Straight out of my thoughts...

Take me there, where I can breath some air,
and find a smile that can be my pair. 
Take me through to a lovely dawn,
where smile is the only suit to don. 

Get me a cloud of immense rain,
which ships our every drop of pain.
Get me a mask of glee to wear,
and drop the bleak somewhere down the stair. 

Drive me through the gate of fate,
with no limits on my freight. 
Drive me past the cries on the way,
leaving behind everything in grey.

Gift me a beam of flashy light,
I would use it through the gloomy night.
Gift me a hefty share of luck,
to force me out of the place I'm stuck. 

Let me run an extra mile,
to see my woe whacked under the nail.
Let me learn the rhyme of happy chime,
let me learn the theme of time. 

Guide me out of the clumsy cage,
to play my role on the center stage.
Guide my thoughts to a greater height, 
and let me sense a sharpened sight .

Help me find a soul in me.
Help me find a soul for me.
Help me find a hand to hold.
Whenever the time is cold. 

Find a smile that can be my pair....Find a smile that can be my pair....

Sakethursforever : )

A Fantasy - A Delusion

"M.E LECTURE HALL 2", the board read on the first floor inside the old PG building. Bench 2 & 3, Row 1 were we four, with least possibility of recollection anything else other than the work at hand. Sushma was busy solving WILSON  θ  method for dynamic analysis and Shiva was trying hard to find a way out of the differential equations that kept flowing over 4 pages all together. Adityan doing what he is best at, preparing last minute study material and I employed my very small mind into CRANK NICOLSON method . Sound of pencil lead rubbing against the paper, loose papers, texts full of foreign names, different kinds of symbols, note books, rhythm of pen getting tapped on bench and few lays packets coexisted with us. Window was flattering to the far right and tube light flicking (standing up to its name & reputation) . Newton's first law worked with many other domains not just science. We remained in the state of " Student before Exam " mode until there was an external force that acted on us. Those familiar audio waves students are often treated with. Something vibrating on the metal desk making hollow sound. All of a sudden everyone were back to living senses. It was as though we were kidnapped by someone and just got released. It took me a while to realize, that was my mobile vibrating beneath. Shiva gently pushed his books aside deciding to take a break, sushma took out her side dish to munch, Adityan started explore his all new Blackberry.  

Typing in the mobile passkey 97325, I logged onto Whats App. There was only one message and it instantly brought a dab smile that ran across my cheek. I've forgotten all the derivations done till then and that one line on the mobile screen seat ejected me out of library mode into a virtual hill station. The other three went into some discussion already and I was searching for a song on my mobile. Linked the song "TUM HO THO" from Rock on  and quickly put my thumb finger on the send button. The chat log for the day read Diya's name with a message "I LOVE YOU" and a MP3 file which was my reply. My mobile kept silent for a while and then the screen started to glow. Soon a picture came up, it was She with a cute smile sitting on my bike and giving a charming pose. Quickly I respond the call and walked out of the room for a brief talk. I returned back after few moments and everyone inside the room wore a fickle smile on their face. We bundled up all our derivations after an hour and we started to leave. On my way back, my bike rode straight to her place. We shared the Bournville I brought for her, went on a prolonged stroll, had a long chat and delightful panipuri. It was time to head home and complete the remaining part of derivation. As I put my bike key into the holder, she asked me to call her once I reached home and told me a beautiful BYE; to which my reaction was an affirmative smile. 

I got back home, locked my bike and dialed 9866...... just as she has asked me to do. Spoke about some random stuff for next 10 minutes and decided to meet her the next morning at jogger's path. She said BYE. Even before I said something she began to say in a despondent tone " You have not told bye in the evening too...".  Moments later I went back to her place . Gave a missed call on her mobile, a signal asking her to come out. I could see the surprised look on her face as she walked, out along with the excited expression which she always gives when we meet. With a confused tone she asked why I was there. 

I went closer to her,  looked straight into her eyes and said, " YOU KNOW WHAT...I CAN NEVER TELL A 'BYE' TO YOU DIYA...." .

We spent a couple of seconds without saying anything. She finally broke the silence and gave me an affable tap on my cheek. She then said, "YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU ARE REALLY VERY SWEET, SAKETH".

Lights were dim that evening, cool breeze, about to rain kind of climate and someone you love the most just said you were SWEET. Wow, I thought it was Life. There was another friendly pat now. Another one, this time a bit harder. The next one was almost a slap. Even before I realized the slap, I received one more on my shoulder. Then came faint voice .... Shiva called you thrice, Sushma is now calling you will you get up at least now......

You wake up this late and run away without having your breakfast she exclaimed...!!

Oh......

Umm...hmm...Good Morning AMMA I said....!!!

Later that evening in a very sarcastic tone, my mom told me to dream as early as 5 AM in the morning and to hope them come true.

Not at 9 .



Sakethursforever : )

I liked it.

Like every other 22 year old, Movies make an important chapter on my list of likes . It was a couple of months since I've seen a video shared on Facebook. A trailer it was. I thought it was promising. And here for the first time I write about a Movie I am thoroughly impressed with . 

"Madras Cafe"  11:00 PM show at a multiplex with a set of three friends who barely knew each other and I was the only common link or a mutual friend going by Facebook language. This will probably be first time with movies in my domain (post 1997), I would term a movie "DIFFERENT" . As a movie goer Yes, I've been treated with a different stuff. The feel that took over me is no different when compared to the gripping moments I went through while reading "Angels & Demons" or a "Dooms Day Conspiracy" .  

It will be a kind of social studies answer where in the first line of every response starts like this; " Something is because of the following reasons : 1,2,3.... ", Here are the reasons why I term Madras Cafe as one of the best  (at least in my domain).

The movie was made on a purpose, and every frame had that purpose expressed with a prudent tact. There wasn't a frame that was un-necessary, there isn't a character awkwardly poking his nose and most importantly each & every dialogue that is written has a point and weight . Screenplay was specific and so was the plot .  

I had never seen an Indian movie which could think beyond Pakistan when dealing about National Security (A movie that can be aired on 15th of August or on 26th of January).  May be for the first time though we've made an attempt in thinking beyond the limits which we imposed on self. 

Emotions play an important role in making a knock on ones mind. The movie has got certain high emotional sequences which are dealt with higher order realistic tinge.  There are scenes in the movie where in you feel Vikram's going to shout at peak of his voice, makes an belligerent challenge, delivers a lengthy patriotic phrase. He doesn't do all that, instead he simply mumbles a silent line which leaves you with tremors  perforating deep into your thinking capabilities .

John Abraham all these days was just an other lad on Indian Movies whom I had very little interest on . He is obviously the decision maker with this movie and each bit of it is spot on . He is the cynosure of the film. It was a strict NO with senseless display of erected muscles, adventurous fights, unwanted skin shows, stupid romance, sick songs which are presented on a very prestigious stage giving a tag, calling the movie commercial. Yet the movie created an impact which is still knocking on my thought process. There were moments when every cell in my brain said the hero's gonna shout or make aggressive move. But then, every time he quietly says a thoughtful dialogues. John will surely leave you with a long lasting thump of a superlative degree.

One reason I love reading DAN BROWN is because of the informative stuff he puts into his books. Madras Cafe does exactly the same. It is very informative. Dealing with technicalities, portraying the civil war, events that led to the odd things and the after effects also . 

Look out for Race against Time thriller mode in the second half, Unfolding of the assassination plot and most importantly the Decoding of intercepts . Personally to me, the perfect mix of Hindi-English dialogues expressing a tense feel at key moments was the best part . Madras Cafe may surely be a routine reel on Star Movies. It is certainly a very fresh one Star Gold.

There's a line in the movie a journalist says, " Har Kisi ka apna sach hotha hai, depends tum kaha khade ho...." . You will love the movie if you are at the right position I would say. 

Post Script : "I'm Impressed." It is as good as any movie made in west on a similar scale, if not better then it. 

sakethursforever : )

I drive on My own WILL ... !!!

It was just a moment ago I've told on phone "I'll be there in 15 mins Sushma, also ask shiva to wait until I come." The reaction from other side was negative with not much time left for the seminar to start . Cursing me being so late was I saying "Mei aisa kya hu" at self. The RJ I was listening to on 90 + something FM was also irritating with his sick love tales right at the start of the day . Added to this was the lazy thing I saw in front of me which never seemed to move .

It was grey Ford Icon which looked lot more yellow . Dust accumulated on the rear window of the vehicle made way for someone to scribble something that started with the word S and ended with the word D. With a dent on one side of the baggage box, a sticker which asked everyone not to kiss him from behind and few scratches at the bumper made that car look very much Hydrabadi.  Though, I was not sure who the driver was . I was pretty sure he was in two minds whether or not to venture overtaking the bus which was diagonally to the right of him. Probably there were couple of youngsters on the foot board which further helped his inability to cruse through. Bus was next to the divider and there was just enough scope for me to jump on my accelerator and race through the left end.

Fiddling with different FM stations, finally my finger made a very good gesture switching on a station that was playing a song (one of my fav) instead of RJ's flirting with my patience. Song was so good that I wanted my horses to run as fast as they can.  All my senses wanted a quick move on and the song added to the quest of driving past the lousy ford somehow. Quickly checking on the rear view, almost involuntarily did something which Manoj a friend of mine always used to talk a lot about." Grip your steering as soft as you can and then oscillate it radially 45 degrees to left first & then 90 degrees to right at a good pace." My K10 swung to deep left of the road and then almost immediately right leaving behind the sick ford and its driver. It was indeed a satisfactory take over only until I found a couple right in front of the ford on a shining pulsar which is now inches to my right. Wondered what made them drive that slow. Probably they saw clouds flying past them and not traffic . Distance between my Ferrari and the Pulsar was only a bit more then the gap those two had between them.  With very minimum time to react I made my way through the passage accelerating at top of my ability. Mean while something very scenic caught my eye almost involuntarily. The picture lasted only a micro second though.

My retina saw a girl with hair flowing down her cheeks pillion on the bike with fear oozing out of her eyes, forehead wrinkled with confusion, fingers clinching the shoulders of the one driving and an expression that said she was read to jump off the bike . What I loved the most about the girl was her lips. The sound that I could depict reading her lips was 'WOW'. (Probably she did admire my skill of handling the machine.)

 I raced past them and had a quick look on my rear view mirror only to find them involved in an animated conversation.

The song on the speakers started to fade out after a couple of minutes and RJ was back with his boring concept of asking people to confess their love interests ( never knew if he would arrange movie tickets for the couples ) . Back to thoughts of seminar was I. Just then came a vehicle miraculously making it through the allowance between my car and the divider. The vehicle seemed to stop for a second just beside my window and the guy diving it showed me his ugly finger before running down even without waiting for my reaction . Probably after a second or two the girl adjusted a bit, turned to me and gave me an unreadable expression and then clinched herself to the rider .

I was in no mood of thinking of the incident, my mind obviously din't have enough chambers left to accommodate more thoughts. Only after the seminar that I smiled at the mirror and said to myself I accelerate when I want to, I decelerate when I want to.

'I Drive on my Will'
Do You ??

STATUTORY WARNING
"Riding is a Divine virtue. Do it for yourself not for someone who's riding beside or the pillion rider ."


sakethursforever : )

"PRISTINE NATURE" A Trek to Dudhsagar

Not every day life takes you there, where you also forget your signature. And then comes a situation where you stammer even before recollecting your name. This time it wasn't a song on my music player or Sachin's innings that took me on. It is rather the most basal beauty in the world . 

"The Nature" I call . Railway line trek to Dudhsagar it was.

I always blooper in expecting something from the most pristine thing Nature. It was no different this time around. There was a exponential difference between my expectations and the reality that was offered. We started our stroll from Castle Rock Railway station after our organizer briefing  instructions. Also a very good omen starting off our trek was the slightest drizzle, a welcome one in  fact. 

Walking out along the railway line, there I lost all virtues of mine. My senses were not willing to process anything else except the WOWs that came out without any effort. The first sight was that of an old Loco Shed which was vandalized and yet it looked marvelous with the green coating of fungi all over it . Walking further into the misty path was as if nature too was glad we were there. Plenty of greenery, miraculous silence, Sound of water gushing somewhere near by, lush green valleys with smog; everything added to the  beautiful aura . Small channels of water running down the pinnacle into the deep valley, something simply worth a watch. Sit by the flow with your legs comfortably placed in the water, a feel of approbation it is. If scenic beauty was one thing, Railway line is another. Indian Railway has added lot many colors to the awe-inspiring views. Track disappearing into misty curves, trains making their rhythmic sound every now and then, the fog chocking the visibility of  bright LED signals, tracks changing lanes with a typical sound of servo motors and most majestic scenes of trains running into and out of the tunnels . 

 It had already become routine to my camera which was doing an over time already as the frequency of it making a 'ClicK' sound went up (Believe me even if there was Angelina Jolie there, my lens would have put her out of focus). Our jaws started paining, obviously cause of the jaw drop at every curve we swung through. The quest for the ultimate view, 'The Falls' went up every tunnel we crossed. Every time on a bridge we only hoped there was no train running in. And finally came out bread, biscuits and bars out of our packs . 

The nature walk was on for a mighty 14 kilometers which took us a little more than  5 hours to cover . It is of least possibility that one would feel exhausted with the amount of visual treat we were gifted with . Even if all your calories are already burnt out, it doesn't take much time rejuvenating your energy levels . The first gimps of the water brought back child inside me who was hidden behind virtual walls of maturity, age,  college, seminars, a ponderous task of  building up a career and many other things.  Such was the brilliance of the water fall. 

It was the last step of out trek. But it was the Cynosure of the trek . 

I was against wasting anytime in relaxing after reaching the terminus. Made sure my mobile & camera were safe, and made my way down to the view point. Shivering was I, sitting on a bench right in front of the great fall with two of my very good buddies. With a torch in hand that evening I (WE) spent there was just indescribable.  Water was gushing down the hill, making its way over obstacles and bubbling active. Water was  Splashing, Spilling and was over everything . We could barely open our eyes cause of the amount of water that was dribbling straight at us. Went back to the tents, had what ever was available and slept like a log.

My mind was dead said against vacating the place in the morning . But it is often said golden moments are always short and sweet. I told my self Saketh was waiting back at work and had to accompany him . This time the walk back was more of a lousy drag. 

This will be one of those amazing moments I would cherish for very very long time. I owe a debt of thanks to many without whom this post would have looked pale.

Like every outing, lessons learnt this time too. How to handle yourself and how 'not' to . 

PS : Also lunch and shopping at Londa needs a special mention. Lunch on railway platform was something which was never before never after . 

Sakethursforever : )

Trek to Awesomeness

Off we go out of civilization 

What will you need if you have to scramble through a rugged terrain, with a ponderous bag hung over your shoulders, sun beating down hard scorching the skin & sweat oozing out of your body . You may ask for bottles of water, glucose, something to munch on, a pit stop every 10 mins, probably a sun shade, a portable air conditioner or you could also go up to an extent of asking someone to carry you . With due respect to all the other requirements one thing that is far far more respected in my perspective is company you get while doing all that . Every other comfort make it to minimal importance if you have got good fellow mates. And I cannot move further narrating the incredible journey to awesomeness with giving a virtual High-Five to the wonderful company of 19 playmates with brimming contingency.

 We were a bunch of unfamiliar strangers as the clock read 5:15 at the bus station from where we all started our journey . By 5:45 we've become a family . A family which started playing games making a RTC bus seem like a college bus. It took about two and half hours to reach Devarakonda which was our first destination. Done with our refreshments we headed to Kamballapally a remote village which was an other two and half hours of bumpy ride. I was treated with heavy dosage of Tamil which I barely understood . I just made sure I gave a simple grin when everyone around cracked out. A village for me till then was just a movie. Something that I only saw on screen . For the first time have I been to an actual place called village.

Off we went out of civilization and out of cell phone coverage as well. Scrambling up a terrain, I felt for the first time that I was out of my comfort zone . Heart beat racing up, could easily match the all new bullet train The Chinese put to work last month . There were constant signals received demanding a bottle of chilled water.  Scooting through the cotton fields, jumping over wall like structures, with bottles stuffed on either side of the bags we were carrying, managing to get through narrow openings between the boundaries, the trek has already started taking better of our endurance.

After doing all the struggle, view we framed on top of that gigantic cliff was impeccable .The view of blue sky, deep blue water, green pasture lands and finally an island in middle of the waters was a sigh of relief. One may have just sat down, pleasured himself with water and something to eat after all the hard work he has done going up there. But the view of the extraordinary beauty around never let me think of anything else. Personally, the thrill that place made me go through was something more than, greatest of the explanations I can give. I sat down allowing myself to believe I was being treated to an adorable scenic charm. Those things that my retina captured would remain on an in-erasable file with my memory forever.  Sachin's play at Sharja , Liverpool winning over Manchester, Listening to Rehaman's melody or unfolding of Sheldon's suspense towards the climax were some of the fantastic things I recollect again and again, this glimpse of the Island would surely make it to that list. It was a giant conical hillock. With a small temple like structure on the apical. It was way far too away, but I was dying to capture a click of the nature around from there .The place was actually a village by name Mallannagutta which was inundated by back waters as Nagarjuna Sagar Dam was constructed in early 60's.

That was the frame I was talking about.

Not fully willing to leave that place we start our journey towards banks of the river . The trek was now becoming tougher because from now on it was climb down . I found climbing down the hill with pebbles under your feet lot more difficult compared to trekking upwards. May be because while going down you will have to an additional weight of the body to be controlled.

Trekking down for about half an hour, four of us were at a place from where we had no idea which way to take. Some left us far too early and some were still behind. I thought of Robert Frost, but unfortunately the place itself was less traveled and there was a lot of trek to be done before we slept. Four of us there not knowing which way to go finally made a choice and moved forward, which with in no time proved to be a wrong choice. We had to land up on one side of the cliff and we did on the other. In middle of a forest were we, four strangers who had to just get along . Each one of us shared a pinch of nervousness and tons of excitement of getting lost. We knew that we were lost in forest, but then the presence of three others kept us going. It is such a wonderful feel that Me, Dhilip, Anusha and Rajesh were just strangers to each other in the morning and now we had to find a way out. Cracking jokes and making plans of taking a little nap we entered into a green pasture land. It was no less than Sydney Cricket Ground where the out fields are just green all the way . As soon as we got to the banks of the river and cool breeze welcomed our visit. Took our shoes off and we started walking on the banks with water striking our feet gently, toward the side we were supposed to get to.

After a trimmed break our journey towards the island began on a boat which had a tractor engine flange coupled to the propeller . Sun was almost saying good bye for the day, birds chirping, and the water boat making way to the Island. We were travelling on a boat with hill ranges on all the four sides. One side it was dark and the other side the range of hills turned bright yellow with . It was a 20-25 mins ride from the banks of the river and through out the journey I could hear my soul speaking too many things . Too many things to describe, too many things to capture on camera, too many feeling to share and I was missing too many friends of mine.

With clock striking 6 in the evening we were on an island with no one it other than 20 exciting adventure enthusiasts . I will have to become a lexicographer and do etymology to describe the fun we had thereafter on the island . The sun light was slowly fading away & the feel of staying there all alone got better and better . Divided in groups, some went in search of firewood, some started cleaning and others started cutting vegetables for the most exciting dinner that night which was yet to come our way .

I remember my English teacher long ago teaching me one proverb which was always fascinating because it dealt with food and cooks. The proverb read "TOO MANY COOKS SPOIL THE BROTH" . May be for the first time though, the proverb has gone utterly wrong . We were 20 different people working with utmost coordination on 3 different dishes in the darkness with torch lights beaming on from every corner. It was already pitch dark and without torch lights nothing was visible. I was in comfort thinking there would come that blue light that is shown on movies at night time. Believe me there isn't a single ray of any light other than the torches. Helping those master chefs there was the one of the brilliant experiences I had.  And the dinner that followed was simply yummy.

 It was only after the dinner that my focus went on to a completely different zone . It was astronomy this time. It was my first glance on to the sky and I couldn't resist myself from shouting WOW. It was then I realized why people said we cannot count no. of stars. They were as cute as a kindergarten class room with  some of them silent, some twinkling, others bright, remaining dull; it was fantastic. The sky looked so gorgeous. If the first glimpse of the island was impeccable, this was something of an higher order. We started to pack our bags after the dinner and started out trek to the top of hill . Remember it was just darkness, loneliness all around with sound of water splashing the rocks. With my exhaustiveness reaching its break even point, I just collapsed and out I went off my consciousness. I cut all my connections with rest of the world and just gave myself moments of sound sleep. Doing so I did disturb people sleeping besides pulling their blankets. My sister always said I have this habit of pulling blankets, but this was my first affirmative call on that note .

Lovely Dawn Ever

 I woke up to one of the most pleasant dawns I ever saw. I was on top of a steep cliff with water all around it. On top of the water was that fine layer of mist which made the view breath taking. Just then Mr. Sun has started coming out making it just the perfect frame to be clicked. Had to get back to the village to catch the bus before noon. So we had to leave early, trek back to the village where we were treated with excellent hospitality and tasty village lunch. Thus, finally came the full stop of the extreme awesomeness we experienced.





Personally, this trek was something more than an adventure to me. It was an outing where I learnt many things which the routine syllabus of life doesn't allow you to learn. I have been to many outing with my friends, but all of them were inside my radius of comfort. For the first time I had to come out of my comfort zone, and mingle with 19 others which I believe I'v did . Getting along and working as a unit with those amazing mates shall be one thing I would cherish for a long long time. I can bang my hand, head or anything  on a table and say if it hadn't been this group of trekkers, the trek wouldn't have been so sweet .

You guys seriously made my day .

Cheers to you guys.

Sakethursforever : )