I guess destiny had instored  something else for me, and so were the situations that i happened to land up in my current company where i happened to meet Adi… Adi was not exactly the kinda guy i would ever like.. we worked in different departments, so there was hardly any interaction, that too only formal!!! but they say na”jab milna hota hai to khuda milwa hi deta hai”, God gave us chances to be together and we started working on 2 interdepartmental projects and thus started spending time together…

From aquaintance to being freinds, and being friends to falling in love… i still fail to understand how this journey has happened, when and how i fell for him…but i did!!!

What i have discovered in few years is that Love is a very sweet feeling, where in u live that persons dream, u r happy if the person is happy, u r sad if the person is sad…there are no expectations, its only giving…

As a teen ager, i used to think, that love is seeing dreams together , working towards fulfilling them, holding hands,walking on sands etc.. but over the years i have understood that its not so superficial…its much deeper feeling…Love is accepting the person, the way they are, Love is loving that persons negativities, love is to develop that person, Love is sharing all sad and happy moments together..Love is sharing succes as well as failures, more importantly coming over the failures…Love is spending some quiet moments together..Love is still love even if other person does’nt love u..love is still love even if u be together for some time and walk seperate ways for fulfilling ur loved one’s wishes.. but even after parting, u carry some part of that person with u for rest of ur life as memories…

The entry was daunting with only our cars (tour group) running on the road and seeing army men guarding along the road. It was curfew . J O fish, I dint want to start my so called romantic trip to start with a fearful adventure.. but it did J  . All I was hoping was of having wonderful memories with my husband for our lifetime…

It was bright sunny afternoon when we reached, but like god sent out a message to nature to make it a place for what it is most famous, ‘Romance’, it did, it rained and the temperature fell down so much that we literally had to go shopping the same evening to buy some woolen wear. After the brief downpour, the climate seemed just perfect for a short walk, hand in hand, singing songs together and we did exactly that. It was better off since Shailesh is a good singer..

Next day we had a visit to Char Chinar which is located in middle of Dal lake. While going Shailesh wanted to try his hand at rowing the ‘Shikara’ and he did. While we were returning back from the place, it became windy…it was so scary that for a moment we felt that the Shikara would turn up side down. The Shaikara man called for Shailesh’s help and o man it was tiring 2.5 hrs ride before we could reach our houseboat. J god had taken Shailesh’s wish too seriously J finally he got tired of it J but it was an amazing experience.. as in for me.. I was sitting coolly motivating Shailesh J

As the days passed, we kept exploring the places. This was my 3^rd visit to Kashmir, but it still felt great to be at the place, may be because of the company J we realized with each day passing by that this was more off an adventure tour for us than a romantic tour…but the bigger adventure was still to come. There is a beautiful location called GULMARG. We were scheduled to visit gulmarg that day and due to some local issue all the tourist buses were brought to a halt. I knew the place so I wanted Shailesh to see it, moreover I wanted to visit the place with him, how? we dint know L. After a long wait of 1 hr, we went to a local bus stand where a group of army men were sitting to find out exactly what was happening and found that the buses had started running. We rushed back to the hotel with merry and got rest of the couples from our group and finally started for Gulmarg. To our good luck we experienced snowfall there. I was experiencing snowfall for the 1^st time in my life, so it felt marvelous. I still remember those pictures in my mind as it happened yesterday J Shailesh too loved the place. To add to the satisfaction level that we had finally made it there, all other couples thanked us for getting the information and moving out and not missing on to the place ..

I also experienced my first white water rafting ride in pahalgam. This was also an adventure for me, since I am dead scared of water and I would’nt have tried it if Shailesh had not insisted on it. But it was great fun,,, I was a source of entertainment for rest couples on our boat, which I did not mind coz in any case I could not hide my fear from any one present there. In 1 moment as the water splashed, I got a feeling that I am sinking and another moment we used to be out.. WOW!!! Was my reaction after the ride, bcoz the ride was over & it was great fun.. but offer me 2^nd ride and my reaction would be same ….. NOPE!!! We were fortunate that our boat did not turn upside down, other wise I am sure I would have been struck with an attack J the boat which was riding with us turned down 3iceJ and finally our frds and tour mates came walking through the ice cold water freezing their feet to death…. Too adventurous for honeymoorners isnt’it!!!

 With our tour coming to end, and with all the beautiful adventurous memories we left Kashmir for Katra. While traveling back to Delhi from Katra, we decide to take a train. We met an army captain on train captain – Afridi. He was posted in Kashmir for almost an year and was on his way back home for a vacation. He was tall fair, well built & well mannered guy, exactly of how I had imagine a match for my younger sis J. that was my 1^st trigger in getting to chat with him J He asked us of our observations about Kashmiris and then shared his experiences. To my surprise the innocence that they showed to us- tourists did not exist in most of the Kashmiris, ofcourse every human is different but still…he told us about the VALLEY – “WADI” as they say in Kashmir, which is a mystery to people like us…and I felt it is best to be it that ways…I decided to keep only beautiful Kashmir in my memories with its innocent people ofcourse…. J and I must say this was a very spl holiday.. not becos it was our honeymoon.. but becoz it gave us an early chance to enjoy adventure and get to know few things about each other which a cozy vacation would not let us realize.

We just shifted to a new house, and the society has maximun Gujrati & Marwari families. But still Ganesh Utsav was a big event in this society.

I felt good about the ‘unity’ factor, but still i felt the actual motto of Ganesh Utsav missing, it has become more off just an entertainment factor for all. huge speakers, loud music playing the latest dance nos.. that is how we took our ganapati for visarjan We played all Punjabi, english, Gujrati, hindi dance nos. but not even a single marathi song was played, even a dance no.forget about devotional songs.. in my childhood, we used to have Dhol & Tasha playing and all the way we used to be calling out ganpati’s name & sing out ganpati songs.That was a different fun altogether.. now we call out bappa’s name only when we do the final visarjan..   Times change so its ok

In last 10 days, i hardly heard any of the Mandal’s playing “devotional songs” , heard it only in the mandir, and the moment i heard it, i felt so relaxed and fresh.. amazing, it gave a feeling of fidelity!!!

Experiencing all this, a question crossed my mind, that is this what we are giving to generation next, will they ever understand the real meaning of Ganesh Utsav, and will the objective set by Bal Gangadhar Tilak behind Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav ever be realized? I felt guilty, that i dont even know Ganpati aarti completely, how can i expect the youngsters to understand the spiritual part .. but some where we need to start..

I have always heard from non maharshtrians, that Marathi people are very adaptable and adustible, other cultures sink very fast into them.. it’s a great compliment for us. But i feel are we letting go our core Maharatrian values this ways?  isn’t it our duty to bring up our culture also dominantly and not let go the actual meaning of a big thing like Ganesh Utsav..

For this we need to start building up our own values strongly.. understand the spirituality and try not lose on the facts for which this had been started by our forefathers.

I dont have anything against the entertainment part of it.. but we should have some spirituality also along with entertainment.. what say guys?

Ganapati Bappa bless us for it!!!

Kashmir is city of beautiful flowers, bright colours, amazing snow caped mountains, mountains full of Chinar , pine trees etc..i have no words to explain its beauty truly!!! even the rocky barren mountains look so beatiful there… but along with the scenic beauty, i met some beautiful people in Kashmir

The first time i happened to interact with a Kashmiri person was the shikara rider… he took us for a long ride on Dal lake for nearly 2 hrs…2 hrs he was riding this shikara all alone…what hard work & what he got is mere Rs.350/- which was a huge amount for him. he told us lot about Kahmiri culture & tradition, their means of earning & terrorism too…he said there was no terrorism in Kashmir in actual..actually they were not sure who did the attacks..According to him, Kashmiri's are not sure whom to blame, terrorists, army or government… the huge blame goes on government though for not doing anything about the situation in past 2 decades… generations  have been suffering now..but still nobody interferes…thats a real sad picture…i asked him what do Kashmiris want in actual. he said 'Aman'. he said we want peace…Actually they have been living with insecurity for years now.. and are really tired of it now…may be they have taught their next generation to be carefree whatever, this shikara ride was one of the most amazing rides i had ever had in my life

One of the other amazing rides was horse riding with BADAL(on badal rather):) He must be most adventurous horse i guess… i had to ride on him in Pehelgam, when we went to see Mini Swizerland!! he used to always take different paths then what other horses were taking… i was initially scared badly…but later on i started enjoying it on way i asked my horse rider(Saba, young boy arround 17 yrs of age) if he had ever seen a terrorist & if he was scared of them…He said his generations had never seen terrorist shooting or troubling people… he had seen only their dead bodies..god only new if they were Terrorists in actual… about fear, he said"1 barr to marna hi hai,roz roz kahan marenge didi", that really made me sad…but was surprised by the attitude these people had built up..they enjoy their life in watever they have…they never think of future.. carefree life…actually they have become immune to hostilities…

These experiences, these people were really making my trip worthwhile but my best experience was yet to come…. The place was Aru… again we took horses to roam arround & see the beautiful valley's arround…we were having nice time arround…and i was laughing like mads on Archit's innocent jokes.. and suddenly, out of bloom his horse kicked me…so badly that i dontremeber what happened after that for few seconds.. there was a complete blackout, when i opened my eyes, i saw a guy(mom's ghodewala) had got water for me in his palm….that was so sweet of him…i did drink that water without a second thought…then i told him to take me to the water.. i was surprised, it was lil far..and he had got it pretty soon.. was confused that i had not realised the time that had passed or he had been that quick..guess he had been quick  neways what mattered was his generosity, his innocence…this ride had surely been real adventourous one :) but the most important part of this ride was this guy…. in that pain i dint realise, i dint even thank him, he did not ask for more money for helping me..like it was expected…neither asked for anything..he just told mom to take my care,and check if i had a fracture..:) he is 1 person whom i will never forget in my life… his kindness was something that touched my heart….that time i missed to thank him…but today, i pray to God to fulfill all his wishes…. my deepest best wishes are with him… may the Goodness in him always prevail.. may he laways be so helpful and so kind….And may he always be Happy… i dont even know his name but i am thankful to him!!! i wish i get 1 chance to meet him again in my life….if i can do any thing for him, that will be my good fortune.. if not.. i will atleast say"Thanks" to him!!! even today after so many days, whenever i see my wound i think of him and wonder over his kindness

After all these experiences, how could i not fall in love with the place i did… and while leaving i decided to come back to Kasmir once again . 

Basically tourism is the only source of living for many people there… i would say for the sake of social responsibility all of us who can afford should see this place.. it's truely a 'Paradise on Earth'

With Luv,

Anu.

my confusion had always been about that special Love u feel for someone…may be because i have never loved someone that way…i have always thought that Love happens only once!! but as i hear people’s experiences arround me, i am rethinking, whether love actually happens only once?

What i have discovered in few years is that Love is a very sweet feeling, where in u live that persons dream, u r happy if the person is happy, u r sad if the person is sad…there are no expectations, its only giving…

As a teen ager, i used to think, that love is seeing dreams together , working towards fulfilling them, holding hands,walking on sands etc.. but over the years i have understood that its not so superficial…its much deeper feeling…Love is accepting the person, the way they are, Love is loving that persons negativities, love is to develop that person, Love is sharing all sad and happy moments together..Love is sharing succes as well as failures, more importantly coming over the failures…Love is spending some quiet moments together..Love is still love even if other person does’nt love u..love is still love even if u be together for some time and walk seperate ways for fulfilling ur loved one’s wishes.. but even after parting, u carry some part of that person with u for rest of ur life as memories…

I have few freinds who have been in love quiet a few times…some who have been in love with 2 people at the same time(after both had left )…i used to wonder how can this happen..but again, its an emotion, u have for that person…i still feel u can never love 2 people equally or in the same manner, there is a difference…the reasons for loving a person are different and as no two people are similar, the reasons for loving them cannot be similar …Anyways, i feel these people are lucky to have felt such emotions for more than once or for more than 1 person…

It feels so good when u think that there is 1 person in this world who loves you, for the kind of person u r..and no matter what happens, he/she will always love you…what he/she wants is just your happiness nothing else!!

I am not sure if there exists someone who loves me so much, but if there is, i am thankful to him….

Love,

Anu. 

But a thought of those people came to me today who have been in my life for few days/months/ years, but who have thought me essence of life, the core things…

One of them is Ms. Shanti, my first standard teacher, most loving teacher that i had till date i still remember her..she had long choti, tall, dark, but very beautiful..she thought me how to read the clock…i guess she meant to make me understand value of TIME in her own little way..though even today i have not mastered the skill of using time rightly But will surely need to do it someday…

Other teacher was Mrs. Kongo, she thought us Accounts in MBA 2nd Sem. Her classes was gr8 fun..she was a teacher, a freind, elder sis, everything to us well i m most thankful to her for her preaching of “Live every moment fully!!!”.Every day she used to tell us this one line that time, some times i used to feel bored, that why she has to tell the same thing everyday..but Mam today i realize the importance of it…Had she not banged this statement everyday on us, it would not have been possible for me to inculcate the attitude in my life… I m really glad she did it everyday it has changed the way i look at life since then…Small things, experiences that she used to tell us then, are real life experiences now.. but m happy that she thought us how we can look at things differently…It’s her who thought us many more things than accounts.. Though i m still weak in accounts, i have no regrets, coz whot i learnt there was to have a positive attitude which is most important.

I am not sure, if i will ever get a chance to tell this to both these “teachers” ..but i am really thankful to them for whatever they thought me…Thanks a lot for enlighting my life!!! will always love u…

Anu.