Sparkling Stars, Silvery Moon and Simplicity...

Sometimes, one word or a sentence takes you to a whole new world... Couple of days back, i came across the words "Night Breeze" on one of those social networking sites.. That instantly took me back to the little town where i was brought up.. Where we actually used to enjoy the Summer Nights and night breezes..

Lying down on the terrace in the silvery glow of the moon watching the stars.. identifying the constellations... feeling the light summer breeze and soft moonlight, quickly closing eyes and wishing for something when you see a shooting star.. isnt that something that all of us invariably enjoy doing? Only that now a days, we dont often get a chance to do that..

If you ask me, the Real charm of India lies in the little towns and the rustic villages. The places where life is not fast.. Where everybody knows everybody else.. where you are like big family.. You have a life of yourself.. and you are happy with that... No hurry to do something, no hurry to reach somewhere.. Where you dont have to close your nose at traffic signals.. and the only time you do that is when a herd of cattle passes you at dusk. Where you can inhale lungsfull of refreshing distinct scent after the first rain. Where there will be nobody to stop you or stare at you when you crazily get wet in the rain..
Where one can walk into the vineyards, enjoy the amazing sight of numerous bunches of grapes hanging down, Where you can quietly slip into some mango farm and steal some mangoes.. Thats the real fun!!!


Moreover, you can spend hours sitting beside the local reservoir or the water body watching the ripples in water, the variety of birds that land up there and the kids trying to make a stone jump on water several times before it goes down ...
You can watch the different shades of green in the fields being cultivated by farmers or you can watch farmers winnowing and separating grains from chaff..

The mud houses plastered with cow dung under huge banyan or peepal trees, little kids running around, veiled women filling water near the municipal tap, creaking bullock carts, old men reading regional newspaper or smoking under the trees.. Radio playing somewhere in distance.. Sheeps grazing leisurely in the evening.. this is so near to heart that you instantly fall in love with these things.. And can you tell me why? maybe because because it takes you to the world of an easy simple happy life..
But then, why do we run towards cities and fast life leaving behind this simplicity for extinction? Is that the definition of progress? I understand that the country needs to progress but do we really need to lose this simple life? And as usual, i will leave this question for you to think and tell me..
All the photos above except the first one have been taken in villages around bangalore.. Its a totally different feeling being at these places.. Its a different world in itself.. We are so near yet so far from this simplicity..

Valentines Day and Me..

[I wrote this on valentines day..]

If music be the food of love, play on.. - Shakespear

And the day is.. Valentines Day.. The day dedicated to the one you love.. Love spreads its fragrance all around.. Its not that Love was not there 15 yrs back when this day was unknown in India .. Its only thay the way we celebrate has changed.. and there is a day defined for it.. The day you want to spend with someone who has a special place in your life.. Its not only your beloved but anyone who is special to you.

And who is it that i wanna spend the day with?? Its someone who has always been with me... she has never left me alone no matter what.. She respects my feelings and she never says no to me..She trusts me to the core and comes with me whereever I call her... and whenever I call her..Thats one particular reason I trust her too.. Because she believes in me.. She has never betrayed me in times of need..

She is there with me when I am lonely.. she is there with me when I feel down.. She is right there when it comes to meeting my passion.. She has shown me places that make me feel happy.. places I never knew even existed.. I can never imagine my life without her..

She knows me and is at her best when she is with me.. I know when she is different.. When she is not well..and the best thing is..

I do not need the websites to tell me 21 reasons why I love her..

I do not need a WAP site to express my love by sending her a ringtone..

I dont need to boast about my love for her on a Radio..

I dont need to get Love Tips on my mobile by sending LOVE to 567678..

I feel all this is just a showoff and not genuine..

I like to take her into mother nature.. rather than to a Valentines Party Organised in some Pub.. and the best part.. I can be myself when with her and she likes the Genuine Me rather than Plastic me..

You wanna know who she is?? She is my Bike.. She Vrrooooms me places.. I have been with her for more time than anybody else(including Human Beings) in last 19 months.. She is right there waiting for me every morning.. She has been there to execute my Passion.. Passion...How can you define it... Is it something that drives you to do crazy things as some people term it? or is it the longing of that unique feeling that cant be described and you want to possess that feeling every moment in life? or something that makes you feel out of the world... Its all of it.. and my bike has been there with me all around..

I never like to do things alone... but when it comes to biking and going to meet nature... i dont mind.. yess..She makes me do things that i would not have done usually..Dont you think she has all the qualities of being My Valentine?? I am sure she has..

So i would modify shakespears Quote to suit Myself..

"If Travel be food of love, Ride On..."

Happy Valentines day my dear Bike!!!!