A few overflowing words from the brain

The 40 day trip to India (28th June to 8th Aug) was a truly memorable one. Some of the crisscrossed thoughts…

1) I could not imagine any water shortage in Mumbai. Monsoons are a must for this highly populated city. There seems to be some slackness in nature these days. No, it cannot be. It is because of man’s abuse towards nature’s wealth.

2) Mother says that I know nothing and that I don’t know how to handle myself. She is absolutely right. But am I not too old to learn at this age?

3) On the flip side, a couple of my friends think that I have an attitude problem arising out of intellectual puffiness. They too may be right. I have become more cautious of my conversational skills these days though I don’t find any intellectual acumen in me.

4) To keep a watch on my words and thoughts at least for a limited time in a week, I have decided to resume my silence on Thursdays till 1 p.m. Need to isolate myself from TV, computer, phone calls, reading, writing etc and avoid meeting people if possible during this period. But what will I do during this time?

5) Meet with my Uncle was one of the best things that had happened during this vacation. I become emotional when I think of my Shirdi trip. My Uncle has gifted me with the Satcharita (complete version) which has already become a part of my daily reading.

6) I realized that I am rebellious and submissive at wrong times. Am I hopeless to rectify?

7) When the middle aged female companion during my return train journey from Coimbatore to Mumbai told me that she took care of her paralytic mother-in-law for 15 years (as passing information and not with the intention of boasting of her service), I was awed. Greatness is more found in people of less education than the wizards. After all, no education can be greater than kindness and pure attitude of service. She had not crossed even 10th standard and got married at the age of 16 years.

8) Rajasthan tour was highly refreshing. Palaces and forts of Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur – they are true architectural marvels. Employees of these palaces were a sight to see as their uniforms were traditional costumes. Some of the points that I wish to share…

• The man who took us for an elephant ride at Amber Fort had a story to say that his son was brutally killed a few years back by some vandals. He was only of Atul’s age at that time it seems. And he is managing his two kids now as his wife too has died. He had refused all offers of remarriage considering his children’s welfare.
• When we got bored of the hep restaurants, we barged into the roadside dhabas and ate our food with flies around. The food was delicious though our palate longed for home food like idli, dosa, sambar, rasam etc. It is difficult to eat rotis and highly spiced sabjis for three times a day. I realized that I too have lots of preferences. 
• Pushkar lake seemed pure and holy. Couples of all nationalities can offer their prayers and sankalp for the deceased family members here. It was a sight to see foreigners chanting Sanskrit slokas diligently. But one has to be very cautious with these pandits as they have the knack of extracting money in the name of charity. The only Brahma temple of the world is in Pushkar and I was slightly disappointed with the hygiene over there. But the hotel where we were accommodated was absolutely fantastic.
• Udaipur’s man-made Fateh Sagar lake is built with the outline of India map, as was told by the guide. We took a boat ride, went to the Jawaharlal Nehru Park, took a few snaps with the local costume. Enjoyed from a distance the glitter of the aristocratic Jagdish temple and the luxurious Lake Palace, both situated in the waters. However, The City Palace is huge and the collections are massive. I could not stop marveling the lifestyle of the Rajput Kings & Queens.
• Mount Abu has nothing new to offer except quietude. It is famous because it is the only hill resort of Rajasthan.
• At Jodhpur, a passer-by was kind enough not only to give directions how to go to RTDC but also identified our car when we were roaming in the streets blindly while he was returning home and took us there personally. What a hospitality the people of Rajasthan had exhibited throughout consistently!
• Jodhpur Fort is something that I may not forget for a long time. It is raw, huge, real & tough bringing the battles in front of my eyes.
• It is sad that we could not cover Jaisalmer and Bikaner.
• My belief that Rajasthan is full of desert is shattered when I saw the breathtaking mountains and drizzling rains. A beautiful place with rich cultural heritage and major tourist attraction it is, the state has to improve a lot as one can see the difference between rich and poor clearly.

9) On our return to Delhi from Jaipur, I managed to pick-up the much sought after book ‘The Holy Science’ in a motel art gallery. It is a miracle according to me as I lost all hopes of getting the same this time also, before leaving for Bahrain.

Overall, my India trip was good, nourishing, enriching and educative.

Now all that requires is a transformation to become a refined, diplomatic self and a growing spiritual personality.