Nightmare Nights!

I have been stabbed multiple times with a sharp knife by an unknown assailant, I have hopelessly lost my way in strange and lonely places without any idea of where I was or how to return home, I have missed a step and have fallen into deep bottomless chasms, I have been trapped inside burning buildings without any route to escape, I have driven speeding cars whose brakes had given away, and I have had to face intruders who had broken into my house in the dead of the night, all alone… 

I experienced all this at different periods of my life, but the one common incident that followed it was that I used to wake up in cold sweat in the middle of the night, sometimes sobbing, and terrified to death and feeling scared even of my own breath. My heart beat rapidly causing all logic to fly out of the open window into the dark night.  I thought I might have let out a blood curdling scream, but on second thoughts, I guess, it was just a whimper of an incoherent sound that barely managed to get past my dry throat. 

The first few seconds upon waking up from a nightmare is really tough. Frightened out of my wits, I am strongly convinced that there is a dangerous monster of an intruder in my room, lurking behind the dark curtains or hiding below my cot, ready to pounce on me any minute. While a tiny part of my mind keeps nudging me to flick on the light switch and to have a drink of water, my limbs refuse to move, as though stuck by the ‘Petrificus Totalus’ curse straight from Harry Potter’s world. All I am able do at such times, is to hug my sweat drenched pillow tightly and huddle under the blanket with tightly shut eyes, till my runaway logic returns sheepishly, saying ‘all is well’…

Nightmares can certainly be horrifying!

Cycling across Continents - Hernani Cardoso, A man with a mission

Hernani Cardoso

"An adventurous life does not necessarily mean climbing mountains, swimming with sharks, or jumping off cliffs. It means risking yourself by leaving a little piece of you behind in all those you meet along the way." -Shawna Grapentin

Wonder if this is what Hernani Cardoso had in mind when he decided to embark on a solo bicycle ride from Portugal to China, and back.

I do not know Hernani Cardoso personally. It was a friend of mine who told me the story of this retired Portuguese soldier who was on a very different mission – that of returning a stolen bicycle to its owner. It could have been just another news except for the fact that the bicycle was stolen and subsequently retrieved from Portugal, while its owner, Eric Feng, lived in China. 

In this era where anything can be shipped to just about any place easily and within a short span of time, this 54 year old adventurer chose to cycle all the way from Portugal to China to return the property to its owner. But apart from that, he also had an additional agenda… that of visiting all the countries that are connected historically with his homeland, and to meet fellow countrymen who have settled in other places in the world.  That has made the journey rather long and filled with deviations, but looks like this amazing veteran is in no big hurry, and prefers to travel at his own pace, enjoying every single moment that life is unfolding before him.

I have come across people bitten by the travel bug, doing solo drives and bike rides spanning countries and continents.  But for a man to pedal halfway across the globe alone, braving all the hardships involved in such a journey, is no mean feat, and I salute his enthusiastic spirit and sense of adventure that has urged him to undertake this trip.

I firmly believe in the fact that it is the journey that matters and not the destination. Like most passionate travelers who embark on specific journeys, perhaps Cardoso too would have had this wild, innate desire to breathe in the air of distant lands, to live among strangers, to feel the thrill of being on the road, and to understand the world through a better perspective than what Google has to offer…

Good bye, Dr Kalam

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam is no more. His demise is certainly going to be a great loss to the entire nation, especially the millions of youth who looked up to him for inspiration. He has passed away, leaving behind a huge void… an empty space which is hard to fill.

I feel a deep sense of loss when realization hits that his smiling face and bright eyes will no longer be part of our world.  But more than that, I feel a deep sense of gratitude to this great man who not just dreamt of a developed India, but also instilled that dream into a great many young hearts.

Thank you, Dr. Kalam for having ignited the minds of millions of youth through your inspirational speeches to dream big and achieve the impossible. We live in an age where people, especially the younger generation gets easily disillusioned over failures of any sort, often giving up their dreams and resigning themselves to fate. But I am truly grateful to you for the fact that you tirelessly strove to ignite these young minds with a steady and powerful antidote of hope, stressing the necessity of dreaming big in life. Thank you for constantly stressing on the fact that we need to dream… dream with our eyes open. 

Thank you, Dr. Kalam, for helping us to understand that failure and success are very much part of life; but facing difficulties in life bravely is a sure shot definition to success. This is something that we all forget sometime or the other, when we face adversities in life. I am so grateful to you for having instilled the courage to single mindedly pursue our goals so as to succeed in our mission. 

Thank you, Dr Kalam for the constant motivation you gave our young minds, to think and act differently, to have the courage to tread the various paths that are left unexplored, to have a focused goal in life and  to conquer whatever problems that come their way so that ultimately they succeed in their mission. India needs more such people like you, who can really reach down to these young hearts and convince them that they have all that it takes to succeed, within them. 

Thank you, Dr Kalam for proving to the world that humility is a very endearing quality. What matters most in life is the necessity to have integrity, values, and principles in life which need to be adhered to. I am truly grateful for the strong example that you have set through your own life… the tireless journey filled with vision and passion, from Rameshwaram to the Rashtrapathi Bhavan and beyond…

Thank you, Dr. Kalam for having given us the courage to dream big,  to achieve whatever we set our minds on to, to commit ourselves to serving our nation with dedication, to be exemplary visionaries, leaders, teachers, parents, guides, and mentors, and most of all, to have faith in ourselves.

You will undoubtedly be missed, but your words will forever remain etched in our hearts. 

Goodbye, Dr Kalam. We love you very much.

Memories of another day - A village called Manjalur

There is something magical about happy, childhood memories. It remains etched in our hearts, and as one grows older, these memories grow stronger, evoking a special attachment for the people and places that were an integral part of our bygone days.  

 One such place which holds a special place in my heart is my ancestral village, Manjalur, a quaint and sleepy hamlet in Palakkad. A lot of my happy memories are built around this place and that certainly could be the reason for the special bond that I share with a lot of my cousins and other relatives who were an integral part of my childhood days at Manjalur.

Although our family house no longer exists, the strong bonding with my maternal homeland continues, and we try make a few trips in a year with the main intention of visiting the few temples that has been an integral part of our lives, as well stopping over to see a couple of relatives who live there.  Most of the traditional houses of the yesteryears have now been pulled down, or have given way to modern homes with concrete roofs. I guess we all need to keep pace with changing times.

Last week my sister and I along with our children, visited Manjalur. The early morning drive itself was certainly worth it and we were rewarded with the awesome sight of lush greenery and a fresh earthy fragrance that was the result of the previous night’s rainfall. The sense of peace and tranquility that I get over here is amazing. I guess our roots certainly matter…

Our first stop was the Cherathura Bhagavathy temple or the Cherorakkavu as we call it. The deity of this temple, Cheroramuthi,  is a powerful goddess who protects all the inhabitants of this land. Yearly festivals are held in Her honour and we make it a point to visit this temple whenever possible. It is not just the temple or the deity which attracts; it is also the bountiful scenic surroundings that contribute a lot to the remarkable peace that I find over here. The serenity that is to be found in the vicinity of this temple is seldom experienced anywhere else. For me, it is like a homecoming…

 

The Cherathura Bhagavathy Temple, Manjallur

The lush, green, surroundings of the temple.

This is the Mananchira… the pride of Manjalur. A lot of my happy memories are connected with this huge pond. Our house was situated adjacent to this pond and this was where I spent a lot of fun times with cousins. I learnt to swim in the Mananchira under the watchful eyes of my mother and aunts. As children, an elderly uncle of ours would entertain us with stories of how he bravely captured a huge crocodile from the pond, which used to terrify people. My young mind had believed every word of it… Some memories are forever imprinted in our minds and the sight of a long water snake gliding smoothly over its calm waters during a hot afternoon is something I still remember.

The Magnificent Mananchira , Manjalur

 

This is the Ayyappankaavu… the temple dedicated to Lord Aiyyappa. Situated on the banks of the Mananchira, this temple holds a special place in my heart. The lamp that was lit in the temple could be seen from our house and as children, it was mandatory that we visit the temple every single day. During dusk, the lighted stone lamps would reflect in the waters of the Mananchira… a sight which was very beautiful and soothing.  I also used to enjoy listening to the ‘Aiyyappan pattu’ or bhajans sung  in praise of Lord Aiyyappa, in the temple.

The Aiyyapa Temple, Manjalur

This is the small Ganapathy temple that is situated under the  huge Banyan tree, adjacent to the Aiyyapankavu. The visit to the Aiyyappa temple is incomplete without praying before Lord Ganapathy and lighting camphor and incense sticks here.

 

The Ganapathy Temple near the Aiyyappankavu, Manjalur

Childhood memories are indeed precious. As a child, the adult world was very fascinating for me and i just couldn't wait to grow up. But how i wish i could relive those carefree days of childhood, where the biggest issue i faced would probably have been not being allowed to go out and play with friends as i hadn't finished my homework...

I guess life goes on.. we grow up...meet various people... stray off to far off lands... perhaps never to return again. But no matter what, some special childhood memories can never ever fade. They become an integral part of our lives, bringing about a refreshing sweetness now and then. I only pray that i am able to pass on this legacy to my children.

I am so grateful for the life and times that I spent in this lovely land called Manjalur.