to soak in the fog in sync with the rhythm of splashing water. The ferry silently approached Darling Harbour. The place was overflowing with Christmas celebrations. There were walking Santas approaching the children. Carols were in the air sung by a group of enthusiasts, adding spice to the celebrations. After spending the evening at Darling Harbour and trying some Thai food, we walked back to our hotel.

That night we went to sleep thinking of our agenda for the next day – a trip to the Sydney Wildlife and Sydney Aquarium, both located at Darling Harbour. We had discovered that you can avail a combo pack of entry tickets, including Sydney Wildlife, the Aquarius, and the Sydney Tower.

Some Facts about Koalas

The Sydney Wildlife satiated our quest to see kangaroos, wallaby, koalas, a variety of birds and other insects and innumerable reptiles. The Aquarium, citing some 2000 aquatic habitats offered a splendid view through its glass tunnels.

At the Sydney Tower Eye

We also gathered courage to climb the Sydney Tower Eye, the tallest free standing structure in Sydney, elevating to a height of 1014 ft above sea level, and located at Sydney Central Business District (CBD), not too far from Darling harbour. We took a train upto Pitt Street and walked to the entrance of the tower. Our tour guide was a young Korean girl who judiciously built up our courage to climb the tower. We were given costumes and a chain. Once on the stairs leading to the tower, our chains were tied to the handles ascending upto the tower. A gust of wind greeted us at the top. We were literally flying, only caught by the chain. On looking down, to our shock, we found that we were standing on glass floors that boldly displayed the height and the distance from the road below. Before we could come to terms with our situation, the floor itself began to move, popping itself out of the building structure. Needless to say, there were screams and shouts in unison.

On our way back we silently descended the tower and when we landed at the bottom of the stairs we found displayed our shock stricken photographs which we purchased. This was an experience to remember, and hearing our exclamations, expressing both shock and excitement, our guide advised us to climb the Sydney Bridge as our next adventure. Unfortunately, we were running short of both time and courage to attempt this.

The Glimmering Blue Mountains

The next day was the trip to the Blue Mountains, for which we had booked a tour. Sharp at 7 am, our minibus arrived at the entrance to our hotel to take us on the trip. Mike, our driver, guide and specialist on the tour came in to greet us. It took just 15 minutes to collect the passengers, 12 in all, and once we were all seated we happily began our journey. Our first stop on the way was the Feather Dale Park, which is near the Blue Mountains. After handing us miniature koala mementos, we were instructed to explore the park, and return to the minibus at a stipulated time. The park is definitely the entrance to the world of natural koalas, kangaroos, dancing white peacocks, hanging bats, penguins, and other species of birds.

We had enough time to talk to every kind and also feed the kangaroos and koalas. We then returned to the bus to resume our journey to the Blue Mountains. On reaching the Blue Mountain region, Mike took us for a walk in the jungle. Huffing and puffing, we must have climbed and then descended some hundreds of stairs and natural elevations. It was green and wet all over, with the drizzle posing challenges. But as we reached the top, we were pleased by the view of the glimmering Blue Mountains. On our way back we went on a cable car ride to the Blue Mountain Café. Along the way we were visited by the uninterrupted view of the Three Sisters, located at Echo Point near Katoomba. One of the best known sites of the Blue Mountains, the Three Sisters is essentially an unusual rock formation representing three sisters, who according to Aboriginal legend, were turned to stone. Their names are Meehni (922 m), Wimlah (918 m), and Gunnedoo (906 m).

The Blue Mountains offer the best and most economical collection of Australian artefacts and toys. Another spectacular experience here is the rail ride from the Café to the jungle below, in an open train that slowly takes you down a steep route and brings you back up. It is the steepest rail journey that I have ever undertaken, but was very enjoyable.

A cruise on Captain Cook!

The end of the trip came with a surprise cruise on board the Captain Cook ship. We were brought to Sydney Harbour, where we boarded the ship and took a relaxing journey to Darling Harbour. The Sydney Bridge looked alluring, but the thought of driving to Hunter Valley the next day, inspired more and we humbly came back to our hotel.

At Hunter Valley

The next morning we checked out of our hotel and took a cab to the airport, where our car which we had taken on hire from the Red Spot rental service was waiting for us. This was our first attempt at international driving, and since any country driving licence, as long as it is in English, is valid in Australia, we set out after a few false starts of the automatic car, straight to New Castle, at Hunter Valley. With the help of the car navigator we completed our journey in three hours.

The Hunter Valley is Australia’s oldest, and one of the greatest premier wine growing regions situated in the deep, lush, rolling hills of Barrington Tops and Pokolbin. We stayed at the Mercure resort, in Pokolbin, just next to the botanical garden. The resort, the undulating hills and petite smoky cafés, can make one feel like Alice in Wonderland. Its ambiance and wine and cheese tasting tours, can soothe the mind for days. We regretted assigning only a night’s stay at Hunter Valley. It definitely deserves a week of uninterrupted attention.

At Melbourne

We drove back the next day to Sydney, and in the evening boarded a Jetstar flight to Melbourne where we were greeted by our friend in whose house we stayed for the next three days. During this time we visited the Melbourne Docklands located on the spectacular Victoria Harbour and 3 kilometers of Yarra River frontage. We also went to the Queen Victoria market, and rode in a horse carriage, and to the Phillip Island to watch the Penguin Parade.

The drive on The Great Ocean Road is an incredible experience in the arms of nature. The Great Ocean Road is an Australian National Heritage listed 243-kilometre road between the cities of Torquay and Warrnambool. The road is the world’s largest war memorial built by returned soldiers dedicated to casualties of World War 1. The journey introduces The Twelve Apostles, a collection of limestone stacks off the shore of Port Campbell National Park.

The Great Barrier Reef at Cairns

Our Australian adventure would have been incomplete without a visit to the Great Barrier Reef, which saw us boarding our flight to Cairns. The Jetstar flight from Melbourne to Cairns took almost three-and-a-half hours, including a time zone difference of an hour. The weather at Cairns was an absolute contrast to that of Sydney and Melbourne. We were greeted by sultry weather, typical during the monsoons. On reaching, we took a cab to the Galvin Edge Bungalows (an A-rated, bread and breakfast outlet). We were greeted by our genteel hosts Julie and Jesse Lowe, who handed us the keys to a beautiful two-bedroom bungalow, with a swimming pool, and library. The entire place was ours for the next few days that we were at Cairns.

The next day we took the two hour Magic Reef cruise to the land of the Great Barrier Reef. I tried my hand at helmet diving and snorkelling, despite not knowing how to swim. With my heart pumping speedily I put on the heavy oxygen filled helmet, and dived in, and the next thing I knew my head was one with fish and coral. The guided snorkelling tour was an amazing sight replete with the coral reef, some species of fish, turtles, and unknown shark-like fish.

A visit to Cairns is incomplete without undertaking a drive to Port Douglas, which is a 60 km straight stretch of road along the sea. It is a treat for driving lovers!

Once at Port Douglas, we enjoyed our Lunch at the Wildlife Café, accompanied by lorikeats and other bird species.

Completing our stay at Cairns a week later we flew back to India. Australia is a large nation with a small population, and is a window to the world of exotic animals and much besides. Memories of our expedition to Australia will remain with us for a lifetime!