Trek to the Tiger's Nest.

For someone confined to sedentary deskwork for eight hours a day, the idea of climbing more than 10000ft seemed daunting though not impossible! The Taktsang Monastery or the The Tiger's Nest was the first thing on my mind the day I made plans to visit Bhutan.On my fifth day in this picturesque mountain country at the very beginning of the trek I heard different opinions from different people,even the locals,but decided to see if for myself.Our driver seemed to have enough confidence and said I could make it and be back in 5 hours flat! He was right! At the onset as usual i say a little prayer. And then began the climb through the beautiful mud track in the forest dotted with pine trees and fiery rhododendrons setting the whole scenario on fire in the misty morning! Prayer flags provide easy directions as do the litter of mules which some people hire to climb up.The start is not so tough,bit tiring as one climbs up and up but its so scenic that one forgets one's fatigue as the view gets more and more panoramic with every feet you climb. Mountains,valleys,scores of unknown species of trees,flowers,the mist appearing and disappearing,and the black rugged cliff where my destination would end. Met people from many nationalities on the way,some on mule back and a few young ones trekking up like me.Once when I reached a point from where the monastery was visible fully I knew I just had to hurry up. But its exactly from there that the path gets tricky-narrow stone steps-slippery rock face-a quaint old foot bridge-and the gurgling sound of a waterfall falling nearly 200ft giving company to the only other sound-that of an unknown bird chirping.By the time I reached the foot of the monastery where the guard listening to Hindi movie songs keeps your cameras and luggage, I was drenched in sweat but my eyes and heart were yearning to sap up the beauty around me.All I could say was a little prayer of thanks to the Almighty for creating so much beauty for us and enabling me to see some part of it.The final entry to the monastery and even inside means negotiating flights of steps carved out of solid rock. Little llamas do so with enviable agility. I huffed and puffed.But again one look from the portico at the open Paro valley in front gives u the energy to climb the next flight of steps.The temples inside have to be seen to be believed how at this height one could build this! Inside one of them an old priest called me in and tied a sacred string round my wrist for long life.On his lap was a furry cat sleeping peacefully.The climb down was faster but much more taxing on the knees as it was a continuous downhill jog for me.Most climbers had plucked rhododendrons but I didnt want to pull out a flower. Suddenly on a hedge I saw a bright red one sitting as if placed there just for me.I carried it back with me-it will wilt but my memory of trekking to Taktsang never will fade as long as I live.

Getting younger

Received two messages- first one from my little cousin,sent to me at the exact time of my birth reminding me of the importance of that time to my family some years back. And the second about how our former President once defined birthday as the only day when ur mom smiles and You cry- how true both of these are.In less than 140 characters they conveyed a lot. On an equally hot day like today how tensed and worried my family must have been till my first cry brought smiles on their tired and sweat ridden faces.And till this day the same people still worry if anything is amiss and smile at the smallest news of happiness.Some among them are now no more,witnessing from the Heavens above maybe.But many more have been added-my friends-my dear friends from my student days till date who are so special to me. There maybe birthday reminders available of late but I know they have and would still remember me even if such tools were not handy.So when I see someone has sent me a message at the stroke of midnight or someone in another time zone woke up at an unearthly hour just to wish me or someone who sent surprise flowers to my office- I feel lucky to be born.I thank God for this life and pray that I can live it as I should,without wasting a moment of this glorious human birth.They say you cant chose your parents but you can choose your friends but I think God decides and keep both selected for you-thats why it feels blessed to have such lovely family and friends around you.Thank you Almighty, I couldnt have asked for more.

Chirp chirp

Thats what wakes me up every morning, its not a new alarm tone but a pair of birds doing their rounds in the trees and open spaces just outside my building. They have an amazing sense of punctuality, their natural clock never fails them. Dont know their species-the two of them-rusty brown to black in color-big statured-prefers to walk around more than fly-with their inimitable chirp. One could mistake the chirp as that of a dove's, but they are far louder. On weekends when I want to sleep late and the birdies set off their alarm i frown-but as my mom rightly says-am lucky to hear them "live"-lying in bed-instead of their tones being replicated in ringtones or alarm tones of mobile phones.

Happy Holi!

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Budget 2010

Year after year with bated breath we follow the annual budget and wait to see for which items the hole in the pocket will burn bigger! Its never the other way round. Next 7 days will be spent criticising the new taxes or some modifications to bank rates etc. Then wage your usual battle for survival for another 51 weeks again to realise how friendly/unfriendly the ruling government is to the "aam aadmi" in the country.