The end of "confinement"

It's unbelievable the rate at which time speeds by. There ought to be a speed limit! But then who will fine who?

Anyways, point being 6 weeks+ have passed since I gave birth to my baby boy, after an arduous labour process that lasted nearly 48hrs! The days immediately following that life-changing event are rather blurred in my memory. The sheer exhaustion that wiped over me was clearly something I wasn't expecting. After the adrenaline of the first few days dies down, and the post-partum hormones hit you with a rage like none other, there is no controlling one's emotions - a true roller coaster ride this. (More about this in another post)

When we hit the 6weeks mark, signalling the end of the "confinement" period, I felt physically and emotionally so much better; but what made this day worth blogging about, wasn't something I did, but instead was about how the little one set me 'free'...

 

To begin with, I was very fortunate that #AyuBabu (oh yes, that's his social identity 😜) latched onto my breast very well, right from our first skin-to-skin bonding time; and thanks to the experienced care from my mothers, I was producing milk right from the start. Exclusive breastmilk feeding for the first 6 months of life is recommended for all newborns (except in certain medical conditions). But for mothers expected to go back to work, we need to initiate bottled breastmilk feeds after a month (not earlier, in order to avoid nipple confusion). So by 5 weeks, I started pumping out breastmilk and my mother (who's helping us look after the newborn) was handed over the task of initiating bottle-feeds! There were 2-3 failed attempts over the last week, leaving the little one completely annoyed, wailing at the top of his voice, and me, a tad bit upset and nervous at the same time...

But uber thanks to my mum's sheer perseverance, that afternoon, after the initial resistance, there was silence - when I went to peep in - the little one was sucking at the bottle and having his first successful bottle-feed!! The little one is indeed growing up too fast... Tears welled up and even though I was elated at this development, a small piece of my heart was rather heavy - to see your baby step up and get ever so slightly away from you is an oxymoronic moment of melancholy and prideful happiness...

That evening's twilight skyscape (as witnessed from our balcony) was one to behold indeed. 

To mark the end of "confinement"

A sliver of the blue and gold sky

The railings can contain me no longer

A carefree soul, my free spirit shall fly

Another new phase of my life kickstarted that evening, by just the reassuring act of my baby bottle-feeding. It sure did make me realise that babies are really fast learners, but more importantly, reinforced the fact that with patience and love, nothing is impossible. 

The Miracle - As it hit us

I do have irregular periods sometimes, thanks to stress/hormones/whatever, so that is the reason why I hadn't peed on the stick earlier. In fact, the queasiness I felt, was conveniently blamed on some leftover take-away biryani I had had and the general tiredness, was well obviously because, I was working longer, more hectic shifts, and I was just recovering from a bad flu. But even doctors can be wrong sometimes, y'know! So, out of the blue, that evening, between seeing patients, on a loo break, I decided to do the urine pregnancy test.

Holy smokes! Like lightning out of the blue - thunderstruck! It was positive. I couldn't believe my eyes, so I did it a second time. Positive, yet again! Ok, I was getting light headed and I headed up for dinner, which the hospital thoughtfully provides. I have no idea how I sat through it. I so badly wanted to call my husband up, but I knew this crazy news had to be shared in person! So, I calmed my nerves and took deep breaths, while trying to quieten the butterflies in the stomach, and went through the rest of my shift, as though nothing had changed.

But of course, it had. My feet were unsteady as I traced my steps back home around midnight. I woke the slumberous husband up and showed him the stick (which I had preserved, in a "BioHazard" bag!) For starters, he had no idea, if it was positive or negative :P So, I just told him, and he went all "Huh?!" He snapped out of the disbelief soon enough and hugged me and carried me and what not! He clearly was thrilled! But because I had had some more time to process it, I was crazy nervous already!

Nonetheless, we decided to break the unconfirmed news to our parents. They were surprised of course, to receive a call at that hour and the first thing my mum told me jokingly was "OMG! I am so not ready to be a grandma!" And my in-laws were excited as well, considering it was just a few months since Prantik's maternal grandmother, Didun had endowed us with a beautiful Baal Krishna idol (which in Hindu culture comes with the blessing of "fertility and children").

And thus we went to bed that night...reeling in incredulity and yet in silent gratitude, for the miracle that had just begun to unfold in our lives.

Of course the pregnancy had to be confirmed and all; and in our final year of medicine, we've all answered questions on positive pregnancy tests and the causes etc. It could be any of the other complicated things, which require medical attention; but here, I was fairly well, so maybe, just maybe, God willing, it was none of those and we were in for a crazy adventure, tomorrow onwards! But for now, let's call it a good night! Damn! Can't even cheers to that 🍷

  

Love at first sight

So, the last I blogged was at the beginning of the year. And then, out of the blue, God (yes, if I am a believer in miracles, I ought to have stronger faith in the Higher Force meting 'em out to me) decided to drop in a seed within my womb!

And bam, fast forward 9 calendar months - and I have a miracle baby boy handed to me in the wee hours of 26th September, 2016. That Monday, was only magical and surreal to say the least, sans any blues.

There's so much to share, to chronicle about the journey that lead to the birth of our little wonder, and the 6 weeks of "confinement" that followed. 

As I type this out, the little one, who we've named Ayaan, is sleeping in blissful oblivion, in his classic 'Gerua' style (Shah Rukh's outstretched arms pose) while I've just put down Jhumpa Lahiri's "In Other Words" - if I can't go outdoors much, nothing should stop me from traveling and transporting myself to another world, as painted by a bestselling author right? 

Ah! The sheer joy hidden in words and lines; faces and smiles :)

Reading; and a recent first meeting with a 'lover of the written word', as she likes to introduce herself as (she had kind words to say about my previous blogposts) rekindled the spark and the itch to write - and of course, the constant nudging by my husband to ressurect this blogging space - landed me here. 

So, here I am. Hoping that I can make the most of the remaining five months or so left of my maternity leave, before I head back to work. While I hope to exclusively feed the newborn, "liquid gold" (as breast milk is fondly called) until then, I also wish to read loads and blog about all the wonderful memories that we weave together. For what is life if not a string of moments - the bad ones leave us with experience, and the good ones, reach the hippocampus, without a doubt. 

Thank you for all the support :) 

Voyage of a lifetime

Over a couple months ago, I undertook a small voyage of sorts, with my husband, to visit his maternal grandma. Over 80 years of age, she is so gorgeous and beautiful, inside out. With a lifetime of experience backing her, she's seen her life transform literally from riches to rags and back up again. Her story has touches of royalty, disloyalty and everything else that one could possibly fathom. Yet, she remains rooted and is happy with herself; and has found her peace in this home, where other older people, like her, spend their days, in good cheer, together; some even breathing their last.

We flew from Singapore, spent the night in Kolkata, took the train to Berhampore, a cycle rickshaw till the banks of river Ganges, a boat ride across the holy river and finally lugged our bags, on foot, to reach that blessed home - Ananda Niketan.

Grandma or Didun (Bengali term for maternal grandmother), was eagerly waiting at the doorsteps for our arrival. She showed us our room and then took us around, and introduced us to her friends, with utmost joy and pride, even! Last but not the least, she took us to her own room, which she has set up with much love; each corner has a memory, in the form of a photograph, in black and white or a souvenir from elsewhere; she has a prayer corner, a fridge, a TV even. She has a cupboard where she keeps the rest of her stuff, which with passing time, she aims to gift to someone or the other. She also has a whole packet of needles and woollen thread, which she uses to knit beautiful sweaters etc. for a new born infant in the village, rakhis and what not. She has an old Nokia phone (remember the one we could play 'Snake' on) but the network in her room is pretty much non-existent, so by the time she gets to the main corridor with better reception, the call gets disconnected, and she then waits to be called back... We got her a new touch phone, but she is way too attached to the old one, and she thinks 'old is gold', so she'd rather keep the old one itself, one that she is more familiar with. She doesn't really need much; this visit, all she asked for was a magnifying lens, to help her read better! (It's too cumbersome, to head to the opposite bank to get her eyes checked and get a new pair of reading glasses :( ) She was overjoyed, when she saw we indeed found her quite a nice piece of hand-held magnifying lens.

 

She's been there for years now, and being amongst the older people inhabiting that home, and also, thanks to her regal past, she's more like the queen in that palace of hers. She has a large heart and with her giving nature, there's no reason why she shouldn't be. There is a fixed menu each day, but she would ask them to cook special stuff as we're around. She has people from the village visiting her often, as well. Right from the village doctor, who's retired but offers his services by checking up on the old folks; the village school teachers who hold Didun in high respect; villagers who come to spend the evening there, sharing stories, life stories - most of these are sad yet true stories of young adults not having enough money for higher education, women helpers being beaten up by drunk husbands, families not being able to afford healthcare of a child born with deformities and what not. Didun helps out in whichever way she can. So today, that young adult is attending university; that woman is working at that very home, so she can be financially independent and take care of her children; that infant born with dangling upper limbs, is now a toddler, who plays with toys, with her own very hands, thanks to some pro bono work done by a hospital in Bangalore (plastic surgeons, I've had the privilege to work with as well! - Small world!)

Didun was elated that I draped sarees while I was there; infact, I even wore one, which she had hand-embroidered, inspired by some Gujarati designs that she had liked from a calendar - she had patiently transferred the intricate designs onto a red saree, for her daughter's (my mother-in-law's) wedding, 35 years ago - and here, I was - blessed with the privilege to wrap it around and Didun couldn't stop herself from showing me and the saree off to anyone and everyone who crossed our paths :D Everyone definitely went "Khoob Mishti" ("Very sweet" in Bengali), in sincere admiration of the simple yet stunning work. And the fun fact is that, Didun can still be found engrossed in knitting and what not, under the broad daylight, right until the sun sets, for then twilight marks her television series time :P 

Didun also took us around the town. She took us the old temples, and even pandals that were being set up for the upcoming Durga Puja festival. She took us to archaeological heritage sites - the Hazarduaari Palace, Imambaras (mosques), cemeteries - where Nawabs and Begums lay; and also Dutch cemeteries! Lakes were a plenty and the stories that Didun shared from her childhood and of Murshidabad legends were delightful. They were as though right out of a history book - enchanting to say the least - I've always found tales of kings and ministers, and their many wives and battles - very interesting!

We also visited the site, where once upon a time, "sati pratha" was practised, right until early 19th century. Over two centuries ago, widowed women would voluntarily (or be coerced to) kill themselves, by jumping into the funeral pyres of their (dead) husbands. Raja Ram Mohan Roy championed the cause of banning the practice and soon enough, it was deemed illegal. 

Time has been witness to many changes over its course, and though I began this blog retelling the wonderful things I got to experience and create cherishable memories around, it was to highlight the pretty much awesome time that a widowed, 80 year old woman is having at a place of her choice, a village town she considers home. Yes, she does have a son and daughter, who are both more than capable of looking after her (she is hale and hearty, and is sans any long term medications; she walks independently and does all her daily activities on her own, even today - so not like she really needs much looking after) but she prefers to stay in this peaceful, heavenly piece of land instead, away from the city noise and pollution. She prizes her freedom very significantly; she is at a place, where she can do as she pleases. More importantly, the village town brims with nostalgia for her and why should anyone be deprived of that, while going through what might essentially be the last stage of their lives. Though, years ago, I used to be very judgemental about "old age homes" and people who left their aging parents/grandparents there, this beautiful, heart-warming experience at Ananda Niketan had completely bowled me over. 

More power to homes like these, and the few people who work day in, day out, to help the old people living there. Thank you for looking after our Didun and keeping her happy. Special thanks to the watchguard dog, Bhola (shying away in the pic) who is so calm with the aged people, but can be quite a scare to strangers at the gate! Praying that they can all give each other good company, stay healthy and hearty; and that there shall be only peaceful smiles, when the sun sets...

The 6-Yard Journey

As my birthday countdown came to an end, I was in a dilemma. To continue or not - that was the question! I had realised, the blog had rekindled my liking to write, and share; so I decided to keep this space alive, by continuing to blog.

The latter half of October, we were in East-India (I should probably blog about different experiences from the trip, sometime in the near future, before my memory gets hazy!) The holiday saw me draping the 6-yard saree, pretty much every day, much to my mothers' delightful surprise!
On one of our early morning train rides, by the countryside, it serendipitously occurred to me, that the different hues of the sarees I was wearing during the trip, could actually make a rainbow: VIBGYOR!

What's even more amazing was the discovery that each day, I was in fact draping different weaves from across the country! As the train chugged towards Howrah, Kolkata, I was reeling in sheer awe and wonder.

I had also read about the #100SareePact, to revive the elegant, sensuous garment: Saree; where women across India vowed to wear Sarees a 100 times, before the sun set on NYE 2015-2016. I have only just begun on my 6-yard journey, and my collection is probably just over a quarter of a century :D But, as I researched more about these, I realised I was actually sitting on a treasure! :P
So here's showcasing the sarees I wore during my recent trip to motherland. :)

1. Cotton-silk, inspired by Kancheepuram silk sarees, from down-south

This was the first saree I draped, on my recent sojourn at Berhampore, West Bengal. In simple cotton-silk, it was uber comfortable, especially with the scorching sun overhead. I put on some pearls with a golden locket, to go with the white-stone studded golden border of the saree. Didun (Prantik's grandma went all "Bah! Khoob Mishti" at me :)
I had first worn this one at the college annual campus dinner, about 7 years ago (when my mum had driven to the hostel to help me and my close friend dress up!) I had clearly shed some weight since then;) Yes, I wore this solo! And this was only the beginning...

2. Chiffon, with Gujarati (west-India) embroidery

The next day, I chose to wear the red chiffon saree, which was hand-embroidered by Didun herself. Inspired from a Gujarati embroidery design she had seen on a calendar, she had very patiently made a carbon copy of it and translated it onto this light, simple saree, for her daughter's (my mom-in-law's) wedding, 35 years ago. And all those years later, it was passed onto her grand-daughter-in-law i.e. me, on my wedding day, and I was brimming with all the excitement, for finally getting to pose with Didun herself (who was overjoyed and couldn't stop showing me and the saree off to her friends), by the holy Ganges. Blessed moment indeed!

3. Ghicha silk, hailing from Central India

Ghicha refers to the silk derived differently from the raptured cocoon. Without going into much procedural details, the highlight of this saree was just how light it felt! As we were exploring village and tribal (Aadivasi) Durga Puja scenes at Shantiniketan, the designs on the saree were befitting if I may say so. And it even blended well, when we were amidst palatial ruins at Raipur. Beauty in forgotten glory, to behold!

4. Mekhela chador, from Assam (North-East India)

A two-piece drape, classically worn by the Assamese women; this beautiful weave has been introduced into the national saree scene and am I glad! Each saree has a colourful story nestled within the entirely hand-woven fine embroidery. And it sits in silence, beseeching the audience to appreciate and admire. Anyways, I was just amused that I could even figure out how to wear one without using YouTube or WikiHow :P I paired it with a contrasting elbow length blouse in green, which I matched with some green ear-rings, that I had picked from a random street in Bangalore as a teenager :D

My aunts were impressed that I managed to figure out how it's supposed to hug the body ... though in hindsight, I realised the pleats are supposed to be facing the right, instead of the left (unlike the usual saree) in the traditional manner of draping a Mekhela. Ah! Next time.

5. Banarasi silk, from up-north

While most South Indian bridal trousseaus are filled with primarily Kanjivaram silk sarees, I was blessed in having a beautiful and bountiful variety, including the much coveted Banarasi silk sarees! One of the wedding day sarees was in fact an off-white and sindoor red Banarasi silk. One that I hadn't worn during the wedding celebrations was a light pink one - and I chose to wear it for the Ashtami Puja. Mughal inspired designs in intricate and elaborate gold, against the fine pink silk was gorgeous, and no words can do justice to it. Specially handpicked by my in-laws, it was a saree one could fall instantly in love with, even ignoring the fact that it's quite a heavy saree to carry off! But I did so, with panache, in Mughal style ;) Why not? 

6. Shantiniketan-Batik silk saree (East India)

From Tagore-Land, this supremely light saree was a pure delight to wear. I can't believe I actually wore a saree for a casual outing to the movie theatre, but Indian festivals can push you to utopia, one that is hard to get back to ground from :D In brick-red and black designs, I absolutely loved it; I actually see myself wearing this saree more often than the other grander ones! And of course, it had a strong element of Batik, hailing from Indonesia, where I spent my entire childhood - so additional brownie points. 

7. Dhakai/Jamdani saree, from the neighbouring country-Bangladesh 

Often made in contrasting hues,  the Dhakai is a cotton weave from a part of the globe, which less than a century ago, was still part of Bengal, India. Fresh and new, the cotton saree is relatively stiff and is quite a task when you're heading out early morning. But as we were hopping across the heritage pujas across the city, I was glad I picked this one. Not too flashy, with blue-grey pearls around the neck; and an elbow length cotton blouse, this attire spelt serenity and grace all over.

8. Laal-Paar Shada Saree, of Bengal (East India)

A Durga Puja cant-do-without! Married into a Bengali household, partaking in my first Durga Puja since the wedding, I was quite excited to be wearing the traditional, Bengali style saree, in red and white, for the Sindoor Khela (where married women apply sindoor on the Goddess' forehead and then on each other, in joyful spirit). What made it even more special was that it was picked by the dear husband, on a previous trip to Kolkata. My mom-in-law obviously had to help me drape this one as (i) we were running short of time and (ii) I had no frikking idea on how it's worn! I put on the silver-brass Hindolam ear-jackets to go with the border. And well, the husband silently complimented me by staring at me open-mouthed ;) So mission accomplished :D

9. Mysore silk, from down south again

This absolute beauty caresses the skin like none other. A gem from Mysore, these mulberry silk sarees are heavenly simple, without elaborate designs over the body. The pallu boasts of royal floral designs, and it's one of the easier sarees to drape and strut around; which is why I chose to wear it during the pre-wedding period and also, this trip during Maa's birthday celebration at home, when I was slightly under the weather; the saree was kind and comforting in its own smooth way.

10. Chiffon saree, designer-waale, or not, from Commercial Street, Bangalore :P

I had picked this non-conventional hue for my college farewell ceremony. I remember my best friend giving me a disapproving laugh when I told her I had picked yellow, of all colours! But in the end, the saree was in fact perfect for that night. Just like it was for a dear friend's pre-wedding, Sangeet night in Gurgaon, Delhi. Best kind of stuff to rock and roll and do some 'thumkas' in :D

11. Another chiffon saree, my first online buy - I've no idea where it's from :D

This was my first trial with online shopping for sarees and I was quite satisfied with the product. My dear mom helped me stitch a blouse for it, despite her mad packing schedule. I wore it in record 5 minutes! While Prantik was rushing to get his turban tied! Haha! Some sarees have stories woven over them, some have memories strung around them - this was clearly the latter. A warm moonlit night, reliving our own wedding, almost 11 months ago and enjoying some soulful music, while witnessing good friends tying the knot, in holy matrimony. 

And thus, with that saree, our Durga Puja trip came to an end. Every day was a new experience, a new memory. And with every new saree I wore, I created a new cherishable memory around it, enough to last me for this lifetime. I don't know when and where I'll wear sarees this often, in the future. All I know is the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step (or in the saree context, the chronicle of a #100sarees begins with a few!) And I've taken mine! It's been a pleasurable journey of discovery, thus far. Can't wait to keep adding to the collection, more hues, more weaves, more stories...

Life's Good!

A simple prayer I learnt when I was just 3:

"Thank you God for the food we eat
Thank you God for the world so sweet
Thank you God for the birds that sing
Thank you God for everything"

A simple yet such a powerful prayer. For there is no prayer, stronger than gratitude. 

And so is this infographic, which can put life into such perspective:

So, as I feel extremely blessed and grateful for what I have and have had over the last quarter of a century almost, I'd like to take a moment to thank some of the people who have contributed, directly or indirectly, to help me expand my horizons, get out of my comfort zone and shoot for the moon. This comprehensive list - "Wisdom from the fellow traveller", as I like to call it, includes stuff I've heard or read - from family, friends, teachers, colleagues, strangers, authors, actors, leaders etc; which picked me up when I was down, showed me light in the dark tunnel, pushed me to keep the fight in me alive and stand today, as I am today.

• "You are Beautiful" - Mom

She'd call me "ugly goosling" (just so I'd drink enough water and nourish my skin!) yet she'd call me "beautiful" more often! Such a short simple sentence yet with the potential to boost a child's self-image and confidence. In my late teens infact, while I was battling weight-gain and acne thanks to a hormonal rage, these kind words helped me fight better, right until I won "Best Model" at college :P

• "Courage isn't the absence of fear, it's the realization that something is more important than the fear" - School corridor

This quote came in handy when I returned to India and was thrown into the ocean of competition! So, when I walked in to give one exam after the other, I calmed my nerves with this one-liner and lo and behold! Before I knew it, I had interview calls to all the 3 schools in Bangalore I had applied to :)

• "Fear not to make mistakes; be bold. Only keep learning from them!" - Dad

The board exams breed such pressure on a student, almost like a do-or-die situation, and amidst anxieties, when your parent tells you it's all OK, it lifts all that heaviness off your mind and truth be told, I performed way better thus! For when you focus on the effort rather than the result, you can outdo yourself. So I surprised myself by topping in my board exams in 10th and 12th, and also securing the highest marks in the state, subsequently being awarded the "Vidya Bhushan". I was not born a prodigy, dad just made me believe I could be one!

• "Believe in miracles" - DisneyWorld

This one has been my driving force, gushing with hope. There is something so child-like in believing in fairytales, and happily ever-afters. And I ask, why not?

• "You deserve better - have some self respect!" - Little Brother

He's younger than I am, but he can be expected to come out with some really mature things to say at the right time. Be it acquaintances or friends, even near and dear, no one can ill-treat you or disrespect you, without your permission and the little brother would indirectly protect me, by asking me to stay away from such pricks! Important advice to make one street-smart!

• "You've got a friend in me"  - ToyStory

This is for all those people (they know who they are) who I could and can still call at 4am, and crib about stuff or just laugh together :D This is to that sacred bond of friendship that has your back, no matter what and lets you be your crazy self. To all those gazillion talks and silent conversations too- cheers!

• "Your vulnerability is your strength" - School friend

I think Life is about the choices we make, and the values we choose to stick by - our individuality is defined by these. Life might expose our vulnerabilities but we can choose to make them a weakness or derive strength from them. 

• "What you are shouts so loudly in my ears, I cannot hear what you say" - Ralph Waldo Emerson 

During my teenage years, during times of identity crises (child vs adult), I found 7 Habits... extremely useful; this particular quote within it's pages kept reminding me to focus on character-building rather than personality-polishing.

• "You don't have to care about what others say about you...!" - College friend

Dogs bark, tongues wag, but the caravan goes on - you don't have to give a rat's ass to anything that people say. They could be brewing in envy and/or anger etc. you just gotta focus on what you ought to do, and let them be. You might feel sorry for them even, but don't bother. Haha!

• "Hakuna Matata" - The Lion King

When the going gets tough, the tough get going! I can always fall back onto this one and strut like Timon/Pumbaa/Simba! 

• "When I ask someone out, it's for life" - Best friend/Husband

What a beautiful commitment of love for life. When he first shared this philosophy with me, I was reeling in a dreamy state, wondering when my 'knight in shining armour' would make an appearance - little had I known that my Prince Charming was right in front of me! I eventually got married to him and I'm living my fantasy, right now with him :)

• "And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." - Paulo Coelho, in The Alchemist

The sort of thing one needs to believe in for dreams to come true. For nothing else explains how I am at my happy state today (touch wood)-part of a supremely loving family; working as a doctor - a childhood dream come true; married to the love of my life - gotta believe my grandparents are wishing me well and winking from the twinkling stars above.

• "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish" - Steve Jobs

Apple products continue to reign while one of his speeches still continues to motivate, long after he's no more. Through college life and the work-life that followed henceafter - this serves as a constant reminder to keep learning, unlearning, relearning. 

• "Always keep the poor/needy people in mind, and do something for them" - Grandmother

My grandmum was an epitome of unconditional giving and I hope I can emulate her ideals and do my bit for the society...

This year, we linked #SocialShaadi with Milaap and raised funds for causes we believed in - education and vocational training; I'm volunteering for the Society of the Physically Disabled; giving away my personal savings for healthcare causes like eye surgeries for children (in the name of Eka Shukla, who's turning 3 this month-end - a noble gesture conceptualised by her parents), and as part of the Joy of Giving week and my annual birthday ritual - contributing money this year round to (i) the United Nations fund for (Syrian) refugees (ii) a rural Indian village upliftment (iii) an old age shelter home in West Bengal (iv) an orphanage in Pune, run by Maher.

• "Not all of us can do great things, only small things with great love" - Mother Teresa

She remains a worldwide idol; an inspiration for community service. Emphasising on doing how much ever little we can, even if its picking up plastic covers from a park or helping an old person cross the road, little acts of kindness, go a long way...

• "I have a dream that my four little children, will one day live in a nation, where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character." - Martin Luther King Jr

One of those elocution contests in high school found me learning these lines by heart, and they have stayed right within. They ignite the light of compassion, for all, irrespective of external traits and inspire to see the divinity in one and all.

• "Be the change you want to see in the world" - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

As a crusader for non-violence and truth, Bapuji's ideals continue to urge me to be a better person, everyday. 

• "Be kind - everyone you meet is fighting a battle" - Ian Maclaren

Be it my professional or personal dealings with people, I focus on kindness. For we may never know what the other person is going through... 

• "If you're willing to take the chance, the view from the other side...is spectacular" - Meredith Grey, in Grey's Anatomy

Have some tequila shots, dance the night away and next day, turn up for work, go the extra mile, and be life-savingly awesome :D

• "Stay Hollow and Empty! Be Happy - This is a blessing and an order" - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

My tryst with spirituality commenced with attending the Art of Living Courses as I hit adulthood. The basic and advanced courses later, I find myself celebrating silence, being blissful in action and just letting go in complete surrender, at all times. There's unshakeable poise and peace and there isn't some place else I'd rather be.

• "Don't take life seriously. Nobody gets out of it alive anyway!" - Sydney J. Harris

I think my favourite quote of them all! Haha! Take a chill pill, feel the morning sun, listen to music on your iPod, raise the volume, kick your legs out and some deep breaths later, plan your next holiday! Or if your my husband, you're probably planning my next surprise birthday gift :P

A week, filled with the joy of giving.

A week recapitulating my favourite quotes.

A week of giving thanks!

T-1wk

Ayubowan!

This blog post is dedicated to the simply beautiful long weekend spent at Galle, Sri Lanka with our dear friends! Brimming with memories for a lifetime, the trip was indeed rejuvenating and a welcome break, after the crunch period in ED. I'm not going to go chronologically, though the OCD-kinda-person I am, that would have been just perfect; but instead I'm choosing to pick ten (ten=number of Ravana's heads :P) highlights from the trip, with some recommendations as well, for those of you who would like to visit Galle in the near future, inspired by the lovely photographs on the shared Facebook album: Ayubowan from Galle, SriLanka!

• The People

A week past the trip, I still can't seem to get over the amazingly heart-warming Sri Lankan folks. Ever-smiling, always helping, clear-hearted kind people - and it seems to be a common thread of the culture of the beautiful country. For what makes a country vibrant is not just it's scenery/architectural marvels/city scapes but more importantly, it's people. Even their language and accent is so endearing - an expression of their simple, kind souls. From the land of Ravana (antagonist in the Hindu epic, Ramayana), this would seem contradictory, however what's fascinating to note is Ravana was infact a benevolent ruler of Lanka. Anyways, back to the people and their charisma - all the airline crew greeted us with "Ayubowan"; our cab driver was patient and kind way past midnight, steering against the strong rain; our villa staff including the watchman uncle were unbelievably accomodating and thoughtful even to include baby cots and baby chairs at the dining area!; our daily cab driver was very patient and selfless, so was our tea estate guide; the people across the city were unassumingly generous!

• The Food

Oh my good Lord! Such ravishingly amazing food! Such a delightful treat to the taste buds. The Sri Lankan cuisine is definitely a must-try - with liberal use of spices and fresh herbs, their curries are heavenly. We were indeed blessed to have a very talented cook, at our villa. He very ably presented us with unforgettable dishes - Sri Lanka chicken curry, butterfish fry with delectable seasoning, arrack flavoured banana fritters with vanilla ice cream and palm syrup, even the stir-fried French beans were so amazing everyone needed a second helping! Among the restaurants we hopped across Galle/Unawatuna - Lucky Fort at Parawa street with its overwhelming curry set meal and quiant setting defintely was a winner; even the chance spotting of the Sri Lankan buffet lunch at Garden restaurant was awesome with their oh-so-spicy offerings including some mouth-watering pickles!; the cobbled street near Galle Fort was lined by many restaurants, surprisingly not many were licensed to sell liquor but oh well, we did enjoy our suppers at Pedlar's Inn Cafe and the likes around. 

• The Beaches

Such pristine clean beaches, like heaven had opened up right in front of us! Our villa opened up right in front of the Buona Vista beach and thus, mornings kickstarted at the beach. It was quite shallow till some distance so we could venture further in and enjoy the tide, while one of us played with the toddlers and built sand castles. Another part of the shore was sea-shell laden and was to behold indeed.

But the beach that stole our hearts completely was the almost-private beach at Unawatuna! With the sloping palm trees and fresh sea breeze, it was like time stood still while the waves lashed around, and we had a piece of paradise to ourselves. The photography session was endless thanks to just how serene the place was. And so were the Ringa-Ringa-Roses with the toddlers, who absolutely loved the beach as well! We were thus, soaked in sea-love and sun-kissed, trippy and happy - it's well-deservedly featured in my list of blissful memories and without saying, is my current desktop screen as well :D

• The Fort

The formidable Galle Fort (with the lighthouse) is one the must-visit lists on practically every online site you check while researching about Galle. Standing firm on its rich historical and archaelogical heritage, it's infact a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We headed there in the evening, braving the gale, with colourful umbrellas in tow. The view was absolutely amazing and the weather complemented it well! There were many local vendors selling local handicrafts and sculptures; and even the all-time favourite-roasted peanuts. Simple pleasures! The fort gave Pran and me enough opportunity to pose for photographs (clicked by our friend, Shilpa) and well, the outcome? One of our most liked (socially) snaps of all time :D 

The caption by the husband was fitting as well: "My favourite catch from the ocean;)" Haha! 

• The Cricket Stadium

Though small by international cricket ground standards, the rain-washed cricket ground, with the Galle Fort in the background, as the sun set, was to behold. Prantik was in a state of ecstasy almost! I'd seem like I was just playing with words, but according to statistics, Gayle holds the record for the highest runs scored at Galle - 333 (a triple Nelson - nothing unlucky about that eh!) Selfies and welfies later, we realised we crossed the stadium quite a few times on our daily visits to the happening area near Galle Fort :D

• The Villa

This should probably have been featured earlier, but my train of thought went on a completely different track altogether. I had chanced upon this villa online, and with its tastefully done interiors and umpteen number of good reviews, we had to jump in to book the Well House. With 3 differently sized bedrooms, with attached bathrooms; a lovely lounge area and a separate dinner area, overlooking the pool; complete with a green garden area - this private villa was welcoming indeed. The staff were very friendly and helpful. In reiteration, the food was marvellous and I remember discussions about not having enough Sri Lankan restaurants in Singapore - such a pity! The watchman uncle was kind and he'd top up our living area with mosquito coils (Yes, do carry mosquito repellant creams and patches! especially if you're traveling with kids!), even late at night while we were busy chilling over drinks and a competitive game of Taboo :D Special mention to the villa manager/whoever was responsible in arranging a baby cot and even 2 baby chairs at the dining table (blue and pink!). A tiny blotch on the whole villa experience would be the power cut one day, but the overall positive vibes more than made up for it. (Oh and yes, we headed to the spa instead of cribbing about the power cut :P)

• The Virgin White Tea estate

Though not initially on our must-go-to list, on the recommendation of the villa staff, we paid this white tea estate a visit. The emperors were believed to have drunk tea brewed from leaves hand-picked only by virgins - hence the name! Nestled uphill, a not-too-large estate, it's almost like a mini rainforest which grows tea, cinnamon, rubber, pepper and coconut. The entry is fee, and the guests are treated at the owner's bungalow to some fine tea and pastries, followed by a guided your of the plantation in its natural glory (touched by rain, it shone even more). We were shown around the tea factory as well, with machines almost 150 years old and running; the last stop was the Hundungoda Tea Museum, where one could sip different varieties of tea - right from Earl Grey to Lemongrass, Tulsi Herbal to Yogi Tea! Refreshed and excited, we picked up several different packets for ourselves and then headed back downtown. 

• The Turtle Hatchery

An environment conservation initiative where turtle eggs are incubated under the soil and when they hatch, the baby turtles swim around in little tanks, where they are fed and looked after. Unlike the natural course, where a vast majority do not survive in the rough ocean, this human interference helps to save endangered species of sea turtles, as they are only released into the ocean when they are big enough to fend for themselves and brave the challenge of the deep dark waters. Some days when the weather isn't stormy, visitors are even allowed to release turtles into their natural habitat. The hatchery even looks after turtles injured out in the nasty sea, some injured by human activities - such as motor boat propellors snapping brutally at one of their fins rendering them unable to swim across. After being rescued, vets nurse them to health at the hatchery and if found fit subsequently, are then released back into the sea. Such a beautiful venture to conserve precious fauna :) #SaveThe Babies

• The Local Craftwork

The streets and tourist attractions were abuzz with vendors selling local crafts and sculptures. Right from wooden carvings and painted handicrafts, the colours ran across the spectrum and were a visual delight. Though the lion is their national animal, the elephant features in a lot of their work. Carved wooden ones, to gem-studden antiques, there were elephants in natural and colourful avatars everywhere. Souvenir t-shirts and other clothing featuring elephants were all over the place too. I did pick up a few for our home as well as a special one - Ganesha idol - for the prayer corner :)

Coinciding with the Ganesha festival in India, I was quite excited in finding these intricately done stone idols. (Tip: Local vendors sell them at a glaringly low price as compared to the branded souvenir shops!)

(Mental note: To visit the Pinnawala Elephant orphanage when I head to Sri Lanka next!)

• The Airport

The first and last leg of the Sri Lankan expedition. The drive to and fro the Colombo airport, across well constructed expressways, along the countryside is definitely enjoyable. Sightings of bridges across rivers, large Buddha statues atop a hill, green paddy fields, backwaters and what not - some even reminding me of the Kerala countryside - beautiful indeed. The airport is not humongous yet it had a lot to offer. Right from multiple souvenir shops, spa products, and eateries including Burger King and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, where Prantik's loyalties lie :D 

We were undoubtedly blue that the holiday was nearing it's end but the airport, in it's own small ways, helped to end the trip on a happy note. 

And soon, we touched down at the all too familiar Changi airport, that witnessed the kids' "hugsie" yet again...

A week of exploring a new country.

A week of memorable times at the beach, fort and estates.

A week of delicious meals and fun conversations with friends.

T-2wks