EQUAL STREETS

"EQUAL STREETS"

Bandra, Mumbai,

23/11/2014.

           Always up and about, jog's my memory of Mumbai as a city that never sleeps. Every day with the ever increasing traffic , roads are being cramped up. Vehicles occupying the major portion of the road tends to squeeze the people out of the space to cycle or walk by the hassle of vehicles.

          So, the initiative "equal streets" aims at reclaiming the streets of Mumbai for a vision of happier and healthier Mumbai. Every Sunday the traffic congested patch is clocked up by cyclers, skaters, musicians, street artists and other gaieties. The activities on the street are deviant from the usual ones and being an adjunct of the same was zestful.

          Skating along the 6.5km patch was exhilarating. I've never been able to skate so freely on roads, taking steps anywhere and anytime I like without heed of a car speeding me up. Nonetheless, this was unalike my days of yore, where skating on streets would always be shlep along the jeopardy of vehicles and dogs running at my heels and I absconding back home. Skating on preeminent streets had always been a fantasy which turned to actuality.

          A group of musicians embracing the crowd as instrumentalist was novel. Trying hands on instruments had always been merry-making..

          Equal streets is fling and gave everyone enough rope to use a major chunk of streets which otherwise had been occupied by traffic thereby being able to bring off the initiative of creating a happier, healthier, active, creative and an "Equal" Mumbai for all.

COLOR-CODED

COLOR-CODED

St. Jude Bakery, Ranwar, Bandra,

22/11/2014

                   I registered for this event called as “Creative Mornings” and was put on the waiting list. My ardor to attend finally granted me a ticket after someone disengaged their ticket. My elation to attend the event followed by a class test was in vain because the teacher was late. Grrrr……, why does the faculty reckon us to be punctual when they can’t? However I managed to complete my test and attend the event.

                     Walking down a spindly lane, I gaped a vibrant structure. The inveterate structure was transmogrified into a buzzworthy one. It was done on the sly by graffiti which gave it a festive look. The bright colorful exterior made one transform one’s gray mood into a blue funk and happy yellow. Fiery red, warm yellow, mellow orange, somber black, funk blue and tinged white masked the external face of the structure. The use of harmonious colors made it flamboyant piece of art. A geriatric ambassador in front of the bakery in lieu of swift would go well into picture.

                  As we barged into the bakery numerous installations caught our sight. “That’s all fake” instead of “that’s all folks” was humorous. The frame with the top corner of the space as the background created a captivating illusion. A chair with a tall back rest placed next to a hued stained glass window assembled in black and white space made it heterogenous.

                    The whole perspicacity was exquisite

The land of endless discovery

“The land of endless discovery”

Ladakh, Kashmir,

11/05/2014 - 17/05/2014.

Jule guys,

                 From Mumbai to New Delhi and New Delhi to Leh, we set deck on the land of endless discovery “LADAKH”. Leaving the dog days in Mumbai for frosty weather in Ladakh only made us go brrrr…….

                Ladakh, the land of endless passes.

               

                Passing through the highest motor able road in the world, “Khardungla” pass (18,380 ft.) we reached “Nubra valley”. The valley with cold desert encompassed by snow capped mountains features a scene for far cry from each other.

                

         

               Crossing the 3^rd highest motor able roads, “Chang La pass” (17,350 ft.) we reached the “Pangong Tso” (14,270 ft.). The pristine water of Pangong briny and iridescent gave the appearance of being tinged blue.

               

                 The confluence –“Sangam” of the 2 rivers, “Zanskar” and “Indus” was unveiled by its distinctive colors. The Zanskar flowing from the melted ice of the largest glacier “Drang-Drung” of Ladakh is grey, disparate from the Indus which breezes in as sky blue and bestows an alluring sight.

A car moving towards the upper end of the slope when in neutral gear was an electrifying phenomenon experienced on the “Magnetic hill”.

Ladakh home to lofty mountains, picturesque lakes, profound valleys, elegant Buddhist monasteries, grisly army and smiling faces of the Ladakhis makes one visit Ladakh again and again. :D

                 

  

        

             

Trip to Ramganga

Uttaranchal, Ramganga

28/10/2014-05/11/2014

Hey guys,

              As this semester full of submission, assignments, presentations, jury and study tour passed by, a much needed break was on the cards.

              So set on the journey with two of my college friends we joined a group of 5 people. So the 8 of us were on our way to explore new lands.

               Unheard and untouched in the interior of Uttaranchal on our way crossing mountains one after the another through continuous passable, sharp, tight, curvy, loopy, snaky, twisted, winding roads we finally reached on the banks of Ramganga that was our home for the forthcoming days.

                Ramganga reminds nothing but turquoise gem stream like a jewel with choppy,  fresh water and mesmerizing view. The water as it was seeping, snaking and dribbing over the rocks was glinting with sparks like tinsel. The run-off water from the melted ice seemed glassy clear. The watery grace seemed magical.

                The mountains, home to a vast variety of wildlife, covered in green carpet surrounding the river stood silent and brood.

                 We scooped our hand through the water and drank our fill. It was thirst quenching with great aroma that stayed with us all along.

                 The instructors were very caring, charming, considerate, enthusiastic, loyal, excitable, funny, friendly, kind, pleasant, polite, sincere, thoughtful…………… and the list goes on.

                  Among all the trips that I've been to, among all the birthdays that I've celebrated and all the delicacies that I've tasted, this trip proved to be the best in everything.

                 The trip was truly a memorable one with the best location, best food, best team of instructors and the best birthday indeed.