My Birthday: Who deserves a celebration Me or…..???

21^st Nov…Delhi. 7-00 PM: My wify is preparing my favorite cuisine with red-wine for the dinner before she surprised me with a beautiful Casio Edifice wrist-watch. My son, as energetic as ever is wishing me for my day. My parents called me in the early morning to wish me while I was getting ready for the office…but you know every minute in the morning runs faster so just took their wish and run for the daily routine.

 

Back to 1979. As the clock moved to 12-30 AM and as date just changed its digit from 21^st Nov to 22^nd Nov in the dead of the night, when the half of the globe were still in its sweet dreams, some 10 odd people of a joint-family in the far-east corner of India in a country-village were celebrating birth of a little….its a baby Boy!!!…..This is how destiny counted my time and brought the smiley curve to a struggling family then.

As the modernly stepped in, eventually this joint-family disintegrated and formed a few nuclear families. Economic health still remained same though. I am the second and only son among three siblings. However, arrival of the third (my younger sister) marked knocking of fortune at the door of fate of my parents and ours. We shifted from village to an urban-town as my father earned a respectable govt-service. We feel ourselves lucky as we have experienced different facets of life at different phases.

As kids, we had our days of chasing butterflies by riverside vegetable and paddy fields in country-village. During our schooling days, we were shifting schools in every 3~4 years as my father’s job was transfer oriented, though we enjoyed different urban cultures. But care and proper guidance by our parents ensured that our upbringing and education was not affected by these variations and they took the necessary pain to shield us against any adverse affect coming out of these conditions.

Going back to the time and day when I breadth the first air. The sweet-cry coming out of the first encounter of two tiny lungs and the earthly air- that has the power to bring smiles and tear of joy to every parent. The highest joyful, yet a very painful moment of labor of a beloved mother when a tense father counts every passing minute and pray almighty for a safe mother and baby…..and I say -This is my moment and only I deserve to celebrate the day every year from now on.

Being the next flag bearer of the family, I do enjoy a few decimal more affection from my parents specially from my mother (just a feel). Since the day from where I recall well…unlike normal birthday celebration with a cake, my mother used to offer prayer and offer puja to God and distribute sweets among little kids every year till I moved out of home for my higher studies and then for job. I have hardly celebrated my birthday with my aged friends. My mother believes that little kids are equivalent to God and they only bestow blessing from their heart….and I say –I wanna celebrate this day with an English way.

Here we are celebrating yet another birthday. This is my birthday and of course I do deserve to be at the center of the stage. As I took a sip of the finest red-wine sitting in the balcony and appreciated its aroma, but deep down somewhere…..I am feeling something has been left behind……Don’t somebody more deserve to be part of this celebration because of whom I am here?……Don’t they deserve some appreciation for their unconditional pain and efforts on this special day who have never asked you for any recognition? If success of life can be measured by the trophies at your showcase, wealth that you have accumulated, social power you have, fat of your bank balance or number of real estate’s you have????….or success lies in how many lives you have touched……

Feeling like calling my Mother and Dad……..Hello Ma….

(Being true to myself- following my inner voice and celebrating an event called life).

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Tiger Falls, Chakrata, A lesser known Crowning Beauty….

Chakrata….what is that? where it is? Wondered, my friend Rajat and my sister when I proposed it for our next tour destination. It took nearly more than an hour to convince the team while I explained with my limited information collected. However, I was multiplying things with my imagination for selling the idea, which later I found that I was actually picking some small pebbles out of its vast oceanic beauty.

A lesser known destination, Chakrata is a hidden jewel on the Dev Bhumi of Uttrakhand. Few people know that it has got one of India’s best kept secret of nature. The majestic Tiger Falls….the second highest fall of India, but the information is spreading as fast as it gets, thanks to the modern generation info-wonder the internet. If you have a zeal for adventure and thrill for mountains and seeking for an escape to the lap of Mother Nature, this is the place you have thrive for. Chakrata has mastered seduction on its own way. These mountains with daunting cliff, jaw-dropping scenery will always beg you for an exploring. Dramatic peaks, natural untouched beauty at its best will keep your adrenaline flowing. You will feel like a pioneer while you will have an enthralling session with the crowning beauty of the Tiger falls.

Chakrata is a place where only Indian identities can have a trip. It is Indian army’s mountain training centre. Due to this it, is not being promoted like other commercial hill stations. People say ex-LTTE chief V. Prabhakaran honed his mountain-battle skills here as a part of Indian army. During Dec~Jan it experiences snow, while July~Sep it changes to its lush green designer suit. It is just 90 odd km away from Dehradun.

Ever since I had a bookish encounter with the Legendary Sinbad the sailor, i was really thrilled to search for such kind of experience. Being at the capital city of Delhi does help as you are very close to the affordable driving distance from the mighty Himalaya and its far spreading ranges. We have been to several points of this range and each destination is unique within it-self and carries its own charming stories.

It was somewhere mid June-2009, with the mercury rising to its peak at Delhi- right time for the work hard party harder guys like us for a break to recharge the our batteries.

The team consisted of the DINK families (as they say Double Income No Kid) at that time-Sis family, Rajat family with his bro and uncle, mine one and one common friend Puneet & cousin Pankaj.

Day 1:

The Route: Approx 330 kms (Delhi>>Shaharanpur>>Herbertpur>>Vikasnagar>>Kalsi>>Chakrata)

Approx journey time: 7.5 hrs, including lunch breaks & tea breaks etc.

Vehicle: Two Innova arranged at a very competitive rate by Rajat (courtesy: His office)

Accommodation: We booked 3 suites at hotel –Snow view (a British made old structure)

We started early in the morning with an intention to avoid traffic at Delhi. However, being the summer vacation month in school, we came across so many DL –registered vehicle going for their hilltop. We were sure most of them were heading for Shimla, Nainital and Manali etc. The hills welcome you after Vikasnagar. By approx 3-00pm we were at our destination- Snow view hotel. After long patch of journey, the time was perfect for refreshment and relaxes.

Day 2: Target of the day was Tiger Falls. We decided to explore some local offerings nearby instead of our Hotel services for the break-fast while we started early for the Tiger falls.

A few minutes of drive, we spotted a roadside tea-point. Mild rain and cool wind was blowing across; all we needed was a little warmth. Hot soupy Maggy noodles cooked with fresh tomatoes, finely chopped onions, green sillies, coriander leaves and the aroma of those Smokey vapors over it, with warm black tea served in a commonly found vintage glass, on a cool hill-top, add our empty belly. Oye Hye….you could not ask for more. I (guess all) cleaned up till the last noodle. Oh Boy!! Last thing I wanted a smooth glide of my tongue over the soupy layer on the plate to complete the satisfaction. Should I….shouldn’t I….!!! Somehow I managed to stop the boyish thing respecting to the situation. (O really….Not at all, I actually did that while my back protecting the view from others).

Interestingly, that was the point, where four wheels can help you, beyond you have to use your own god given moving sticks. Words from the locals at the tea shop encouraged us as they said it is a very easy track of 25 mins to reach the fall.

We started our track through the bushes with an inner feeling of a pioneer, 15 min gone…no sign of any water fall. We wondered “are we at the right path”. Never mind, the scenic panorama around was mind blowing enough to keep our adrenaline flowing. Another, 10 min of walk we started to hear the music of water hitting the ground, however unable to locate from where it was coming. We saw a wall of hill on the way and as we just pepped by its side our jaw dropped to see the roaring Tiger.

It was indeed a heavenly feeling to find this virgin beauty, a tall beautiful water fall. It was all we we and we…..It remind me of the famous advertisement of Liril soap where a beautiful lady was enjoying a fall-bath with greenery all around.

We did all possible crazy things like getting directly under the falling water, going behind the falling water, some attempting swimming. Shallow and cool water with natural music on the back ground made the whole environment dramatic and add some young wild free people. The party lasted for around two hours. Our minds were still strong enough to continue but body was not backing up, hence time for the return. End of fun time with a wish to appointment for another day another time.

We returned back to the hotel, ordered for the Dinner (which is common practice in semi-commercial hills where food arrangements takes time). We had nice outing in the evening around the small market area. We spotted an army uniform shop and curiously went inside and ended up buying caps, belts etc as a souvenirs.

Time and river wait for none. It was end of day 2 already. We had our dinner early in the evening before surrendering to the cool night.

Day 3: So, time for the return journey. We took a different route through a place called Yamunaghat. This route was more picturesque than the one through which we invaded.

Though the rainy season made this path terrible, in some places we encountered mini water streams across the road. We halted near the Yamuna river. Took some snaps by the river-side, while a few tried their hand in angling.

We reached Delhi in the evening. End of a beautiful voyage and sweet memories with near and dear ones…..a spark that will keep powering us for rest of our life journey.

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