Finally home.....

So....I am finally back home. The journey back was smooth except for a tiny instance at the airport in Alexandria, where they mistook my metal bracelet for bullets!!!! Can you believe that...no less than bullets huh? I was asked to open my suitcase....which I had painstakingly shut ...... what with bulging shawls and clothes and a whole lot of books!!! I opened it and they inspected the bracelet....and I was finally let off!!! From then on....the journey was smooth.

When the plane was airborne , I looked down at the twinkling lights below. In the evening light, Alexandria looked neat and pretty. There was a tinge of sadness....it was not just the place that I was leaving behind....but the people I had stayed with.....the bonds that I had come to share. I made some wonderful friends. It was simply amazing to live with people from all over the world day in and day out....and experience life in a strange place together.

Now that I am finally home....it seems so strange. As I made my way to meet my colleagues at work yesterday, the trip to Egypt seemed so distant and surreal.....like it was all a dream! I am glad that i got the opportunity to visit the place and interact with a wide range of people. When I am asked about my trip, all I can say is that it was no less than an adventure!!! I may have cribbed about it when I was there, but I would have it no other way. ....life was fun. We shared some pretty crazy times together...on the street and otherwise.....to the calls of "samarra...samarra", "misriya?", "you spik arabik?"...

On the whole...an unforgettable experience.....

Experiences in Egypt: Part I

One liners and questions posed to us during our stay in Egypt:



1) Will you marry me?

2) My name is…? (When they are actually asking us our names :) )

3) Give me back my scarabs…(irritating camel owner in Giza)

4) Hind…hind…?? I know Amitabh Bachchan ….good very good..

5) You married?

6) You Muslim? Christian? (that's all they know….)

7) What is your age?

8) Where do you stay?

9) How many children do you want to have? (Officer handling my residence permit in the Security Department!)

10) Lady….do you want a horse…..10 pounds….okie okie…just 5 pounds…( at Giza)

11) You spik Arabik?

12) Takiwiy? (this is how they exactly pronounce it …and just about anyone in our resident café knows it)

13) Will you be my Brown Sugar? (our friends from Jamaica, Nigeria and Cameroon were subjected to such derogatory statements)

14) Chocolata..

15) Africa???

16) Samarra…

17) Pssst pssst …..(This is how they catch your attention. It is soooo slimy. Not just the vendors in the market. Everyone…even in the library…you can see them calling each other….ewwww…disgusting!!! )

18) Misriya? China? Japan? ( At Khan Khalili…trying to figure out what our nationality is)

19) Welcome in Egypt (not to Egypt)!!! (that's about the only good thing they say…almost everyone )

20) Zi bus has come (the lady guard informing us of the bus in the morning)

21) You haram (taxi driver, who was unable to literally "take us for a ride" in cairo)!

Visit to the Catacombs and Pompey's Pillar, Alexandria..and reality shows..

Visited the Pompey's Pillar and the Catacombs yesterday. Pompey's Pillar and Catacombs are remnants of ancient Alexandria....from the Greco-Roman period. The Catacombs are in fact burial grounds...several levels beneath the ground....and were discovered in 1900 when a donkey accidently fell in a pit. Photography was not allowed in the Catacombs.Its dark and very eerie. It consists of three levels underground....the last level is not accessible as it is flooded with water. There are huge holes cut in the walls which held the bodies...sometimes...some areas held up to 300 bodies!!!! There are also detailings on the walls...either carved or painted...most of the paint is now gone. The detailings show a fusion of Greek-Roman-Egyptian influences. One finds Anobis (the wolf like creature guarding the dead), Medusa and other Egyptian influences in the detailings. There are paintings showing the process of mummification as well.

The site of Pompey's Pillar also has a few Sphinxes , originally from Helipolis. But there weren't any inscriptions...so no details are available regarding them. There are also a series of Underground tunnels at Pompey's Pillar and the site once housed an Ancient library, which is now no longer visible!!! Pompey's Pillar as well as the site housing the Catacombs are bang in the middle of a very congested area of Alexandria and its hard to imagine that such historical sites can exist in such a congested locality!!!

On the whole, it was a good experience. But I wish, the authorities had done more to keep the sites in a better condition , with more signs and details about the scupltures and paintings!!!

******

A proliferation of Reality shows (US and UK based) on the channels here. Most of them are downright silly...

*"I know what you ate last summer"!! ( A show about obese children trying to shed weight).
* "Supernanny" ( A nanny who disciplines disordered homes/children).
* "Bachelor" (Where one fellow has to choose a lady from several wannabes).
* " Who wants to be a princess!" ( or something like that )
* Gordon Ramsay's "Hell's Kitchen"
* Also some show on two women who clean up dirty homes !!!

Whew.....they sure can't get more imaginative than that.....

The Mediterranean Sea....from Quaitbey Castle...Alexandria

Pompey's Pillar, Alexandria..

Sphinx...with a lion's body and Pharaoh's head...Alexandria

Glimpse of the mosque of Muhammad Ali from the cab..

Pyramid, Giza...

The Citadel, Cairo

Losing My Religion....REM

7 Seconds .....

A lovely song!!!!

Amr Diab .......

Amr Diab is a sensation in Egypt!!! His songs have scorched the music scene here. For a flavour of his songs, check the following website :

http://www.amrdiabworld.com/music.php

Check the song Leily Nahary (2004). Lovely song......with a handful of 'habibi' and very peppy beats thrown in for good measure!!! You can watch the video here

But what you really must watch, especially if you have the patience to...is go through a clip of around 9 minutes of a Live performance in Dubai. Gives one a taste of the language we hear everyday and just the atmosphere of a live performance...check this out!!!

And Egyptian men have a way with their bodies, very feminine at times...the way they move and dance...check it!!!

Enjoy...

My Arabic vocabulary so far.... ....

Arabic Words that I have picked up in Alexandria:

Shukran: Thank You
Afwan: You are welcome.
Aiwa: Yes
La: No.
Lou Samahht: Please, Kindly...
Alagham: Beside
Alatool: Ahead
Sifar: Zero
Wahad: One
itneen: Two
talata: Three
Arba: Four
Khamsa: Five.
sittah: Six
sabah: Seven
tamani: Eight.
Tehsah:Nine.
Ashara:Ten.
Noos: Half
Oroba: Quarter.
Guinea: Egyptian Pound.
Mumkin: Possible.
Shai: Tea.
Mesh: O.K.
Kholos: Finish.
Izzayak? How are you?
Kwais: I am fine.
Meshfama: Cannot Understand.
Mishkela:Problem.
Mish Mishkela: No problem.
Hena: Here.
Shwaiya : Little bit
Akbar: Big (Remember.. Allah Hu Akbar is Allah the Great!!!)
Bukra: Tomorrow
Sukkar: Sugar
Hatib: Fiancee /Engaged ( very convenient answer...when Egpytian men ask "you married?")
Baladi: Local
Heluwa: Beautiful
Habibti: Lover (when a man refers to his lady love)***Proliferation
of Al Habibi songs in their music channels here!!!
Habibi: " (when a lady refers to her lover)
Makhtaba: Library/Bookshop
Inshallah: God willing!
Hamdulilah: Thanks to God!
Taib : OK
Tabah: sure
Lei: Why?
Fi: Where?
Marhababin: Hello/ Welcome



To be continued.....

Reminds one of a bygone era...

Biblical Scene in the church...

Coptic Church in Old Cairo..

Khan Khalili at night during Ramadan

"Sar Jo Tera Chakraaye"

A lovely song from the old Hindi movie Pyaasa. I love it because it is so spirited.....and a wonderful way of looking at life...


(Sar jo tera chakraaye, ya dil dooba jaaye
Aaja pyaare paas hamaare, kaahe ghabraaye.. kaahe ghabraaye) -2
(Tel mera hai muski, ganj rahe na khuski
Jis ke sar par haath phira doon chamke kismat uski) -2
Sun sun sun, are beta sun, is champi mein bade bade gun -2
Laakh dukhon ki ek dava hai kyoon na aazmaaye
Kaahe ghabraaye, kaahe ghabraaye
Sar jo tera chakraaye..

(Pyar ka hove jhagda, ya business ka ho ragda
Sab lafdon ka bojh hate jab pade haath ik tagda) -2
Sun sun sun, are babu sun, is champi mein bade bade gun -2
Laakh dukhon ki ek dava hai kyoon na aazmaaye
Kaahe ghabraaye, kaahe ghabraaye
Sar jo tera chakraaye..

(Naukar ho ya maalik, leader ho ya public
Apne aage sabhi jhuke hain, kya raja kya sainik) -2
Sun sun sun, are babu sun, is champi mein bade bade gun
Sun sun sun, are raja sun, is champi mein bade bade gun
Laakh dukhon ki ek dava hai kyoon na aazmaaye
Kaahe ghabraaye, kaahe ghabraaye
Sar jo tera chakraaye..

Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers...

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone.
It's not warm when she's away.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she's always gone too long anytime she goes away.

Wonder this time where she's gone,
Wonder if she's gone to stay
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home anytime she goes away.

And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know

Hey, I ought to leave the young thing alone,
But ain't no sunshine when she's gone, only darkness everyday.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone,
And this house just ain't no home anytime she goes away.

Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.

Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers...

Ain't no sunshine when she's gone.
It's not warm when she's away.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she's always gone too long anytime she goes away.

Wonder this time where she's gone,
Wonder if she's gone to stay
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home anytime she goes away.

And I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know

Hey, I ought to leave the young thing alone,
But ain't no sunshine when she's gone, only darkness everyday.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone,
And this house just ain't no home anytime she goes away.

Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.
Anytime she goes away.

**** Can listen to the song here

A few of my favourite things....

1) TEA ( no sugar, no milk). I drink it at any time during the day....with my meals and even before i sleep at night. I have recently discovered a Green Tea with a mild flavour of Lemon....its heavenly!!!!

2) BATA QUO VADIS Sandals (Size 7). They are comfy and smart and basically practical.

3) SILVER (rings,toe rings and ear rings).Silver can be worn everyday...just my kind of thing. I don't like gold. Maybe if I can ever afford it i'd buy a simple Platinum band someday....but till then I am more than happy with Silver!!!

Social Circus.....

Been thinking about the stalled Peace Process in Assam for a while now. For some time, it seemed that perhaps the ULFA would come round to the negotiating table for talks!!! The Army has resumed its operations against ULFA after the latter resumed its terror tactics (bomb blasts and extortions) in parts of Upper Assam. The Peoples Consultative Group (PCG) which proclaims to be a representative of the Civil Society is just a bunch of U*** hardliners....they do not represent the cause of the civil society or the masses of Assam.They seem to be taking an anti-government stance demanding the release of the top 5 jailed U*** leaders. In a nutshell what they are stating is that the U***'s recent terror tactics are justified because the government has not released the jailed leaders as yet!!! Its an absurd logic in the first place.Why should the government release them ? The bottom line is that U*** and the ilk are not willing to give up their cherished positions. They have amassed huge fortunes....they control most of the drug and small arms trade in the region.

I don't think the Government is serious about the problem either. Its all a Game to keep the money flowing in....in the name of counter-insurgency operations. There are just too many stakeholders .When they begin working in their own interest and when they begin to get swayed by the power of money, the ideological leanings are left far behind. They become opportunists...trying to make hay while the sun shines!!!

In trying to say all of this , I am not negating the fact that the region has faced neglect over the years and that there are REAL problems that have led to the emergence of these movements. But in the face of the current levels of corruption:political,ideolgical and social, I think its high time we evaluate the manner in which the State seeks to provide a solution!!!

There is a good report on Assam by the Centre for Policy Alternatives. The link is
given below:

http://www.cpasind.com/reports/13-Left-Behind-Case-Study-Assam.pdf

*********

Bata in Alexandria....

Ramadan in Alexandria.....

The Majestic Organ in the Church...

Inside the Church...

St. Catherine Church, the oldest Church in Alexandria

Nile vs. Brahmaputra....

Now for a confession...an honest one at that...no sour grapes here...
The River Nile ( or as its pronounced in Arabic, the Neel ) is not that great really. The Brahmaputra has far more character and is more majestic....any day!!!

Trip to Cairo.....

I took a train to Cairo early morning on Sunday. We were four of us. The journey was smooth and we reached Cairo within 3 hours. Once there, my colleague, S's cousin was there to recieve us at the station.We took a taxi and thats when we got a real taste of Cairo. Its like any other metropolis ....with horrible traffic snarls. The taxi driver convinced us to visit a certain New Garden Palace Hotel , waxing eloquently about its various facilities!!! The location of the hotel was without doubt impressive...it was amidst the big names in the Hotel Industry....the Hilton, the Grand Hyatt, the Four Seasons as well as the British, Nigerian and the American Embassies, near the River Nile. After driving through the rather posh streets, we came across a neon sign on a ramshackle building proudly displaying the name "New Garden Palace Hotel". The foyer looked pretty neat but with an eerie blue hue. Anyway, the taxi ride was long and we were quite tired by then. So we decided to have a look at the rooms. We were given the option of either taking a 4 bedded room or two double rooms in the 5th and 8th floor respectively. So we boarded the elevator and never in my entire life been in such a rickety old elevator. It was just a boxand there was a gap between the door and the box (it was just a box!!!), so if you looked down through the gap ,you could see the empty space and I always got the dreadful feeling that the elevator would plummet and that would be the end of my trip to Egypt!!!

Anyway, to cut the long story short, after the horrid experience in the elevator, the rooms were no better. So we decided on the 4 bedded room on the 5th floor. There was a funny odour in the room and things in the room looked ancient but at 70 Egyptian pounds per person (including breakfast), thats roughly $ 13, in a peak tourist season, we decided to take it.

So we booked the room and visited the bookshop in the American University. The University campus looked anywhere other than Egypt. The students were a cosmopolitan lot and very fashionable, no head scarf, no burqa....... normal teens with a strong American accent. Probably most of the children of the elite in Egypt as well as the Diplomats stationed there, frequented this University. It was quite an expensive institution, annual fees totalled $ 12,000. The bookshop had a good collection but they didn't have too many books on Gender Studies. I got an edited book on Political Islam by John Esposito, an edited book on Gender and Development Thought by Naila Kabeer and a book on the Status of Women In Islam by a scholar from Bangladesh. The books were quite expensive especially since most of them were published by foreign publishing houses.

After our work was over, we visited a souvenir market in the Al Azhar square. Picked up some curios but it was like Janpath in New Delhi. The prices were steep and it is a touristy place. Bus loads of people from all over the world visit that place everyday, during the tourist season. Like India, Egyptian markets are bright and very colourful. Lots of foreign tourists had bought portable sheeshas to take back home. Anyway, it was evening by the time we had lunch....the food was very good........and by that time all we wanted to go back to our rooms.

******************

The next day (thats yesterday), we went to a bookshop that sold French books...as two of my colleagues wanted books in French. Since we had some time in our hands, we visited the Al Azhar University. The University has two campuses: the old campus is adjacent to the mosque and the new campus is in the suburbs. We wanted to visit the Department of Islamic studies there but we couldn't meet anyone. The language barrier was a big problem ....they mistook us for foreign students seeking admission. Anyway, we visited the old campus and the UNESCO Identity did the trick and we could finally meet a few lecturers there, but even they spoke Arabic. Both the campuses are beautiful.....wide green spaces, palm trees and flowers, but photography is banned. There were lots of Asian students..... mostly from Malaysia and Indonesia.

On our way to the mosque, I saw what looked like the ramparts of an old settlement on either side of the road. It resembled the ruins of an old settlement.....just the walls...with windows....but no roofs. When i made some enquiries, i was told that they were not old settlements, but cemeteries. Each family had a house, where they buried their dead. Probably they built it like a house to provide the departed souls with a homely feeling....i don't know...it is very fascinating!!!

Yesterday , I also had the opportunity to visit the Al Azhar Mosque...women are allowed inside...provided they wear a scarf. Its a beautiful mosque and the atmosphere is very serene. It was my first time in a mosque and I loved it. We also visted the inner sanctum housing the tomb of the Caliph Al Azhar.

In the evening, we took a shared minivan back to Alexandria. On the whole, the Cairo trip was fruitful. Its a cosmopolitan environment but it has all the trappings of a big metropolis...its noisy, congested and dirty. Alexandria, on the other hand, has a lovely climate...thanks to the sea. It is also less crowded. I am glad I am back in Alexandria.

Observations....

In all the interactions I have had with the men here, there is an overarching preoccupation with marriage. Everywhere I have been so far, the men, have without fail posed me the question "you married?" Yesterday, was the heights. I had gone to a local bazaar near the makhtaba to buy some stuff with my friend.So there was this young fella...a shopkeeper who asked me where I was from and if i was married...when i replied in the negative, he asked me "You marry me?" in a manner that could be construed as part joke-part serious.....I was quite taken aback...but like all things in Egypt...i just laughed it off saying vociferously " la, la" (thats No in Arabic ).

Then another incident was in one of the many branches of the passport office ....I was in the office and there were this particular gentleman who was asking me questions about India...population, religion, general stuff...he couldn't speak english properly...but he was in charge of approving my residence permit. So i went along with the conversation. Then we were suddenly talking about India being a big country with a large population ...and then he asked "you married?". We were discussing population disparity ...about how families in the villages have large families and urban populace prefer more compact families. So this man probably gets ideas in his head. He then went a step further and asked if I were to be married, how many children would i prefer. Man that question really caught me off guard...as if my answer had any bearing at all on my residency permit.

When i mention an overarching preoccupation with marriage, its not so much the marriage that they are obsessed with. It is women and sex. The reason why they ask about marriage is because, for them its haram to have a liason with a married lady. So the proverbial bakra is the unmarried women. The problem is deep rooted in the society...its a cultural thing for them.

So its all right to kiss and hug someone from the same sex, but not the opposite sex!!! That would be a shameful thing to do. But if you watch the cable channels, there is skin everywhere, music videos ( arabic and western and Indian too)!!! Can you imagine a rap video in Arabic...which is a wannabe-western type..so the guy tries to look like a clone of enrique iglesias, with a constipated look on his face and the women are no better than some of the girls in our very own punjabi videos, but obviously failing miserably to convey the image !!! I am not saying skin show should not be there...but the contradictions are just too apparent. The media is all prevalent and it enters the living room of every household and then the women are expected to dress in a particular way and men and women are supposed to interact in a particular way...so its really strange u know...

Hamish !!

"Trouble" by Ray Lamontagne...

Sometimes you listen to something and you take an instant liking towards it. The song "Trouble' by Ray Lamontagne is one such song. I first heard it on the radio during my vacations and i loved it. Its probably the melancholy , the pain or just an honest expression of one's emotions that come across so vividly that captured my attention. Beautiful!!!!

The lyrics of the song "Trouble" by Ray Lamontagne....

TroubleTrouble...
Trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble
Trouble been doggin' my soul since the day I was born
Worry...Worry, worry, worry, worry
Worry just will not seem to leave my mind alone
We'll I've been...saved by a woman
I've been...saved by a womanI've been...saved by a woman
She won't let me go
She won't let me go now
She won't let me go
She won't let me go now

Trouble...
Oh, trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble
Feels like every time I get back on my feet she come around and knock me down again
Worry...
Oh, worry, worry, worry, worry
Sometimes I swear it feels like this worry is my only friend

We'll I've been saved...by a woman
I've been saved...by a woman
I've been saved...by a woman

She won't let me go
She won't let me go now
She won't let me go
She won't let me go now

Oh..., Ahhhh....Ohhhh

She good to me now
She gave me love and affection
She good tell me now
She gave me love and affection
I Said I love her
Yes I love her
I said I love her
I said I love...

She good to me now
She's good to me
She's good to me

**Its worth it.....try and get hold of the song.
*** His official website http://www.raylamontagne.com/

*****************************

For an everlasting freshness....the theme song of the sitcom Friends by The Rembrandts:


I'll Be There For You

So no one told you life was gonna be this way [four claps]
Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's D.O.A.

It's like you're always stuck in second gear
When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year, but


CHORUS

I'll be there for you(When the rain starts to pour)
I'll be there for you(Like I've been there before)
I'll be there for you('Cause you're there for me too)

You're still in bed at ten and work began at eight
You've burned your breakfast so far, things are going great
Your mother warned you there'd be days like these
But she didn't tell when the world has brought you down to your knees


CHORUS
No one could ever know me, no one could ever see me
Seems you're the only one who knows what it's like to be me
Someone to face the day with, make it through all the rest with
Someone I'll always laugh with
Even at my worst, I'm best with youYeah!

It's like you're always stuck in second gear
When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year, but
CHORUS
**********

And another song that reminds me of the times in the past.....

California Dreamin' (by America)

All the leaves are brown
And the sky is grey
I went for a walk
On a winter's day
I'd be safe and warm
If I was in L.A.

California dreamin'
On such a winter's day

I stopped into a church (stopped into a church)
I passed along the way (passed along the way)
You know, I got down on my knees (got down on my knees)
And I pretend to pray (I pretend to pray)

Oh, the preacher likes the cold (preacher likes the cold)
He knows I'm gonna stay (knows I'm gonna stay)

Oh, California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day

All the leaves are brown (the leaves are brown)
And the sky is grey (and the sky is grey)
I went for a walk (I went for a walk)
On a winter's day (on a winter's day)

If I didn't tell her (if I didn't tell her)
I could leave today (I could leave today)

Oh, California dreamin' (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day (California dreamin')

On such a winter's day (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day (California dreamin')
On such a winter's day

A Proud Moment for Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi

The following is the text of the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh's speech in the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Lady Shri Ram College (my alma mater).


Check the link below....
http://indiaenews.com/2006-08/20587-text-pms-lsr-college.htm

Che in varying moods...

Bismillah ir rahman ir rahim.....

The phrase "Bismillah ir rahman ir rahim" has always captivated me. Since i flew Kuwait Airways to Alexandria a few days ago, i got to hear this phrase quite a few times just before take off. Wanting to know more about it, i did a google search. In a nutshell, this phrase can be best described as "In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate."

One can check the following link for a better understanding of the terms:

http://wahiduddin.net/words/bismillah.htm

Bismillah ir rahman ir rahim.....

The phrase "Bismillah ir rahman ir rahim" has always captivated me. Since i flew Kuwait Airways to Alexandria a few days ago, i got to hear this phrase quite a few times just before take off. Wanting to know more about it, i did a google search. In a nutshell, this phrase can be best described as "In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate."

One can check the following link for a better understanding of the terms:

http://wahiduddin.net/words/bismillah.htm

Picking up some words in Arabic....

Trying to pick up some Arabic along the way. The Library is called a 'Makhtaba', Tea is Shai (not difficult at all), Pineapple is Ananas, Carrot is Gazar, Coffee is Ahwa, Sugar is Sukar, Finish is Khalas (like Khallas)!!!! So its not difficult...pretty similar to Hindi...similar parent language i guess!!!

A view of the Mediterranean Sea from Bibilotheca Alexandrina...

Bibliotheca Alexandrina.....Inside the Library...

Trafalgar Square....refreshing on a hot summer day!!!!

Windsor Castle in all its splendour...

Fleeting Image of the countryside......

Blooming Magnolia in the Wisley Gardens...

Resourceful Websites......

If one wants to know more about Nagaland and Manipur....the following websites are quite resourceful...I especially love the local cuisine section in akasworld.com....conjures up some mouth watering delicacies I get to try everytime I am at L's place in Dimapur!!!! Yummy ...yummy..:)

**** http://www.akasworld.com/

**** http://www.e-pao.net/ (A resourceful website on Manipur)

Visit to Nottingham and Mansfield.....

Last week I was in the East Midlands, visiting family friends. I stayed in Nottingham and Mansfield for a few days. Most of the towns in the Midlands are erstwhile coal mining towns. The Mines are long gone but the towns remain. The vast areas which housed mines long ago, have been transformed into vast tracts of arable land....growing wheat, barley, potatoes and strawberries!!!

Also made short visits to Sheffield, which has a substantial population of South Asian people and Chesterfield which is famous for a church with a very crooked spire (wonder what they were thinking of when they constructed it!!!!) and there are several theories trying to explain why such a thing has happened... the most commonly held belief is that the timber has expanded over the years because of the heat...

In Nottingham, I visited the Nottingham Castle , the International Water Park, Wollaton Park and the Sherwood Forest (yeah ..that of Robin Hood and his Merry Men fame). The Sherwood Forest has the famous Oak tree which is believed to be atleast a thousand years old and which was a hiding place for Robin Hood and his merry men as they were escaping from the king. What is striking is that like an old human being, the Oak too has been supported by metal supports, metal poles acting like crutches!!!!! The Forest area is very informative and has lovely trails for walking along....the complex also houses a museum...geared for both children as well as adults.....

On my way back I took a bus and had a grand 86 year old lady as my companion. She was quite chatty and we had lots and lots to talk about. She was in the army at one point of time and she was asking me about the Nortrh Eastern region of India. She was an interesting lady who liked fast cars...hmmmm...Ferraris and Jaguars.....and who liked art, music and adventure....a great dame she is...i must say!!!!!

On the whole, the trip was hectic but quite pleasant......

Whose conflict is it anyway????

What is Israel thinking of...bombarding Lebanon in such a ghastly manner? Yesterday i chanced upon a rally in support of Lebanon in Trafalgar Square.....there were tourists as well as supporters of both Palestine and Lebanon from all sections of the society. Songs, slogans of protest rented the air...the atmosphere was charged with emotions running high.

I feel strongly for Lebanon and its people. What right has Israel got to infringe international territory and mow people down? Why are they targetting civilians? What has taken the international community so long to respond? And killing Lebanese civilians was not enough...they went a step further and killed unarmed UN Observers as well....its dastardly!!! Well it is very apparent that this war is a weapon for the United States Of America to consolidate its position in the Middle East. Without its support Israel wouldn't have been able to sustain the conflict for this long...

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Some thoughts to leave us by...


And those who were dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music -- Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzche (1844-1900)

Questions show the mind's range , and answers its subtlety-- Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

London...here i come...

15th of July...

Took a tour of the London City.....the London Tower Bridge, St. Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, St. Margaret's Church, Buckingham Palace ( a wee bit of a side angle), 10 Downing Street and all those streets that epitomizes the city...Regent Street, Oxford Street, Fleet St, Bond Street, the M16 and M15 ..... on one of the Hop On -Hop off buses( a double decker bus...the ticket of which u can buy for the entire trip and then hop on and hop off on any similar bus on the route). Also took a cruise on River Thames (which is included in the ticket of the tour of the city) and it was great fun!!! Took a walk along the south bank....and there were numerous street acts.... people dressed and posing as statues (really great...u know..so perfect they don't even move) and comic acts...as well as great music....jazz, rock, instrmental by young and old alike ...all for an extra buck....most of them are very qualified...probably students of music....practising during their summer vacations or tourists who earn while they holiday!!!! It was great fun....the street came alive with the youthful spirit and the sheer zest for life they possess...guess thats what the city of London truly reflects!!!

18th of July...

Visited the Victoria and Albert( V &A) Museum and the Museum of Natural History. The V&A housed relics from all over the world...but what i truly enjoyed was the gallery showcasing art from South Asia....relics dating the Mughal and pre-Mughal era.....exquisite jali work, meenakari, clothes and jewellery....and what magnificent artefacts made from copper, brass, shells and iron!!!!! Simply superb.....

The Museum of Natural History was fun....a whole lot of kids....summer picnics and with teachers...and one should have seen their expression when they came face to face with the mechanized animated T-Rex...they went crazy....all four and five year olds...screaming their hearts out!!! And the braver amongst them, choosing to tease it.....as it towered in all its magnificense over them ......

20th of July...

Visited Wimbledon....and it was packed with people....

Why did Zidane behave that way?

So why did Zidane behave that way in the final minutes of the World Cup Final? Why did he crack up? Was it pressure, tension or a cumulative mass of anxiety and grievances???? I don't know what it was...but it was a sad moment for sportsmanship and the World Cup as a whole....

A Casket of Pansies at Dundee....

Butter Cup...

Pristine White...

Pretty Pink...

Flowers by the wayside in Dundee!!!! In all shades of blue..

Edinburgh Cow as Mowgli.....

View from the Edinburgh Castle....

Waterfront at Broughty Ferry...

T. Ao the Naga player to captain the Indian Team in 1948

The legendary Talimeren Ao was the captain of the first football squad of independent India to the London Olympics in 1948. He was born in Nagaland’s Mokokchung district. Read it....

http://www.indianfootball.com/data/halloffame/ao_talimeren.html

Anstruther, Crail and Edinburgh....

Took a drive to St. Andrews last evening . It was misty and the roads were smooth ....it was soooo romantic , there were vast green fields with red poppies lined on either side of the road and a thick veil of mist hung over it. There were neat rows of quaint little cottages with beds of lavender, poppy and other more exotic and vibrant couloured flowers. St. Andrews was cold...a chilly wind blowing from the waterfront (the North Sea to be precise!) and as we took a detour
on our way back, we stopped by two fishing villages by the coast...Anstruther and Crail....small hamlets, with colourful boats and yachts in the docks and several eateries specializing in 'fish and chips' !!!! On the whole, the drive was heavenly and picturesque and i hope i can take a similar drive with a special someone someday.....the sheer beauty is breathtaking.....

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Today i took a tour of Edinburgh. Went early in the morning .....by train to Edinburgh...took the 9.59 am train (yeah yeah....on the dot that too!!!). Reached Edinburgh in an hour and a half. Hopped off the train and bought the tickets for a bus tour of the city. The buses were the usual double-decker ones, that are so essentially a part of the roads in the UK. There was a cheerful guide who not only gave us an overview of the places visited but also interspersed his narrative with funny anecdotes and tongue in cheek comments about everything on God's earth including the Royal Family!!!!

We saw the old and the new town of Edinburgh, and also a quick tour of the places where great playwrights and literary figures like Robert Louis Stevenson and J.M Barrie (Peter Pan) once lived. The tour also touched upon the port where the Royal Yacht Britannia is now docked. I got down at the dock but didn't enter the yacht....more like a ship ....its a huge thing!!! Visited the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official residence in Scotland. Also visited the Edinburgh Castle and witnessed the change of guards and took a stroll round the grounds. An impressive layout of massive grounds and well reserved canons and objects of yesteryear. But somewhere down the line, i felt that everything out there was highly commercialized....it was teeming with tourists...of all shapes and sizes (including us ofcourse!) and there were shops selling souvenirs ,within the precints of the fort.

The weather was a mix bag....it rained, and then there was a bit of sunshine and then it became dull and weary yet again. It was almost 3.30 pm when we got over with the tour. Took the 5.05 pm train back to Dundee and since i've got a terrible cold, the days' events have slowed me down and i just want to curl up in bed and doze off!!! Its five minutes to 9.00 now and its bright as a button outside...if i didn't have much faith on the world around me...i would have thought that it was 9 in the morning!!!!

Michael Palin's 'Himalaya', Love and Life...

I am currently reading a very interesting travel book 'Himalaya' by Michael Palin.......a coffee table book on an expedition by Michael Palin and the BBC crew on the Silk Route....beginning in Pakistan, moving across to India(Amritsar, Shimla, Chandigarh,Kashmir,Ladakh,Mc Leodganj), Nepal, back to India(Assam and Nagaland) and then Bangladesh. Its beautifully written....a smooth narrative interspersed with witty anecdotes and fantastic photographs.....absolutely mindblowing, capturing the essence of the places and the people!!! I love reading about places and i'm crazy about travelling and travel books and travel shows (i used to love the programme on Discovery Channel 'Lonely Planet' hosted by Ian Wright and i adored his quirkiness!!!!). 'Himalaya' is a must read....its captivating...

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What would Love mean for an eleven year old? Love as in romantic love. I had a candid chat with my young cousin last night about love. He supposedly has a crush on his classmate and he thinks it is a mutual feeling. ....and like all yound people he was absolutely wide eyed when he spoke about her. He sought my 'expert advice'....and very innocently he asked me if 'the following meant anything significant . I believe the whole of last year whenever he looked at her, she looked away....so he kept asking, 'does it mean anything?'. I didn't know what to say....i tried my best and told him that it could possibly mean that since she liked him as well, she probably felt embarrassed to look at him directly...maybe she felt shy !! Well who knows....I am not the best of people to seek advise on relationships...considering my track record....but never mind :)!!!

Last night's conversation made me feel a lot older....this young boy talking about love ...an eleven year old in 'love'...amazing man!!! Love is such a complicated phenomenon...i wish i could sit and tell him all about it....but i didn't want to erode his innocence....i wanted him to feel all excited and gooey when he thought of 'her'...the special someone in his life....!!! He wasn't quite sure what it mean to be 'going around' and he infact asked me...what he could do with her...! I told him that perhaps he could take her out for a movie, share his secrets with her....confide in her and basically take her as a close buddy.....

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Life comes full circle....children are growing up fast these days...well...i can't remember being interested in the opposite sex that early in life....or perhaps i was but i wasn't aware of it...i dunno....life is just very confusing...


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Holiday in Dundee, Scotland

In Dundee, Scotland now. Reached here last evening. Here for a short vacation. Its beautiful and picturesque. Rolling green meadows with lazing cows and sheep, dark green conifers and bright vibrant wild flowers lined the roads on the way from Edinburgh to Dundee (which is an hour away from Edinburgh). But its soooo very quiet...not a soul on the road...the silence is deafening!!! The only sound is that of the occasional passing cars.

Walked down to the pier on the River Tay as it joined the North Sea. Cries of the Sea Gulls rented the still air. Beautiful houses....with neat pots of flowers lined the doorsteps on the river front. Picked up some river-washed smooth pebbles and took some lovely photographs....(planning to upload them soon).

And surprises of all surprises, it remains bright as daylight till around 10.30 pm at night....its amazing...seriously...my body is taking quite some time adjusting to the new time frame!!!

The streets are so neat and clean and beautiful shrubs and flowers in full bloom line the roadsides. The houses are picture perfect, with well manicured lawns and rock gardens on the front. Its splendid!!!

Plan to take a tour of the castles and the lakes sometime during my stay here....

Its very beautiful...the landscape reminds me of Shillong and the other regions of the Northeastern part of India ...minus the dirt,noise and quintessential paddy fields (that are soo symbolic of the Indian countryside) !

Will sign off now...

See ya later...

Do take care...

Hiatus.....

Well i'll be off for a month .....for a holiday........

I'm looking forward to it...maybe i'll upload some photographs while hoildaying....till then...

Do take care..
Love...

Loreto Convent, Shillong, Class 1, 1987

With Mrs. D'Costa and Sr. Monica, class 1, 1987 Loreto Convent, Shillong..

Did we ever think how time would fly so soon...??? Here i am...almost twenty years hence...

If Men Could Menstruate......

Yeah...if only they would :(...

Anyways, check out the link below....its tongue in cheek and really funny!!! And i'm sure the men are going to agree with it....

http://www.mum.org/ifmencou.htm

Being Schizoid....

I am quite Paranoid. Like the other day i was telling someone....i'm really scared to part with my personal details on the internet...what if...there are 'dangerous' people lurking around. Not that they would be on a prowl to hunt me down...but who knows rt? Anyway, been thinking about it lately...perhaps i'll upload my picture on the blog one day or reveal my name ...

I think i've become very comfortable in this sense of security....to be known as just schizoid to my unknown audience. In reality Schizoid is not just any term that i have taken a fancy to ....i think the term reflects a part of who i am ...i am a bundle of contradictions... i'm sure most people are...but i'm a people's person on one hand but i'm quite a loner....most of the time...


to be continued...

I love my space...i'm quite guarded about "my space".I think....perhaps i overdo it at times....just think and think about life and career, relationships ....or the lack of it :( .....I dunno therez always something thats weighing on my mind. At present its the project report to be submitted....its just that and nothing more. I sometimes wish i didn't have to think that much...what kind a life would that be...i can hear a voice in my head saying "relaxed"....i'm sure thats true...but that would require some time...to be cool and laid back and "relaxed"...... hmmm ...

I also tend to go over details of some past events over and over again...so much so that it gets magnified....the "repetition trauma" the psychodynamic theorists would eagerly point out. But you know its not always bad....when i spend a lot of time thinking about some issue and analyze it from several angles (as in try to see my stand and the other's) ....over time...it ceases to hold that great a significance. I feel that perhaps my mind becomes weary and stops reacting to it...and the issue then becomes like those countless other issues that are just mundane without much substance....

Anyways, i dunno if i make much sense...but this is how my mind works time and again...

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Music that i'm listen to these days:

* The Vienna Choir Boys ( and especially their rendition of 'Amazing Grace'......its brilliant and very soothing!!!)
*Green Day (When I Come Around, Time of Your Life - Really like this one specially!)
*Melodies of Tibet ( a rather different collection of music from the Land of the Buddha.....its good!)

Quite an eclectic collection....but thats what keeps me going....Music is all about moods...and like my temperament, what i listen to also changes from time to time....

"IRIS"

"IRIS"  by Goo Goo Dolls

And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
and sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight

And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies
Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive

And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am

Photographs.....

Hey ppl...these are some photographs taken during my tours around the Northeast......Hope you enjoy....

With Love

A sea of clouds......Haflong!!

A view of the reservoir of Kopili in Umrongso!!

The Circuit House, Haflong.... in all its splendour!!!

Sunrise in Haflong...a view from the Circuit House!!

Sunny Day at Haflong!!!

Natural Beauty ....a winged creature in Imphal!!!

Sunset in Sikkim...a view from 'Dho Tapu'...

Tsongo Lake, Sikkim

Tsongo Lake in Sikkim

The Price one has to pay.....

The past few days have been very depressing....a lot of things have been cumulatively added on to an overwhelming feeling of anxiety, apprehension and depression. I got to know of the death of a young , outspoken scholar .....he used to write extensively and was a regular contributor to the several web portals like zoram.net , e-pao.net. He was Issac L Hmar. I didn't know him personally....i was made aware of him through a close friend. ...a few days ago....long after he was gone forever....

I was stunned when i got the news....man...he was young...just 25 years old!!! He was allegedly killed by insurgents in Aizawl. Is this the cost one has to pay for living in a conflict ridden area? Its sooo disheartening. What does the future hold for us? I don't know and i have no answers to that....

A continuation....

The Tale continues.....Harbhajan Singh was working with the Indian Army and one day, as he went out to fetch some water from the river, he went missing...presumably got drowned. He then appared in a fellow soldier's dream and expressed a desire for a memorial (Samadhi) to be constructed in his name. So thus was born the Samadhi. Even after all these years, his belongings and the room he lived in, are immaculately maintained. Defense personnel come up to the shrine every now and then to seek the Baba's blessings. And on Sundays, they open the langar for the people who visit the shrine. It is also widely believed that the Baba has healing powers, so much so that, people place bottles of water attaching their name tags to them, in the premises of the Samadhi for seven days. After the week is over, they collect the bottle and drink the water for 21 days continuously. They believe that the water blessed by the Baba acquires healing properties and people suffering from bodily ailments can recover!!!

So after partaking the Langar , i took some photographs and was back in the car for the journey back. It was really cold there..plus it was drizzling..freezing absolutely ...and i wasn't adequately covered in woolens....i was in my jeans, t-shirt, sneakers and an angora wool cardigan ....and i shivered like hell.....what more can be expected at 13,600 ft????

On our way back, we stopped at the Tsongo Lake-- its a neat lake , placid waters amidst brownish mountains with patches of snow. During winter, the lake gets completely frozen. There were a row of shops on one side of the road --- selling local wares and ofcourse there were the Yaks ...really adorable....with their mop of silvery white hair, covering their face and forehead!!!! Clicked a few more photographs and we were back in the car pretty soon.

On reaching Sikkim, we stopped by at the flower show---- not too many fresh flowers though--- supposedly the orchid season had finished....so all we could see were a few vaieties of orchids, wild hydrangias in blue,pink and purple (hope i have got the correct spelling) and lots and lots of red anthuriums!!!! Reached the guest house by mid afternoon....ate a delicious plate of authentic ( authentic because the ones we get here are almost always filled with onions and the always seem to be half steamed!!!!) , steaming chicken momos and just hung around.

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During my entire stay in Gangtok , i watched some amazing movies...old classics..." Gone With the Wind", "My Fair Lady"....some new ones too "Pride and Prejudice", " Charlie and the Chcolate Factory" (to be really honest...i didn't like it too much!!), "Bluffmaster" and some really forgettable movies..not worth mentioning here...

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On the whole the trip was great fun and i had a blast!!! One must visit Sikkim....its really beautiful .....

The Land of Red Panda and Orchids: Sikkim

19th May, 2006

The train was scheduled to leave Guwahati at 6.15 am and it did leave on the dot. A Bengali family and two Nepalese couple shared the compartment. The Bengali family had just completed a tour of Shillong, Kaziranga and Cherrapunjee as part of a huge entourage from Siliguri. They were constantly chattering about their visit to Kaziranga and how they saw the Rhinos and Elephants in the wild. With the kind of enthusiasm they demonstrated, I wouldn’t be surprised if they had scared the animals off!!!

The train halted now and then for brief moments (unscheduled of course). Just as we were approaching NJP, an aged man in our next compartment got into a heated argument with one of the railway staff and in his anger, pulled the emergency chain…bringing the train to a complete halt!!! When all this drama was on, we got to know that the AC vent in a compartment in a few bogies away had caught fire. So after almost an hour and a half of delay, the train pulled in at the station at NJP.

We had a quick lunch at the Railway Canteen ( Bhojanalaya) and soon began our onward journey to Gangtok. The roads were quite narrow but thick foliage lined both sides and wonder of all wonders, magnificent wild orchids of varying hues bloomed on the trees. And the waters of the mighty Teesta thundered, as it flowed by….a steady rumble wafting in the air.

Monkeys on the roads gave company to the passing cars and tiny hamlets dotted the mountainside. Small, makeshift shops set up on the roadside sold neatly arranged fresh fruits and vegetables. While exotic looking products (like churpi) were laid out in neat glass bottles.

There was another unscheduled stop on the way, when the right tyre on the rear got punctured. We finally reached Gangtok by around 6.30 pm. We checked in at a guest house called “Dho Tapu” – a very homely place located in the midst of the city centre. Dho Tapu gives an excellent view of the majestic mountains and the view after sunset is truly amazing with tiny lights lighting up the entire face of the mountain like sparkling fire flies!!!

20^th May, 2006

Visited M.G.Marg, the main city centre….browsed through shops selling local goods…very touristy. Ate lunch at this lovely coffee shop “Baker’s Café”—very warm and welcoming!! The interiors were done up tastefully in browns and greens, with soft lighting lending a warm touch. It offered a huge array of quick delights- pasta, pizza, sandwiches, muffins, pastries and the like at very affordable pricesJ!!!

21^st May, 2006

Woke up early and got ready by half past 7 in the morning. After a quick breakfast, pushed off by around 8.30. Our destination was the Tsongo (pronounced as Chongo) Lake at an altitude of around 13,000 ft and onwards to Baba Harbhajan Singh’s Samadhi at 13,000+ feet.

As we inched our way out of the town, we found 100s of taxis lined up on the road at the first check post—all headed towards the same destination. The roads were narrow but good (in fact much better than the Imphal-Moreh road, also a border road on NH 39, bordering Myanmar). Probably the GoI gives China priority over Myanmar and hence such excellently maintained roads. As we moved higher, the landscape underwent a change. The mountains had thick groves of conifers in varying shades of green—paler shades to the darker olives!!! Small hamlets dotted the mountainside and numerous prayer flags (white and coloured) fluttered in the breeze. One thing that was omni present at regular intervals was the defense forces—the Bengal Sappers, Assam Rifles, Border Roads Organization and the Indian Army—each with an eye catching name (“Nathula Eagles”) to match their dynamism and dedication at the frontiers.

As we moved further on, thick fog enveloped the roads and for brief moments, it seemed like we were actually “walking in the clouds” (yeah…it sounds clichéd…but it was true to the moment!!). With a veil of mist descending upon the thickly carpeted mountains and several naturally flowing water falls, the journey was not only pleasing to the senses but also very interesting. Colourful rhododendron plants peeped out of the mountainside--- carpet of red, pinks and magenta!!!

We reached Tsongo Lake quite early but we didn’t halt there. We moved on to Baba Harbhajan Singh’s Samadhi, which was situated further on at Nathula. The uphill journey was made more interesting by patches of snow in the mountains. Winter was long gone but a few patches had remained—hardened icicles, made dirty by the poisonous emissions of the passing vehicles. One could see the blackish-brown snow on the mountains along the road but it wasn’t tempting at all—not quite the kind I’d like to mess around with—seemed more toxic than fun!!!

On the way, also came across an ATM of UTI Bank at 12,400 ft and if that wasn’t enough, the highest cyber café in the world at 13,600 ft (isn’t that great)!!! Somewhere close to Nathula Pass (only 4 kms away…we couldn’t make it to the Pass as we didn’t have the requisite papers), there was a bifurcation and we took the road to Baba H. S’s Samadhi. There’s an interesting tale to it.

To be continued......