I never really liked being a kid. I couldn’t understand why ‘adults‘ envied kids. As an adult, they could do what they wanted, wear what they liked, and didn’t have to give an examination to prove what they knew. Or so I thought. I’m on the other side now. I’m the ‘adult’. And I get…
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Most of my childhood summers were spent in our home town. With the temperatures soaring, there was little that my siblings and I could do. We’d either curl up with a good book, eat raw mangoes, or snooze after a heavy meal. When we’d exhaust all other options, the front yard and the copious greenery…
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As an introvert, I don’t think you get many chances of starting a conversation. If you’ve missed one, in all probability, you’d spend the rest of your time staring blankly. I’ve found it easier to observe people – than talk to them. Being silent, for most of the time, can give you a rare insight into the…
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It’s never easy saying goodbye. After an eventful 6 days in the mountains, it was time for us to head back home. The trip from Dalhousie to Gaggal Airport (Kangra) would clock 3 hours. I dreaded having to traverse the winding mountain roads again. Our driver was the same young guy who had driven us to…
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Dear Yang, You’re not one to count and I’m not one to remember, but since we’re at it, it’s been some roller coaster ride. What started as a walk back home, has continued along myriad roads, in some of the most interesting places – we could’ve ever been. By ensuring, I didn’t lose my breath at…
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I woke up to the barking of a stray dog. I could see the moon – still shining brightly – on a clear starless sky. But, nothing beats the anticipation of waiting for the sun to rise – outside your balcony window. The dog had already done the damage. So, I waited patiently for an hour. Basil…
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After spending three days in McLeod Ganj, we realised, that we’d planned the next leg of the trip to the neighbouring hill town of Dalhousie. It’s a three hour journey between the two mountain towns and involves making a shift between the Kangra District and Chamba District. If you’re brave enough, HPTDC buses might prove to be a budget…
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From an early age, I’ve found the premise of faith to be intriguing. There seemed to be a strong emphasis on believing blindly in a singular ‘force’. One that could control inter-planetary/galactic motion, and in turn – our ephemeral human lives. Questions were allowed – outside the realm – of what was to be believed; never within. In…
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I could feel the weight of worry increasing with each successive bend, each halting climb, along the precarious mountain road en-route Kalatop Wildlife Sanctuary. I’d have preferred my feet over the make-believe safety of our hired car. It’s one of the moments, in travel, when you think, “Have we tempted fate? Would today be the end of the…
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We started the day huffing up the steep winding slope. After breakfast, we headed towards Temple Complex. Plastered on the wall opposite, were posters of the Tibetan uprising and the resistance movement. It’s not the best way to start the morning. Disturbing images of tortured or missing Tibetans dominated the posters. Understandably, no effort was spared in hiding the…
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