Humming the "HAPPY SUNSHINE"- Chennai

 I was in my 9th standard, and my father thought that i needed better education and better opportunity and as well my brother who is 4 years younger to me and thus he took his transfer to Chennai. All throughout my life i studied in CBSE board schools, and i wanted to continue in same, we were transfered a little late and by then admissions were almost ending and yes finally i got admissions one of the good CBSE school in Chennai.
All my 6 years we stayed in an flat five minutes away from the sea beach, it were those early days i use to visit the beach with my mom everyday. New school new place, new heat after a change in climate from monsoon to moist heat, i started finding good times in Chennai.
During the school days i made very few friends as i was new, and all were from Chennai. Our sections were divided according to our second language preferences, i took hindi, the others were Sanskrit and Tamil. During my school days, like within 3 or 4 months i started learning and understanding the language, tamil, now that adds upto, one, two, three, four and now five, by then i learnt 5 including tamil with bengali, hindi, assamese and gujrati. The school also took us to various school trips those were rejoice full and that helped me get to know about the people. During my school days i really didn't explore much of Chennai, i knew, the Besant Nagar beach or the Elliots beach, then the Spencers Plaza, the Satayam cinemas, the Marina Beach, T-Nagar and thats all I hardly went out with friends, we just went sometime to the beach and to see some movies, parents took me for shopping to the spencer's plaza. Chennai, is also famous for its music most of the families motivate their child to be realted to music always. During the durga puja festival, which use to be conducted by various bengali associations in Chennai, i use to perform during my school days for the functions held. The movie culture is also famous in chennai, everyone is crazy about movies, the stars and the stories, the music and the dance, movies revolve around people and everybody enjoys it.

But as i passed out my twelfth standard, i explored as much Chennai as it was never before, starting from shopping malls, to kovallam beach ahead in East Coast Road (ECR), to all the famous coffee joints, the Music the chennai plays, the dance they swing to, the places for shopping, the golden beach, the rocking drives on the ECR, the Beaches looked happy like never before, the bus rides, the flyover trains, the discos, the clubs and the pubs, the big restaurant joints etc. Everything about in Chennai, the art, the culture, the people, the lifestyle, the rituals, the temples, churches, beach etc i would share everything one by one say that its not a place we imagine to be but what we see is something which is real and loads of fun.


to be contd.....

Reached the White mountains- Arunachal Pradesh

It were the spring holidays, it was early march or mid, with wage remembrance i continue. During the holidays then, that my father prepared us for another trip to the new state Arunachal Pradesh, to visit a famous tourist spot Tawang, which is also known as the "Switzerland of India". We had a long journey to go, we hit the roads and two families took the car and headed towards the destination. We, drove till "Tezpur", and halted one day in an hotel. And from there our journey began, we hired a tata sumo, which drove us back and forth till tawang and back to tezpur. We started from tezpur up the hill down the hill cold, blue green mountains, terrace farming on the mountain, roads so curvy, adventures and eyes admiring the scenic beauty around. We reached, Peling a place which comes on the way to Tawang, in between Tezpur and Tawang, we reached in the late evening so halted there for the night, the hotel was surrounded by hills, and we lived in the valley. The dinner was warm and healthy, and after the tiring day we all wanted to sleep cozy in our rooms.
Morning, after the breakfast we got ready and back to the journey. In between, we Reached Sella Pass, it was snowing heavily and it was all covered with snow, we put as many warm clothes to keep our self cozy. We took many photographs as snowing became mild, it was a great fun experience as it was our first time we made snow man with the snow and made snow balls and threw on each other for fun. Then as we crossed the Sella pass and kept going higher, the snow started disappearing.
Then finally we reached, the town Tawang, it was evening and it was cold, we got a beautiful hotel, with beautiful rooms and the hotel arranged with orchids and mountain flower plants, they looked unreal and amazing. Next day we had to leave early morning there was no breakfast ready, so uncle who came along with us made maggi for all of us and we had warm maggi for breakfast and left to see the snow white mountains.
We drove high up hill, after few hours we reached the snow land. The first visit was the Madhuri lake, Named after the actress, as the Movie "Koyla" was shot there and Madhuri dixit acted in it and came for shoot there, since then its known as Madhuri lake. The lake was frozen, that one could walk on it, but if it cracked one would become frozen as ice when they fall into it. There were snow all around there was no inch of land left, everything was covered by snow, even the car was jammed in the snow filled road and couldn't go further. The military houses were also covered all with snow, the experience was pure, pure and white. The cold, the Chilled climate was awesome to enjoy, we played a lot in the snow, clicked loads of memories within too.

After the visit, to the snow filled land it was a ride to the oldest and most beautiful monastery named "ZIRO". Ziro, is famous for its cultural festival and it is the main attraction of tawang. The time we went was not the festive time, so we didn't get to see any cultural fest, but the monastery was worth visiting, beautiful paintings, sculptures, the lord Buddha and the pure positive vibes coming out from the place and its ambience's were worth capturing.

After all the visits the day ends, at the end of the day we did some few shopping from the market and my dad got an traditional instrument to keep it or treasure it as a token of remembrance from the place.Next day we had to leave back for tezpur, on the way this time we halted at Bomdila which was close to tawang, before that we visited the sela lake. Then after the halt next day again we hit the roads and we reached tezpur. After a long journey as we reached tezpur we stayed in the same hotel where we left our cars, that day night after dinner we kids were all in one room watching tv, and parents were walking and talking, and suddenly we shook the bed shifted the windows made noise and we got scared, and we came down and we came to know it was a earthquake, it was a vigorous earthquake, it shook everything but didn't damage much things. Earthquakes are very common in the north easts, so most of them didn't panic and knew what was it, and that was a comparatively mild one. And next day we drove and reached home.
Assam and northeast was a nice adventures and fun experience and would love to rejoice them with my own family once again.

My trips- Assam

KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK:
I was in my 8th standard, we had a three day holiday, my father and few of his friends planned to take us on a trip to kaziranga national park. We all were very excited, four families, we hit the roads from sibsagar and drove along the highway. The drive was amazing, we saw the blue mountain ranges, green paddy field along the road, and a little cloudy sky. The lush green, the blue mountains, the food at the restaurant along the highway, after crossing all this we reached a place, in the midway, where there is river flowing on rocky mountains and shallow stream, with people enjoying and getting wet in the river water, we halted there for an hour. We also explored a little up hill, a rubber plantation farm and the their we clicked pictures and the local people also told how do they use it and for what and the process of plantation. Then along the way we finally reached our destination, Kaziranga, there we reserved our rooms in the resort, the WILDGRASS. It is in the interior of a forest not so dense but adventurous. The look and the beauty of the hotel is admirable, tree houses and rooms so cozy with fireplace makes it more exciting.
The next day morning about 5'o'clock we got ready and ready to visit the national park.
As we reached there we had a elephant ride till a point, from where we can see many rhino's drinking and taking bath in the water at a far of place to the point in the national park. Later in the park we took a safari, to go more deep inside the park, we saw many deers, various kind of birds near a small lake, we saw few rhino's almost close to our safaris and also wild elephants crossing across our way  when we were going back to the entrance, it was about evening we finished the safari. 
Later in the evening when we went back to the hotel and the hotel staff and members had arranged a bonfire for us and a folk dance by the tribe from a near by village. And as the dinner was over the adventurous trip was a great trip for us and it was over, everything the elephant ride, the safari, the stream on the way, the rhino's, the folk dance, the hotel and the drive on the highway was a thrilling experience.

MAJULI ISLAND:
Majuli is the largest river island in the world and also the second largest freshwater island in south Asia. The island is on the bhramaputra river, it is formed by the river itself. It is accessible by ferries from the town of jorhat. One Saturday, seven family decided to go for a picnic to the Majuli island. We reached the Island at around 10:30 am or so and then got a huge boat for all the family in the same boat. We plyed games, sang songs had some snack on our way to majuli, it even rained for a little while to give is the adventurous ride in the ferry.
As, we reached majuli we saw a lot more than just an island. the dwellers of majuli are mostly tribal folks. The tribals are Mishing tribal from Arunachal Pradesh they immigrated centuries ago. The language they speak is Assamese, Mishing, deori. Majuli has been the cultural capital and cradle of Assamese civilization for more than five hundred years. The Satras set up preserve antiques like weapons, jewellery's, utensils, and other items of cultural significance. There is lot more to invade in the island, 

• The Vaishnava Satras founded by Sankardeva
• The colourful culture of the tribes
• Migratory birds
• The Ali-ai-ligang festival 
• Pottery making
• Mask making
• Paal Namm festival 
• The sunset
• Exotic homespun masks crafts

The Beauty in Tradition - Assam

 "I heard that its a very dangerous place", "There are ULFA troops there, Life is in danger all the time.", "many terrorist attack might take place", with all terrified and horrified faces my friends and relatives told me about how is Assam as a state, most of them didn't even visit. But obviously it was nothing like it, in Assam truly it was the best experience. The people so warm and welcoming, respectful, and the word, fun loving and they enjoy their life to the core. Their life is related to lots of hard work, but still at the end of the day, hard work pays and they enjoy their life to the fullest. They have loads of culture and traditionalism in their life and that didn't bound them from growing with the reality. Festival like Bihu, textile like Assam silk, the respectful Gamosa, tea and rubber plantation and many more to see from Assam.


Assam textile:
As, we lived in colony, and we were in Assam the houses were all Assam type, like with slanting roof tops to prevent rain to clog on the roof top. So, we had a Assamese family living next to our house, the lady of the family after finishing her household work and after lunch, we use to find her making sarees or doing some embroidery. They had a huge machine for making sarees, and most of the Assamese families had this machine, some for their living and others just because they enjoy doing the work.
There is a wide variety of clothing and textile involved in Assamese culture.
Cotton, dhoti, endi, eri, gamosa, jaapi, khadi, mekhla chador, muga silk, pat silk, riha,  suriya, tongali, uroni and these are the various type of varied textile from assam.
Assam silk denotes the three major types of indigenous wild silks produced in Assam—golden Muga, white Pat and warm Eri silk. The Assam silk industry, now centered in Sualkuchi, is a labor intensive industry.Muga silk is the product of the silkworm Antheraea assamensis endemic to Assam.
And the Admiration of the textile or the product that comes out so elegant and beautiful is awesome.

 

Bihu:

Oh! No one in Assam, or who has stayed in Assam would miss this festive of the year. Bihu denotes three different cultural festival  in Assam. Though they owe origins to their ancient rites and practices, they have taken definite urban features and has become popular festival in the urban recently. Bihu festival has most of it, with Bihu dance from and Bihu folk songs. They are the most important festival for the Assamese, it is celebrated with fun and abundance by all the Assamese people irrespective of caste, creed, religion , faith and belief. There are three types of Bihu, Rongali bihu, Kongali bihu and Bhogali Bihu, it is celebrated through the year thrice.The most colourful of all is the rogali bihu, as by name, it is celebrated during the springs, the baishak mag(month). Rich dance form and Bihu folk is amazing to watch, they are entertaining and traditional it is really mesmerizing, all the women and men dressed up in there traditional silk with the Gamocha, the men play and dance with various kind of instruments, and the women dance so gracefully and everyone rejoice the moment.

With all these, Assam has rich culture but they also respected other cultures and rejoiced themselves with us during our cultural festivals. As we celebrated our cultural events they shared and participated with us, every week in the colony club we use to clebrate some event or occasion or have a get together where all the families will come and rejoice their  time. It was all fun time all together, and it use to go on till midnight and on till everyone get exhausted and feel sleepy.

Monsoons of Assam were awesome, Assam is a very cold place and during the monsoon it becomes more cooler. Monsoon's in Assam were very attractive it is the perfect place, to sit in veranda on a chair with a cup of tea in hand, watching the rain so pleasant, in an Assam type houses and just enjoy the beauty of rain, and listen to the sound, the music it plays, lost in the thoughts of good time.

To be Contd....

Colourful Heat- of Gujarat

I was born in kolkata and i am a bengali, but i was destined to be an Indian. My father works in an oil company, and thus his first posting was in Ankleshwar, Gujarat. Ankleshwar is an industrial town of Gujarat I lived my eleven years in this land, after i was born. The land where the great leader, the freedom fighter who fought for Indians and their independence through non violence, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born. The story is not about him but the birth place where he was born. Gujarat, land of heat, dry in summer and as cold as it can be in its winter. The journey is of those colourful festivity, Delicious delicacies, language that speaks so much with joy, its all about not only Gujarat but also the diverse people, religion and culture the state lives in and share their culture with each other. 

                                                                               
Gujarat, its early morning at about 6 o'clock when the sky starts becoming clearer, as being in the west the early mornings were not so early. We use to stay in a colony, almost families from every part from India, from every religion use to live there and share each others culture. Like, we use to celebrate the Ganesh Chaturthi festival from Maharashtra in the same way for one week with the same passion as it can be in the state, similarly, durga puja celebrated by the bengali's from West Bengal, then pongal from south, then Eid etc. And every bit was enjoyed together, the people there are very fun loving and love to enjoy every festival or cultural program. But, Gujarat itself is a colourful state with many festivals and variety of cusine to share with us.

                                                         
The Kite Festival:
The kite festival, it is celebrated during the time of Uttarrayan and Makar Sankrati in Gujarat, this part of the year is when the winter falls and spring begins, the days became longer, skies became clearer and the cool wind blew. This is the joyous time to celebrate with friends and family, thanks giving and merry time for everyone. So, the kite festival starts with splendid joyful time with friends and family, colourful sky with huge varied shaped  kites it was fun and colourful time together. There are also many competitions during the kite flying festival, for who has the largest kite and who's flies the highest etc. Still there are no barriers, everybody from every culture, every religion use to come to the ground and enjoy the kite flying.

                                                            
The Garba and Dandiya Rass:
As i grew, my feet started tapping, there was this  Bharatnatayam classes i use to go for, there i learnt for 5 years. But when it comes to dance, Gujarati dance form is the most fun and more entertaining dance form to be learnt. During the time of Dusshera or navratri, when Hindu's worship the goddess, "Ambe"  or "Durga" in the north, keep fasting, worship etc, In Gujarat they play or dance the "Garba" and "Dandiya" every night for nine days of pooja. In a traditional way, everything so colourful, the "Ghagra choli" with traditional jewellery's and everyone for one time forget everything and just dance way their sorrows and enjoy the time, rejoice the moments and dedicate themselves to the goddess.  

                                                              
Food from Gujarat:
It was during my school days, when i use to have a best friend, and she was Gujarati, every time during the lunch hour we use to sit together like 5 of us and share each other's lunch. Every-time she use to bring this different kind of vegetarian food which was yum, sweet and Delicious. It is the Gujarati Cuisine, its purely vegetarian and tasty, they have varied kind of delicacies, Chakli, daal parantha, masala puri, dal dhokli, gujrati kadhi, khaman, khandvi, kakdi nu raita, srikhand, trevti daal etca and it goes on. All so tasty and mouth watering gives the taste of Gujarat.
As, we know Gujarat is a milk producing state, Anand the milk producing place, we can find variety of Dairy products in the state, largest number of ice cream is produced in the state. I have visited anand once, and it was a great experience. We went to a factory to explore how the milk is processed into its products. And we also tasted the yumiest milk with different kinds of flavor in it. It made our experience worth.


So, Gujarat as a whole is a resourceful land. Rich in culture, rich and colourful in expressing the culture and diversity comes when it enjoys its self and shares the enjoyment with everyone.