New Life Amidst Lockdown

When a bulbul pair visits your backyard frequently, converse with each other incessantly, you get the feeling that you are about to witness something exciting. The fact that this was happening during a time when I apparently had a lot of free time to sit and take note of my surroundings was serendipitous. I decided to keep my camera handy. Although I try to take an observant position consciously, the animal rehabilitator in me compels me to intervene; especially when I saw that they had very carefully chosen the thin intersection of the clothesline and the overhead rod to start building their nest. They started bringing thin twigs, intertwining them with coconut fiber, sticking pieces of dried leaves to plug holes, their speed of construction and their single-mindedness was impressive and stood in stark contrast with the construction process of humans, that take ages to complete, and in this case, during the lockdown, was at a standstill. To see a natural dwelling getting erected was a welcome change to the constant sights of concrete and debris that my weary eyes had got accustomed to. However, I was still unsettled about the precarious location of the nest. It was high enough to keep the cats hungry yet perched on unstable ground (or wire in this case) increasing the risk of toppling.

At the end of the week, the female was spending long hours at the nest, flying out only briefly for feeding herself. The excitement of seeing the chicks coupled with the anxiety of the safety of the eggs was starting to become unbearable. The constant threat of predators, the onslaught of elements reminded me how vulnerable their lives are in comparison to the cushioned, cozy and yet insecure lives we choose to lead. The mother gave it her all. She took calculated risks, she exposed herself to dangers, to follow nothing but her instinct. She might have done this several times, some successful, some not so successful, or this might have been her first attempt, there was no way I could know. She would crouch, spread her wings across the tiny nest when someone would accidentally walk a little closer, I could imagine her say “mine!”. It took a good five to six days for the eggs to hatch. I counted two chicks. It was a new phase, she has passed one important hurdle. But this opened up a whole new set of activities, the associated risks and excitement of bringing up new life and continuing the cycle. Finally, something to cheer about for us in the midst of hearing grim news of virus, which somehow seemed to be the ominous topic.

Soon, to my horror, I realized, that we were not the only ones excited about the chicks. The cats started spending more time around our backyard, sometimes positioning themselves right below the nest, looking up lustfully towards their tasty snack. Before I knew, I had signed up as the security guard, sharing responsibility for successfully bringing up the chicks. A job that, I realized, raised my levels of anxiety, perhaps, sometimes even more than that of the bulbul parents. I had to now shoulder the blame, if something went wrong, which also meant that my new-found hostility towards cats started looking rather amusing to my family members and neighbors. The bulbul pair would fly in frequently, every few minutes to feed the eternally hungry chicks. I could sneak a quick peek at their large beaks, pink, opened wide for the mother to push regurgitated food down their throats. They would stay low the rest of the time. The mother would not directly fly in towards the nest, she would always perch on a nearby bush, call out to the chicks, survey the area for any dangers, then in a quick movement, before I realized what happened, she would feed them and be off, leaving greedy pink beaks wide open, begging for more food. This made my task of capturing this on lens more difficult. If I stayed around waiting for her to come back, she would hesitate and not come to the nest, so I had to camouflage my presence.

One day, I woke up to the shock of finding the nest tilted and resting on its edge at a precarious sixty degree angle, the insides of it, almost completely exposed. As I was figuring out how to create a cushioned landing in case they do fall off, a new fear dawned on me; what if they had already fallen off? I panicked. But there was nothing to do but wait till the mother got back. After what felt like an hour, she returned and fed the chicks, or, was it “chick”? Did I see one or two heads? Were they both safe? Or had we already lost one? The priority, however, was to save whatever was left. The question remained, as to how to go about this without intruding? There would always be the fear of abandoning the nest if the mother found it was handled by someone. After thinking for several minutes, the best solution under the given circumstances was found, of pulling the wire taut, so that the nest tilts back. This seemed like the easiest and least intrusive of ways, without the bulbuls even knowing what happened. And it worked beautifully. The nest was back to its original position securing the safety of the chicks for another day. I was taking this one day at a time, knowing fully of the dangers, their uncertain lives in their most vulnerable days.

There could not be a happier time than knowing that the chicks had started to explore what was outside, eager to leave the confines of their nest. However, with this also came the realization that they would soon fly away, and with it, we would be pushed back into the drudgery of our routines, which unfortunately did not change at the same pace. The regurgitated food was no longer needed, the chicks were ready for some live insects, the mother would hunt at an amazing frequency. That day, I sensed that they might soon be off, it was just a matter of hours. So I quickly got out my camera to record their progress. One of the chicks, I observed, was more active and restless. It would also be the one which got fed more frequently, as the mother would just feed the quickest. After sometime, my backyard got busy with a lot of action. One of the chicks decided that it was about time and jumped out of the nest, it landed softly, like a parachute, on a carpet. The parents were excited, trying their best to protect the chicks and encourage them to fly out in the direction they had decided, which was into the wild area of bushes and undergrowth just outside our immediate backyard. The other chick, took the cue and jumped out too, landing perfectly perched on a pile of twigs. Both were looking like fur-balls, weightless, bobbing and jumping around, raising my blood pressure every second. I struggled to keep the cats away, one of them sneaking in to join this party. The parents did not like my presence either, as I failed to explain my intention to them.

Then, magically, flying in short bursts, to a foot or two high at best, the chicks found a pathway, perching on lower rungs of bushes, fallen twigs, the rusted iron bar of the old gate, anything that would help them move in the direction their parents were taking them. They were no doubt excited to explore a new world, a world that was filled with wilderness, intrigue, perils and learning. The lessons would start right away, there was no time to waste. It was not something that could be taught in a school, in a simulated and controlled environment. It all had to be learnt on the go, as it was happening. I followed their trajectory for a few minutes; it became the cause of my anxiety to know that they were now out of their safety zone and have multiplied their dangers, of cats, predatory birds and what not. They were now easy prey. But the process of their teaching and learning was nothing short of awe. The mother would fly a short distance, expect the chick to mimic its action. The chick would try and sometimes succeed, most times fail to reach the destination, falling just short of it, landing on the ground, having to attempt all this from the start. The father would flap his wings in an attempt to motivate the chicks to fly, showing how it was done, but the chick would sometimes just sit still, indicating it was tired, it had enough for the day, wanted to rest. Sometimes it would open its beak wide and ask to be fed, the mother would fly away and fetch a quick snack of grasshopper or a large ant, leaving the chicks unguarded for a brief few seconds.

One fine morning, after two days of no activity around the house, when I had finally resigned to the fact that I have to get used to not seeing them around, I saw them on the high branches of the bamboo tree just outside my first floor window. The two chicks like fur-balls perched close to each other. I was overjoyed. They had made great progress of not just staying alive and out of danger but learning to fly higher with each passing day. I immediately got out my camera, thrilled with the opportunity of shooting them at such close range. The mother fed them large insects, which they greedily devoured in one gulp. They had grown in size and sprouted a tiny tail and a tuft, which started to make them look like bulbuls. A faint red vent had started to make its appearance as well. Sighting them at such height, infused me with confidence that they could make it, after all.

Just when I had started to think that it was the end of the bulbul chicks, the lockdown got extended, giving me the luxury of time to indulge in further observations. One morning when I stepped out into my backyard, without the caution exercised so far, that came with the knowledge that the chicks had flown from that place, I was surprised to notice that the bulbuls were trying to drive me away, flying overhead, close to me.
It then occurred to me that the chicks might be nearby. To my utter surprise, I found them both perched just next to their nest. Never had I expected that they would circle the house one full round to end up at their birthplace after about a week, to coolly sit next to their nest, inspecting the nest in curiosity while waiting for their food. They stayed there almost the whole day and just when I was beginning to get used to their presence again, just when the attachments had started to regrow, they flew away into wilderness. Whether they came there to look for something or just as a matter of habit, I am not sure. Even if I had a doubt that they had left their nest too early, they had jumped off it ahead of time, there was no way for them to climb back without having to spend a few days away, practicing the flying, increasing the ascent each day, to one day feel ready enough to attempt the flight to their birthplace. They could have never done it on the first day. But they did not stay around, it was time to explore further, for new lessons, maybe to start learning to feed themselves.

The chicks made good use of the time to learn life lessons, to fly, to hunt, to continue the circle of life, while I sat around, complaining about what I could not do, how pathetic my life was, disrupted completely due to a microscopic organism! Were the bulbuls with the dangers they faced, living in uncertainty, vulnerable to predators feeling threatened or was it me, with all the cozy comforts of my home, bank balance, intelligence and aided by technological advancement of humans feeling insecure? In comparison, they were better equipped with instincts on survival rather than myself who has moved away from my roots, forgotten life skills, who has lost my footing at the slightest disturbance in my perceived routine and accepted lifestyle. How in an instant they jumped off their nests, without a plan B, without a safety net, not knowing whether they would land safely, unhurt while I fussed about my backups, my reserves, feeling insecure even with all that I have accumulated, because I tended to hold on to familiar ground, I was looking for comfort in the known, without exploring what might lie beyond the peripheries of my existence. They did not think twice about leaving their nest, their only possession, the only home they knew so far. There was a lot to learn, only if I was willing to observe and think about it. How lucky I felt to have witnessed this wonderful circle of life, right in my backyard. After all, I had something to cheer about and cherish in these gloomy days of lockdown.

My undoing [by Sharada]

I voted for change
Was prepared to ignore history of violence
For better roads; more jobs

I chanted development slogans…
Believed would all get well
A better world for our children

Dreams grew bigger and bloated
New promises piled up
Felt good to shout newer slogans

A year later, no progress
Patience was wearing out
No reforms; no reason to celebrate

New devices were revealed
I passionately mouthed my support
To every protest; against protest

I shunned my ideals
I licked my wounds and still fought
For issues I didn’t believe in

My words got bolder; emotions run wild
Hurting my own; I no longer cared
The path was chosen; there was no looking back

I stood at a strange place
With nothing to call my own
In the company of friends I newly found

I now scream for the cult
I have bared my soul for the supreme
Shifted my beliefs; far far away

Our leaders moved on; the big agenda fulfilled
The thirsty got blood; and secured seats
Never looking back; never saying a word

The mask wore off; the promises fell short
In the parade of victory, only the powerful walk
With nowhere to hide, I cannot return

When I stand now in front of the mirror
And ask those difficult questions
Do I still have the voice left?

With conscience pricking; with anger tearing
I have to bear the burden
Of the future; and of the past

Kaavad Performace: Maya [by Sharada]

With an unassuming gait, the Kaavadiya gently held our hand and coaxed us into his world of fantasy – the world of mighty kings, of chaste husbands, of desirous widows of creatures – the little birds, the trees, the hawk and the ants. The colourful and intriguing Kaavads drew us into their gates, guarded by the efficient dwarapalaks who let in only the most humble and inquisitive minds. We need to bow down and pray to be allowed to enter their sacred space. With open minds, eyes wide with wonder, with trepid steps and nimble movements, we follow the footsteps of the Kaavadiya as he starts unraveling the stories part by part, enacting the sequences, moving between the characters with utmost ease. As we travel from one story to the other, we are gently reminded that all this is Maya – an illusion created by our own minds through which we interpret the world around us.

The stories are of varied themes – perfectly blending the ancient and the current, adpated to contemporary times with the underlying human emotions of greed, jealousy, desire, love, justice raising their relevant questions. We are held in rapt attention engulfed in a web of situations that compel us to judge, to take stands and to root for what we believe is right. But should we go with what is right or what is appropriate? What is our moral obligation given such situations? Are our world leaders better empowered than us to lead us in the right path or are they too blinded by the inescapable Maya? How are the situations related? Is it possible that people are connected to a situation just like they are related each other? Plucking at one end of the string will invariably have an effect on the entire world because we are all bound in this intricate mesh held together by Maya.

Kaavad Katha is an ancient folk art form that uses Kaavads – paintings on boards to recite stories. It is a traditional art kept alive by Bhaats for several generations but now on the verge of vanishing forever from our culture. The Kaavads were sacred and used as mobile temples in remote villages that did not have a temple. Usually depicting stories from mythology, the Kaavads have evolved over time to incorporate secular themes, political statements and contemporary cultural motifs. In an effort to recognize and pay tribute to this art form, the Kaavad performance “Maya” – put together by a competent team of artists from Sva Collective – visual artists, musicians, sound engineers, writers and performers makes a brave and laudable attempt to explore this as a performing art form. Written lucidly in Hindi and performed effortlessly by the artist, supported by the crisp live music, it brought to life the stories on the colourful cardboards. For the length of the performance, it kept us engrossed, entertained and later, left us with important questions to contemplate long after.

The Joy of Giving (poem) – by Ratheesh Pisharody

Will not provide shade, the young tree remarked
Why should I care? The leaves are so mine
And so he proceeds to drop his leaves,
A leaf after another, down to the ground

Do it for yourself, and not for them
Advice he heard, from the grand old tree to the left
He dropped more leaves while the old one slept
Left with nothing but branches and stem

Birds without homes moved to the left
Desperate cries from the plants on the floor
Wake up old one! the young tree said
Nothing has changed, due to my actions alone

The old tree smiled, with birds on his arm
A squirrel that danced looked up from the ground
The one who gave always made friends
The one who gave got more than he had

A day in the life of my cat [by Sharada]

(from his point of view, as understood by me)

Oh it is time to wake up already! Alright! Great, the big door opens. Now they want me to come out and speak to them. First things first, ah.. nice stretch; most important thing after waking up… and a nice big yawn! Good morning, human. Yes, I mean you. Ah, you made me happy, thank you. Yes, a little bit more there, yes I love a well meaning scratch. Yay! I am free! I am free!

Wow, everyone is up. What were they doing? Hmmm, some nice smelling stuff coming from the room where they make the maximum noise and from where all my milk comes from. Oh, they are again eating some vegetables. It was smelling good, but on closer observation, I am not interested. You won’t believe how much they eat! And they keep shoving things into their mouth, sometimes it makes sound, sometimes it smells weird and sometimes it is watery. But all I get is some granules, they smell great, does not have much taste. But I eat them anyway.

What’s that? Hmm.. an intruder. Let me hide and pounce on him. Oh no, he is flying. Will climb on the table where they keep all their food. Aww.. why do you keep scolding me? I was only trying to catch the fly which I felt is a threat. Nevermind, he escaped. But only till next time.

Ah, Good morning, this is my favourite human. It gives me what I ask for. I mean, most of the time, atleast. I think it has understood me to some extent. But keeps touching me. Ouch, why are you cuddling me? Am I a baby? Come on, treat me with some respect. I am protecting you. I am an individual and as big as you, in cat years that is! Do you go around carrying your teenage sons? Don’t embarass me!

Hey, what’s that sound. Seems like an enemy, the pigeon. Grrr.. I hate them. I don’t know why. I just can’t stand them. So noisy… Let me go chase them away, stupid creatures. Grrr… hey you! stay away! I mean it! I reserve the worst expression possible for them, the most disgusting one. Let me go out and look at the road. Ah… run! What was that? My, I just ran inside in time. They make terrible, ear splitting noise and some humans seem to ride them. I don’t understand why they cannot pass silently. Scary stuff.

My stomach is rumbling, let me go be nice to my human. I will play with it and be nice to it and maybe it will give me my milk. Aww, so cute. Let me give you a small nibble while I am at it. there, do you like it? Oh you want more? Oh now you want to get into a friendly fight? I am ready, come try me! Oh now why are you screaming at me.. you asked for it! Strange.

Ah, finally I smell milk. It is pouring into my dish. lap… lap.. lick.. there! ah, satisfied. Now the post eating ritual of cleaning my fur. I am feeling itchy from last two days, these damn ticks have got me. Grrr… I will eat you! I never get them, however hard I try.. They are very troublesome. Sometimes I wish a human comes and scratches me, just that it does not know where to scratch. It means well, but scratches at wrong places and I get annoyed. Sigh.

Oh someone is going up the strairs, I can hear it! Let me run and reach there before them. It is my favourite place in the house. The open terrace. I can roll there, chase butterflies without being threatened by enemies. And, yes, I can keep an eye on those darn pigeons too from that height. Ah, why is the door closed now, sad. Oh great, it is opening it. It wants me to go out too. But wait, you can’t go away, leaving me here all alone. Come on, play with me. It went away. Nevermind, let me roll and feel the cool cement ground on my back.

I can sit here all day. There is so much to see and do here, unlike inside. Inside the house, everyone is busy doing something, I don’t exactly understand what. They seem to be eating a lot; a lot more than they should be. But they sleep very less, unlike me. I mean, what else do you need to do other than hunt, eat and sleep. They seem to be having a lot to do. They even talk to each other a lot. Wish I could understand what they say.

Oh my human looks like is abandoning me and going away. I hate it when they do not even notice me and walk away. Hey, I am sitting here, I want to sit here for some more time. Can you not stay with me? Ok, let me go downstairs and meet my other human. Meow… they seem to understand if I make a sound. No, no, thank you. I already ate. I don’t want food. This human is really dumb. It always thinks that I want food. I am not like you. I don’t eat all the time. I was saying a casual hello. You could either play with me or just say a hello. Food!

Ah, finally, I got someone to play with. This one is really good. It puts up a good fight. I would love to do this for some more time, but it gives up very easily. But I know, this one had trained me when I was little. Some of my fighting instincts were triggered due to the fights we used to have back then. If only… if only I can really fight with someone my equal! There is a big guy next door. He just stared at me the other day and I ran like hell for my life. He looks really intimidating. I will have to face him soon.

For now, I am the pampered little kitten. I can do as I please. And, my humans just love me. I love them too. So, I don’t see a need to go out anywhere. But I know, one day, I will become big and have to go out. That is what all cats do; atleast all male cats. Ouch, what is that bright light in my face. Who is this? Hey, it’s a new human. Never seen it before. It is pointing some weapon at me, might hurt me. They keep getting this box and it spits out bright flashes of light that hurts my eye. But it ends soon. Things I have to endure!

I see a spider! Wow, let me chase it down. And, just as I was about to kill the spider, something pulls me away. Ah, it is a human. It doesn’t want me to eat spiders? Is that what it is about? Oh, maybe it doesn’t want me to sit on top of their color box. The box that keeps emitting colors and sounds all the time. Somehow, the humans are able to leave all their work and sit staring at this for hours. I tried looking at it, I see a lot of colors. The spider seems more exciting.

Hey, a moving object. Could it be a rat? Let me hunt it down. Oh, it is not a living thing. Nevertheless, let me pretend it is a rat and hunt it down. I will hold it between my legs and kick it well and bite it at the same time. I will dig my claws into it. It is boring if it doesn’t even move. Oh, the human is coming towards me. What does it want? It wants to hold the rat, I mean that thing. It is throwing it. Yay, it is moving again. Let me run and hunt it down!

I am tired now. Time for a nap. Hmmm, where do I settle down? This couch smells weird. Not good. Let me jump on the sofa and try it. Hmmm, this is warm, looks good. Let me settle down here. Hey wait a minute. This is my place. Come on. Humans are so insensitive sometimes. I did all the hard work and found the right spot and now it wants it and it doesn’t even ask me. Just takes it away and drives me out. Now, I say, that is rude. Anyway, I will try the chair.

Is anybody going up the stairs? I want to run around in the open area. Hellooo “meeooowww” how do I communicate with these humans? They are so occupied with their own world all the time, what about me? I mean, I am the special person in this house, am I not? Let me go and rub my body against their legs, they seem to always fall for that. Come upstairs, understand? Oh no, not again. I just ate. Don’t keep giving me food, you fat lady. I want you to take me upstairs into the open. Yay, finally!! it is moving towards the stairs, let me run and beat it to the top. Now, come on, open the door. I will ask nicely, once again, please open the door!! Ah, good, it understood pretty well. Wow, the warm floor, let me roll on it and get some mud on my hairs. This is so much fun! Hey human, where are you going? Are you not gonna play with me, now come on, don’t be a spoil sport. Just a little game of chasing and hunting? Yay! it is coming outside, let me chase.. Ha Ha, this is so exciting.

Ok, I need a break now! I am so tired, let me take a breath. That stupid black bird again sounding alarm calls. Yes, one day I will come and eat your eggs from your nest. Aaarrrrgggghhhh I don’t like the sight of you. Go away.

Hey, where are you going, human? Are you tired too? Ok, I will just sit here, while you go and do something else for sometime. I will explore the pathway that will take me even higher today. It seems pretty steep, but I think I am ready for it. Once I get there on the top, I will get a very good view of all my enemies and can defend my territory well. But first, I need to sniff around for hours together every inch of that ladder, just to make sure it is safe.

Human! I am here! Yes, on top. I am sure you cannot smell me, because you only seem to rely on your other senses, mostly eyes. Oh you are calling out for me, ok meeoowwww, here, look up. It looked now, wonder how it sees when it is dark. I mean, it is so much easier to just smell and find out and be quiet. It is a strategy all animals swear by. Anyways, humans seem to be very unlike us. So let it be. Ah, it seems to have got me something to eat! How considerate, I was just getting hungry. Would love to nibble on some food. This makes me so happy… Puuuurrrrr Puuurrrrr Yes, stroke me little to the left please, ah, there, that feels so good. Will you play with me after I eat?

So much fun to lie in shade of a tree in the afternoon, without a care for anything in the world! How I wish I had a sibling to play with, would be so much easier. The human ones don’t seem to enjoy the outdoors, they always lie on soft bedding indoors. Just come out and see how good it feels to be in the sun! Hey! Wait a minute! Was that water? Oh no, rain… what do I do? Run… oh damn, the big metal door is closed! Helloo, anybody there? Come on, open the door!! I am getting wet! Let me try to open it with my claws, oh no, it doesn’t budge. What bad luck! Please, someone come and rescue me! I am all alone in the rain, getting wet. Have you forgotten me? Your cute little kitten?… open the door! open the door! open the door!!!

Ah finally, I hear footsteps, thank you, thank you. Oh God, that was terrible. I thought I will just get wet and sick. Ah, let me run inside to some warm spot. No… Noooooo …. Don’t rub me with that stupid cloth. I am very well capable of licking myself clean. Yuck! How disgusting. I am okay. Yes, I know, I got a bit… scared… I mean, a bit… anxious… I am okay now. I am totally fine. Whew! That was some rain, but now that I am better, I want to go out again. Guess the rain has stopped? Actually, it was fun! But don’t know why they close that metal door? It would be so much easier if they leave all doors as they are! open! Actually, why do you need doors anyways? Just to create blockages? Is it some kind of trap? Why can’t you always leave everything open, free passages?

Did you see the human who is generally kind to me and who understands me? No? Yes, I am asking you, the man with the stick, yes, you. Did you see it? What? Why are you shouting at me? Now, what did I do? Let me go and sit in the bathroom. I am hurt. That is no way to talk to a little kitten. I don’t know what I did? Why did it scold me? I will pee all over the place where you are and then you will have to wipe it. You understand? Let me do that right away! Yes, now, how do you like that?

I am sensing some danger, I hear something downstairs. Oh my! A huge hairy dog! How did he get here? Are they trying to get me killed? Let me quickly hide in a box and be quiet. This is really dangerous. I will be hunted down like a smelly rat in no time. Why would someone get a dog to this house! Don’t they know I live here now? Lie low, lie low. He can’t smell me till here. Ok, he is going. Whew! He left without any mishaps. Now that’s a relief!

Let me step out now and survey the area. And I need to be sure he is gone. Hey! what was that? I am just swept off my feet, completely caught off guard! Oh no, another human, which comes sometimes and all it does it lift me off my feet and cuddle me. Ewww I don’t like that at all. No, human, this is not how you play with us cats. You just come for a friendly fight, you run around and chase me or we will just follow some moving objects. Cuddling makes my fur messy and I will need to sit and clean it all over again. And, it rubs off some undesirable scents on my body, which again I will have to clean. So, let me be clear, don’t do it! Or else, I will.. bite you!!

I have found a new fascination, it is flowing stream in the room from where pleasant aroma keeps coming once in a while. But there is one problem. I will have to wait till the human that understands me comes and does something to turn it on. Rest of the time, I sit and wait in front of that thing all day and not a drop of water comes out. There is some trick which I haven’t yet figured out. Yes, it is here, it will turn the water on now. Yay! I love to drink cool water from this stream. And catch the sparkling bubbles sometimes. It makes a gurgling sound too, that is so fascinating. I didn’t realize I was so thirsty!

Now, I am ready to play! Yes, it is almost night and I am totally charged up and ready to hunt! Come on, human, come and face me in combat. Yes! I am waiting here in the dark to suddenly pounce on you. Oh no, now.. what happened? I just got lifted off my feet. no… nooooooo…. it is taking me upstairs. I know what this means. It will leave me in a closed room to sleep. But hey! human! I am all ready and charged up… to play! I don’t want to go to bed now. Please… some more time… I beg you… Don’t take me there! Let me jump off… oh no, I got tricked! I got locked in the room now! Scratch scratch… let me out.. I am not ready to sleep yet! Come on, open the door. No use. It left me and went away. It will not come till morning now. I better settle down on my cozy chair and sleep. Anyways, there is no danger in this room, so I need not stay alert. Yawwwwnnnnn!

The Searcher’s block [by Sharada]

From the most eloquent best sellers to the newbie amateurs, from the authors of great epics to weekly columnists, it has impartially crept up on all writers at some point or the other. You might attribute your missed deadlines to it or hide away your procrastination behind this mysterious, dark curtain. But you have to acknowledge the writer’s block.

“Oh, that!” “gosh!” “there is no such thing” “of course, sometimes…” these are some reactions you receive from seasoned writers who can readily give you their theories about it or free advice on how to overcome it.

It is that sudden “abortive” emptiness that you experience when you finally sit down to write something. You start getting nervous and annoyed when you take the pen to a blank sheet of paper or a blinking mouse cursor to the first line in a blank word document.

Being a writer, I can find myself nodding agreeably to these symptoms of writer’s block. But how many of you have experienced the “Searcher’s block”?

You are sitting in front of google.com with some bouncy animation pouncing at you, threatening to distract you while your mouse cursor is blinking on that empty text box which urges you to type anything.. anything! And, you cannot remember what you want to search for.

You may have found answers to the deepest questions, solutions to all your problems right at your fingertips, but you just seem to go blank and develop cold feet or rather, cold fingertips.

It is like God appeared and said “I will grant you any wish you want. Just name it! Anything!” and you just stand there blinking, stammering, biting your lips, stupefied, and not knowing what you really want.

How disdainful! Especially since everyone else seem to be happily finding all they ever wanted on Google, from long lost friends to secret slimming recipes to phone numbers of their favourite celebrities. IT IS ALL THERE. You only need to ask!

Till then, I would have mentally noted all that I need to ask Google, but, why on earth can’t I remember anything meaningful? What makes this worse is the fact that just because I got to the page, just because I made the effort to boot my system and open a browser, I start looking for generic, meaningless terms that Google rewards suitably with irrelevant search results.

This is not the same as knowing what you need but unable to key in the right words that will give you the best results. That is a different problem altogether.

My worst nightmare is when I am in some remote place, where you need to change buses, walk kilometres to reach a place where you get network and it is a rather slow network where the google home page takes a couple of minutes to load and after all the effort, I just can’t remember what was it that I was seeking.

It used to happen to me when I had to go to a cyber center, when I had ten minutes still left after sending my emails, and I wanted to make the best use of the paid time. Then when I start searching for lame, useless stuff, I would feel like kicking myself.

That, my friend, is the “searcher’s block”. Just like all other blocks, it is real; it is right there hiding, like a virus waiting to attack its next unsuspecting victim!

How to transfer money from India to Nepal?

We have written about our previous experience of trying to send money to Nepal in our book. We spent several days and did several trips to banks, numerous phone calls and finally were unsuccessful. After that, since there was no need, we left it at that. Now, an urgent need again came up. This time, we were prepared mentally. We knew money transfer would not be easy, but we also had to send it urgently due to the Earthquake relief work that needed it badly. So, we started where we left off back in 2010, were careful not to repeat the same mistakes and still it was not easy.

Finally, as a last resort, we had to call up Pasang (our tour operator for EBC trek in 2010 and who is now on a mission to work for earthquake victims in the Everest Area) and request him to setup a bank account in Nepal SBI! And guess what, since we were so persistent, he agreed to do so!

Note: We do not have credit cards, probably that would have made it easier, but not sure.

So, here are the pre-requisites, without which do not even try to go further:

1. Sender from India should have an account in SBI in the same branch from where they want to send money
2. Recepient should have an account in Nepal SBI Bank Ltd.
3. Account number, Cheque book, ID proof, preferably passport (attested photocopy) or DL of Sender
4. Name of account holder, Account number, Branch name, contact no. of the Receipent in Nepal

Once these are ready, a trip to the bank is all it takes. We are now one small step away to send the money. This visit to bank is broken down into smaller steps:

1. Go to SBI bank and speak to NEFT transfer department or Branch Manager and request a transfer. Clearly explain that it is to Nepal SBI and Nepal is another country (it might look stupid or rude, but better to be careful)
2. Fill in an NEFT transfer form (challan) using the details mentioned in pre-requisite
3. Nominal charges for transfer are applicable. Check with the bank personnel the charge applicable for the amount you wish to send. Eg: for Rs.20,000, the charge was Rs.100
4. Write a cheque in name of “YOURSELF” for the amount you wish to send + Charge applicable. Eg. If you are sending Rs.20,000 to the recepient, the cheque should be issued for Rs. 20,100, including charges of Rs.100. Do not cross the cheque
5. Attach a self-attested copy of your Identify proof (passport) to the challan and cheque. In the challan, write the recepient phone no. right on top (there is no field to enter this, but it is required)
6. Wait till they confirm the details and stamp a seal on the acknowledgement
7. Inform the recepient in Nepal, they would need to go and check at the bank. It takes 2-3 days for the money to get transferred.

Kanmani! Want to fall in love with you… [by Sharada]

Right from the way they meet, unconventionally, in a railway station, and an engaging scene of them trying hard to communicate across people in a church, the movie draws you towards them. You start living with these two young, spirited and carefree people as they start their unexpected, spontaneous romance. We laugh with them, we fear for them, we cheer for them. The young couple, bold and ambitious, both equally passionate about their own career choices and unable to “let go” of their personal goals, decide to settle for a “no strings attached” relationship. The choice of talented, bubbly Nithya Menon and Dulquer Salmaan pair adds the right amount of freshness to the film.

The film, through its combination of crisp dialogues, a well blended background music and brilliant cinematography achieves what every film aspires to do – provide an experience. When you forget that you are watching a film, when you forget the names of the actors, and that they are acting, when you forget to notice camera angles, you move into a zone where you are completely involved. Your heart races in anticipation, you unknowingly shed a tear and you smile when something nice is said. You start connecting your life with those of the characters, you start believing you are them. This is when a film becomes brilliant; when it touches you. Mani Ratnam, known for his strong hold on relationships, strikes a chord with this film. He is able to give you the experience of falling in love. The film will make you want to fall in love all over again.

If it would have been just this, it probably would have given you an one-sided view of love. He goes deeper when we are introduced to an older couple, equally lovable. The silent, gentle husband played brilliantly by Prakash Rai, who captures you without imposing his overpowering presence, yet manages to hold your attention with his simple, gentle gestures. The extremely lovable, forgetful wife, played by Leela Samson, provides the well-timed comic relief, giving us a lighter side view of the agonizing, heart wrenching disease, Alzheimer’s. The mature love between them, as viewed by the young couple and how it changes their relationship is what keeps the film moving forward. The scenes of carefree life of the young couple, their adventures in love are juxtaposed against the committed and grounded relationship of the older ones. The young couple slowly start realizing what they would probably look like when they grow older. When the romance fades away, what is left is pure love, an invisible bond that makes you love your spouse unconditionally.

Where the film wins is in the way it captures the right situations, emotions and behaviour of all its characters. You can connect to almost all the characters including the strict brother and the very talkative and suspicious sister in law. You know these people. Seeing them on screen immediately makes you smile. It retains the humour till the end and manages to create emotions without being melodramatic.

One aspect where I might differ from most others was in the way the second half looks forced. Although it takes a very long time to reach the point, there is a certain hurriedness to get to a closure. You start feeling let down as the story loses its spontaneity, boldness and tries hard to become clichéd. I felt it would have been much better to have left it as it was, without having to force a logical ending, giving a feeling that it is the only way. For someone whose dreams would have taken flight imagining the possibilities of a “live-in” relationship, the eventual, conventional end would leave them cheated. The film could have ended the way it was, and in fact, would have made it shorter and crisper. Yet, the film wins because of its smaller moments that are like precious gems strung together to make a beautiful necklace.

Mani Ratnam has definitely tried to bring in some elements of contemporary youth, the “live-in” relationship goes down smoothly, but some others like the ultra glorious life of a software professional, the “forced” video gaming theme that appears in the beginning as well as in between, some of the songs, which can be called experimental, create the unnecessary distractions to the beautiful canvas. It breaks the flow, unintentionally and you start thinking about that instead. The film would have been complete even without these, in fact, probably, would have been better.

For someone like Mani Ratnam, who has already delivered his best with Roja, Bombay long ago, it is unfair to compare his latest work with his earlier ones. This film does not in any way stand up to the high standards he has set himself by his earlier work. Yet, to be fair, it is a sparkling love story, just like its title “Kanmani”, made with a pure heart and has the right elements to touch you; Although, it might not stay with you for as long as you would expect it to.

A dream called Badanavalu [by Sharada]

Badanavalu is a small village tucked away between the boundaries of Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts of Karnataka. We can see this as an obscure station in the railway route that runs between Mysore and Chamarajanagar. One might miss it because the express trains do not stop here and the passenger trains stop for a few brief seconds. What may be easily forgotten as a small dot in a magnified view of a map, at closer look, has an astounding history behind its existence. The villagers, especially the elders, are full of stories from a bygone era.

In the last century, Gandhiji had visited this village. And the most interesting part is not the fact that he visited, but the reason behind his visit. Because, this was no ordinary village. Back in those days, when Gandhiji was advocating “Swaraj” and “Self-sufficient” villages, Badanavalu was a living example of one such model village. The Khadi and cottage industries Centre started by Shri. Tagadoor Ramachandra Rao was a flourishing enterprise, providing employment to the villagers and helping them produce some commodities, mostly hand-made. It played a major role in women empowerment as a majority of its employees were women, who could come and work at their convenience.

And not just the Khadi centre, Badanavalu was a leading supplier of milk, curds and other dairy products to all the nearby villages. Legend has it that, a dynamic woman named Parvathamma used to take this train everyday with her supplies of milk and curd for sale. And the train wouldn’t leave the station until she boarded! Such was the glory of this place and the people of this village. And this is what drew Gandhiji’s attention to this village. He came to experience this beautiful setup and see his dream of a self-sustained village come true.

The vast nine acre campus of the Khadi Centre would come alive every morning with the tinkling sound of women’s bangles and anklets, as they walked towards their spinning wheels. The tranquil atmosphere was broken by the welcome sound of the women’s laughter. The day would start with a daily prayer in front of the Gandhi Mantap. The various neatly constructed structures housed each unit like Khadi spinning, weaving, paper making.

Each building was decorated with its own garden with various flowering plants. The entire setup resplendent with brick walls, tiled roofs and well-trimmed garden gave a homely feel to the Centre. The hand spun yarn would go the weaving unit and any waste generated would feed the paper making unit. The paper making unit housed large machines that would process the pulp. Three living row houses served as quarters for any visiting officials and guests. The water needs were taken care by a well in the premises.

But now, this place is desolate. The once flourishing industries are all shut down, barring a handful of looms that are still managing to exist. There is a deathly silence as you enter the campus. The tree roots are reclaiming the building and towering over them.The buildings are in various stages of ruin – some which are missing tiles, some whose walls have fallen down, some that just exist as a rubble heap, each of them speaking of neglect.

The quarters look like bombed homes, with the kitchen walls still covered in soot and the door frames decorated with vestiges of dried up mango leaves; a chilling reminder of life that was lived between these walls. The campus resembles an excavation site, a chapter from a history book.

The paper making workshop looks like a ghostly hall, with huge machines now standing silently, covered in cobwebs. The place is now house for bats that rest here during the day. A small black board with production log still adoring the wall, a reminder of work left incomplete. Although the pathways to these buildings are still visible, the gardens lining them are long dried and vanished. The entire setup looks like a miniature of how the planet would looks like without its people.

The few women who still come here to work do so with their own determination and grit; driven by poverty, with nothing left to enthral or motivate them. They sit all day and spin yarn, rotating the wheel in an endless loop; their eyes glazed and looking away into a far off past. Some of these women are almost a hundred year old and have been working here for the past forty years. They have witnessed the grandeur and downfall of this place and yet, they continue to sit at their wheel, stoically, day in and day out, unmoved.

It is heartening to see their excitement when someone visits the centre and spends a few moments with them. They greet you with toothless smiles and gestures signalling “did you have lunch” and then nodding their heads when you ask them the same question. Their voices are drowned by the constant sound produced by the spinning wheels.

With the industry unable to provide work for the villages any longer, they are faced with a new challenge – of men migrating to nearby cities in search of daily labour. The women see their husbands and sons board the train each morning with the hope of securing some work, and returning late each night, often inebriated and abusive, from despair. The railway line which was their lifeline has suddenly turned into a curse. There is no milk or curd produced now, it is bought in packets from nearby towns. Severe water shortage has left them helpless. They are now depending on the fast depleting ground water for their needs, with bore-wells drilled as deep as a hundred feet. The place is scattered with structures that look meaningless and ridiculous, even – like a huge water tank with no water, a well that is completely dry, serving as home for pigeons, electricity poles and lines that run everywhere but with nothing to carry.

But, all this is about to change. A few spirited people made this their home for the past twenty days and started a Satyagraha movement here for Sustainability of Villages. The Khadi campus was host to a large congregation of five thousand like-minded people from across the country, from various walks of life, who came here to stand for our villages; to stand for a dream called Badanavalu. Important issues were discussed and brainstormed. One could witness an atmosphere of high energy and positivity, with everyone resolving to do their bit towards sustainability of our villages. Even the tamarind tree at the entrance sprouted fresh green leaves, as though expressing its support.

Sustainability of villages, people losing their life because of migrating to cities, villages unable to provide basic facilities for them to live comfortably, Govt. policies, or the lack of it were some of the issues discussed on that day. Eminent scholars, experts in their fields, celebrities who care, activists from various sectors were part of the discussion panel. The Badanawal Declaration, blessed by Elders, senior Gandhians, proclaimed that GDP is an inadequate measure of growth, as it completely ignores human happiness; and that traditional practices like cattle herding, hand spinning and cooking should also be considered as wealth generators.

Our country, unlike western nations, has a rich tradition that boasted of villages that were self-sustained. The villagers had enough work, good food to eat and led respectable lives. But, a few industries and the lifestyle that goes with it, imported from the west, has lured people to move to cities and leave the villages and villagers ignored. We have trampled upon our traditional knowledge, shunned the grandmothers who told us these stories and burnt the land that gives us food. If we need to come out of this mess, we have to first recognize and respect our villages. We need to build a society that treats villages with respect and stop promoting the false notion we have created that “cities are rich; villages are poor”. The Badanavalu Convention was an effort to understand these and create a paradigm shift.

The people of Badanavalu had never experienced such warmth in years, they reciprocated with open doors. People came here to search for something within themselves – a true “Satyagraha” (Search for Truth) and left with a fresh mind filled with enthusiasm and new ideas. This movement gave a new hope to a lost cause; like a battered army receiving enforcements when they are at the verge of surrender. The people have something to look forward to and talk about in the days to come. And, the cycle continues.

Help Khumbu Sherpas: A heart wrenching letter from a Sherpa

We got this plea from Pasang Sherpa, who was our trek organizer for our Everest Base Camp Trek back in 2010. Having seen the devastation first hand, he considers it his mission to reach out to the remotest villages of Khumbu region to help the earthquake victims of the Nepal Earthquake.

Read this post to see how to transfer money from India to Nepal through SBI:

https://coolbuddies.wordpress.com/2015/06/02/how-to-transfer-money-from-india-to-nepal/

———- Forwarded message ———- From: Mountain Sherpa Trekking & Expeditions <tripshimalaya@gmail.com> Date: Fri, May 1, 2015 at 8:39 AM Subject: CHARITY FUND RAISING PROGRAM To: “sales@guidenepal.com” <sales@guidenepal.com>

CHARITY FUND RAISING PROGRAM

MISSION: Nepal Earthquake and Everest Avalanche Victim Fund in order to directly help village families survive.

Dear Friends,

Tashi Delek and Namaste from Nepal.

Nepal is in major crisis and suffered a huge loss of life and property due to the massive earthquake on April 25^th 2015, including a series of aftershocks that followed the main jolt. This catastrophic earthquake also caused a tragic avalanche on Mount Everest and many Sherpa guides, cooks and climbers’ lives were lost.

The Earthquake’s direct effect on the closest districts of Nepal including the capital city, Kathmandu is tragic. At the moment Nepal is crying, each and every Nepalese eye is covered by saddened tears.

The whole Nepalese community has suffered from the devastating loss of its people and properties.

Solukhumbu district is a remote district of Nepal where Mount Everest (the highest peak of world) is located. According to the recorded district headquarters of Solukhumbu a total of 21 people including Sherpa guides and porters (as per recorded date of 29^th April) have lost their lives due to this horrific earthquake. Everest Base Camp has also been afflicted as a result of avalanche activity.

As a village born Sherpa from the Solukhumbu district where I grew up, who became a porter, later trekking guide and now secretary of Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) who operates a professional trekking company in Kathmandu since 2002, I must take immediate direct action.

My heart and mind is calling me back to my homeland and its needy poor families who lost their lives due to this deadliest natural calamity ever to have hit my homeland.

Solukhumbu is remote, very beautiful and suffering however the Government of Nepal’s aid funds are not yet reaching those in need.  No one is trying to reach to give sympathy and prayers to the families of the 21 deceased as a result of this disaster.

I can’t tolerate it by just watching the trouble from Kathmandu. I am a Sherpa from same district of Mount Everest, son of Himalaya and have direct association with the village people of Solukhumbu. I am feeling deep sorrow and profoundly saddened by the ultimate demise of those brave people of Solukhumbu.

Thus keeping humanity in mind, I decided to personally visit Solukhumbu during the month of May  and going to meet relatives of the deceased people and help those needy families who lost their loved ones in the tragic natural disaster last week.

During my visit, I am going to provide donated money to the village people so they can buy their choice of foods, pay education fees or buy any goods they really need to survive and begin a new life.

If we can help them by cash rupees, they can use that cash for any purpose; especially their children’s education at the nearest school so the future of the children can be bright.

How transparent is my victim aids?

I am a professional business man running a trekking company; I am also one of the victims of the earthquake. My office is damaged, my house in Kathmandu and Solukhumbu is cracked but the biggest thing of my life is my family is all safe.

If you don’t have health, food and shelter life is not possible. In order to make a good life for the remaining family of the deceased people of Solukhumbu, I will:

• Visit the victims’ families myself
• I will take photos of each and every victims family I meet
• I will distribute the donated funds you provide to me
• Each family will receive equal donated funds
• I am going to thank each individual on Facebook but if you do not want to be acknowledged via social media please let me know as I respect your wishes
• I will provide a bank receipt to all fund contributors and send to them via personal email
• I will post photos of the destitute people of Nepal my Facebook to show the fund in action.

Please add me in your face book friend:  Pasang Sherpa Pinasha  and you can see my daily social activities regarding earthquake victims charity since earthquake happen. You also can send me questions at:  sherpapasang@gmail.com or my company e-mail.

This is not a social organisation’s fund raising campaign and no any other administrative cost involve, that means whatever the cash you can donate, that help goes directly to those desperately needy people of Nepal. It does not involve any political parties or brokers or human workers to pay, it is direct, immediate help to the people in need.

I guarantee that your every dollar will reach those people those are real victims of the deadly earthquake and avalanche.

If you have any questions about my charity fund raising program please do not hesitate to contact me via email or social media.

How you can donate/help?

BY WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER

Western Union money transfer is fast, reliable and free of charge to send money to Nepal for earthquake victims. Please use my name and address below when you transfer donated funds via Western Union.

1. a)      Name: Pasang Sherpa
2. b)      Address: Kapan- 1, Kathmandu, Nepal
3. c)      Subject: Nepal Earthquake and Everest Avalanche Victim Fund
4. d)      (+977) 9851060947: my cell phone if you require

In regards to the core help for the victims of the April 25^th 2015 earthquake and avalanche, every donation of your help will be truly useful and I would like to humbly request for your generous support to make a new life for the Nepalese people.

From the poverty-stricken people of Nepal, I am very thankful to you in advance and sincerely appreciate your kind help and much needed support.

Kind regards,

Pasang Sherpa

Solukhumbu District

Now – Kathmandu, Nepal

—

SHERPA, Pasang Managing Director
MOUNTAIN SHERPA TREKKING & EXPEDITIONS( MSTE) P.LTD GPO BOX No: 14444, Thamel, Kathmandu,Nepal Phone: +977-1-4435828 Fax : +977-1-4435828 Cell: +977-98510 60947 / + 977-97510 55600( 24 Hrs) E-mail: sales@nepaltrekkingtours.com / Sales@guidenepal.com Website : www.NepalTrekkingTours.com www.GuideNepal.com www.MountainSherpaTrekking.com