White light..expressions..the purity of emotions

My first photo blog..its a story through pictures..!!

White Light..purity..woman's heart

The White light of purity, of transparency as it envelops everything in its wake, purifying everything. Its the essence of being a human!!

Colours..and white light

The colours of undiluted laughter, of myraid hues as they spread over, the creativity of soul and of life!!

The soul of food, salt

The life giver and saver, it is what spices up things, the small white unit crucial to taste and to life!!

The captured shadow

The strangulated shadow of white light as it peeks from the curtains of darkness, watching the transformation of itself, of its essence, of the humanity.

Light at the end of tunnel

The long wait at the end of tunnel for the illumination of white light, of justice and of happiness and of peace!

A short trip to pondicherry..

The magic of a sunset, is the orange hues

splashed across the bronzed sky

as the wide leaves of the coconut trees

sway in the cool mystical sea breeze!!

Sunset at Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, India 

The story started from a friend's wedding in Chennai, and with the long weekend around the corner. We decided to go to Pondicherry, the land where time stops. Unlike the beach capital of Goa, a pondicherry holiday is about relaxation and cafe hopping and shopping at auroville!!

We took an AC bus from koyambedu bus stop in Chennai, and got lucky as the bus was waiting at the stop. With the ticket cost of only Rs.135, it was an awesome bargain and the bus didn't disappoint at all. We started around 9.30 pm and by 1.30 the bus had dropped us to our destination, pondicherry bus stop.

Our earlier booked hotel, a bed and breakfast Inn in the french quarters had cancelled our booking at last minute and we stayed at hotel sathya sai, which turned out to be a great bargain again at Rs.800 a day for 2 person stay. The room was clean with a big enough bathroom and a functional TV, and teh staff was helpful and cooperative.

To roam around the city, you can easily hire a bike or a bicycle. A bike would only cost around Rs.400 for a day and you can bargain for 2 days easily.

Here's my summary of the Best Cafes I liked in Pondicherry:

1. The Indian Kaffe Express
- Absolutely great for breakfast with innovative options and really tasty food. The service takes a bit of time but then pondicherry is for relaxation. It is well situated within the french quarters and you should definitely give it a try!!

2. Zuka
- For all chocolate lovers, this is nothing less than heaven and absolute must try!!

3. The Hidesign Cafe
- An absolute bargain with delicious food!! and a great location being inside the pondicherry bazaar
Much better than the expensive options

4. Le Cafe
- Awesome location right beside the beach and good snack options

We also tried LB2 lounge and cafe Shanti, but they were ok nothing great as such! and you can try so many other cafe options available!!

Coming back to attractions, we did roam around the majestic french quarters, its a must see. And we did some shopping around the bazaar, if you like leather bags, definitely try hidesign factory outlet where you can get as much as 60-70% off.

Pondicherry Market, pondicherry, Tamil Nadu

I loved this small bazaar with mud objects, they were a treat to watch.

Next day we started off in morning to auroville, on our rented bike and reached quite easily in about 35 minutes. We walked to the statue, which was nice and then shopped around for incense sticks and hand made soaps. We had a nice quite lunch and then moved to serenity beach in pondicherry.

Coming to beaches, there is obviously the promenade, the rocky beach but it is mostly crowded. Serenity beach was a great discovery. It has less crowd, you can do surfing here and it's great to just sit on the rocks and watch waves crash by. Its quite clean, littered with fishermen boats.

Serenity Beach, Pondicherry

Pondicherry is a great weekend break, for relaxation! For just roaming around!!

Serenity Beach, Pondicherry

A Monsoon love story: Me and the Andaman Islands!!

Monsoons are romantic, monsoons are colourful..the pallete of colours that appears on sky can put any colourful painting to shame. I am a hopeless lover of the monsooons..so my first travel post is a monsoon post to the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

So yes, I travelled in the off season, of late july, which has both pros and cons. The tourists were still there but much lesser than the peak season, and you are free to enjoy the island beauty in its stillness in its charming loneliness!! On the flipside, a few of the beaches were closed and there is no private ferry, although I really enjoyed the charm of the government ferry, also was way cheap on the pocket.

Port Blair, Andaman Islands

So on a five day trip..this is how our iterinary went
- Landed in port Blair around 1..spent the day there
- Day 2 to havelock Island in a government ferry
- Day 3 to Niel from Havelock and spent the day there
- Day 4 Back to havelock, entire day there
- Day 5 Morning back to Port Blair and flight from there

The highlights of the trip or the things you should definitely do, in part images and part words..

Cellular Jail

1. Cellular Jail
Its a sad tragic story with a beautiful architecture and in the rains it just becomes more magnificent!!

Architecture of cellular Jail, Port Blair

The architecture with massive lines is just imposing, it narrates a tale of perseverance and strength. Its the main thing to see in port blair. It was an afternoon spent well.

View from the top- cellular Jail

We spent the evening at Rajiv Ghandhi park, which looks beautiful in evening with monsoon clouds There is nothing much to do here just stroll around and relax.

Rajiv Gandhi Park, Port Blair

Then started the journey to Havelock, the governemnt ferry leaves at 6.30 am and second at 9.30, we missed the first one

Boats at Havelock Deck, Andaman Islands

Havelock is just beautiful, to describe it as anything else would be just not true. Radhanagar beach, vijaynagar beach and kalapathar..the white sands, crystal blue water and untouched natural beauty. Radhanagar beach has truly been described as one of the best beaches in Asia, but I loved Kalapatahr becah even more, its just pristine, yet untouched.

Kalapathar Beach, Havelock Islands

Kalapathar Beach, Havelock Islands, Andaman

It's very easy to roam around in havelock using a two wheeler on rent. Personally I didnt find much in Neil island, you can easily roam around using a bicycle. We did snorkelling here, since the crowds are lesser. You can give it a miss, if you don't have much time.

I hope you like reading it and was somewhat helpful, would love to hear your comments!!

Andaman Islands

Breathing in monsoon, the green scent of freshness!

Chikmaglur in Monsoon rains

Monsoons, when the fairy tales are written

the scent of fresh green, and the mellowed yellows

the soil soaks in and breathes the raindrops

the illuminated colours against the backdrop of clouds

dark, black, soothing and calming

It is the time of love stories being written

on the moist leaves laden with raindrops

the fragrances of freshness, of rain soaked earth

of leaves emanating the scent of vigour, newness

earth emanating the scent of love..among all.. 

The birds sang the song of reunion, of the rain and the dry parched earth, as the car maneuvered the pathways of the mountains to the paradise of rain town Chikmaglur. The first scent that emanated from the forest was of freshness, refreshed tress and leaves, of everything bright and new. The light green of the leaves, and the bathed brown of the deep rooted trees. The trip had started with the singular scent of freshness, freshness of a rain bathed forest, leaves sparkling with small drops and the forest shining in the colour of green.

The patch of brown, watery mud emanated the scent of the monsoon, the earth baked and parched hungrily drowned in the rain. The reunion of the two long lost lovers, the fragrance of love, the fragrance of the eternal scent of the earth drenched in the rains. 

The road ahead curved, as the marigolds gleamed from the faraway distance. The scent of the flowers, the flower of gods as it danced in the monsoon breeze. The bright orange against the dark cloud, the scent of sweetness, of the fresh marigolds as it blended with the scent of freshness and the monsoon rains.

The evening dusk approached slowly as the bright red was splashed by the white clouds. From the window I soaked in the monsoon rain, the single most special fragrance, the fragrance of rain, mixed with the freshness of trees and leaves and the sweet scent of marigold flowers and the scent of the dry parched earth soaked in the rain, carried by the monsoon wind as it refreshes you, awakes you, makes you fall in love and believe in the new tomorrow!!

The Blog is a part of Indiblogger contest, #InspireAFragrance
http://www.godrejaer.com/ 

Zest..let's add spice to everyday!!

"What Hunger is in relation to food, zest is in relation to life"- Bertand russel

Without zest, life would be boring. People, places, things and events that turn everyday ordinary into extraordinary, that add zest to life. Here's my list, of what adds spice to everyday life:

The first has to be the smell of an old classic book, just opening the book smelling it first and then reading it again, treasuring the story that has imprinted on life, on thoughts. Relishing the storytelling of a maestro, the artwork of a master painter. The old classics like sherlock holmes add that feeling of wow to the everyday ordinary of living. They transport you into another world, full of possibilities, unlimited.

Source: http://www.socialsciencespace.com/

Next comes an unplanned road trip, specially during monsoons. If somebody has to see the beauty of Indian landscape it is through road trips during monsoons. Beautiful curvy roads, dark clouds, trees lined on both sides and a beautiful sturdy car complete the painting, a painting that makes you forget drudgery and invokes the explorer within. Road trips in car, not only make you  relax, but awaken you, to do things that you dreamed of, to create that excitement of being alive.

Drive to chikmaglur

Third is writing, just simply writing, writing anything. Writing to express myself, old tales of travel, of love of hurt. Writing to let myself go in a fictional world, a world where I play the puppeteer, writing stories untold. Writing to release my expressions, unsaid emotions, writing to create a new space in my thinking, a space not discovered yet. Writing to let people know a part of my identity, hidden till now. That's what adds zest, true zest to live a little more.

Source: www.globeuniversity.edu

Fourth is watching an unknown movie, a movie from a faraway land. A movie not popularized my commercial cinema, but a movie that melts the heart; that makes you sit up and start noticing, a movie that makes you think harder, that makes you empathize, that makes you learn, that makes you widen your horizon. A movie that simply makes you live more, to discover and explore.

Zest of life

And lastly meeting a friend, parents, anybody who makes you remind of the people around you  who accept you as you are, without any changes, in all the good and bad that you are. People who make you believe in the inherent goodness, and persuade you to let go of that can harm. People who stand by you, even when you give up and who hold your hand at the crossroads to take a journey with unknown end. somebody who you love, somebody you want to be with always, that's what is Zest of life all about!!


This post is a part of the #ZestUpYourLife
 activity in association with TATA Zest 
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Real Men don't rape and real women don't expose? Is that the comparison??

Just Some news flashes:

- 6 year old girl raped in school premises in Bangalore
- 22 year old girl raped in Bangalore- by men posing as cops
- people making fun of rape cases- by posing in a particular pose

And so many more, women being raped, acid attacks, children molested and what all. I just want to ask a
few fundamental questions, being a woman, for I am unable to understand and answer:

I wear a short dress, I show my bra strap

how did you read that as an invitation

to molest me?To harass me? to view me as an object?

How is it that I enter a territory

where doing anything to me is justifiable?

Why wasn't I told this earlier

That as a WOMAN, I have NO right to wear

clothes that I want?

Why am I told on steps how to prevent rape?

Don't go out at night, don't drink

don't speak to any stranger, don't travel alone?

Why, Why , why , why

don't you tell MEN, not to rape?

that wearing anything, being with anyone at any hour

that BEING A WOMAN,

IS NOT AN INVITATION TO RAPE!!

Source: http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/dengler/Interesting

How is it that there is justification of such acts?

how is it that as a society we allow such people to speak?

how is it that songs which objectify women

are what are chart busters? and nobody raises an eyebrow?

How is it that it becomes an individual case?

and we escape the moral responsibility?

How is it that it is unsafe to be born as a WOMAN?

as a society we abhor equality? justice?

how is it that eve-teasing is a fun activity?

how is that we stand mute as spectators?

is there ANY, ANY change that will ever happen?

Black is beautiful! Black is desire..

The dark night, approached mystically

black, sensuous with the scent of desire

it twirled, it danced, it laughed

and it asked for wishes, dark, secretive

With it's magic wand, clothed in black

it picked some, mysterious..Surreptitious..

as the game of seduction just began..

in search of that perfect, elusive, date..

1. The first in the line of fantasy wish list, a black chiffon sari, with small silver beads as it embraced me in its warmth and its charm. It illuminated me with its vastness and depth as it absorbed everything within. It hugged me in its luminescence, and I walked on the red carpet laid down by moonlight. The black not only defined me, that I am mysterious, I am different and I am confident, it gave me a language. A language of unspoken charm and grace. 

2. The gleaming Black BMW is next in the line of desire as it stood waiting. The darkness reflected the power of the shining black car, as it waited for its turn to rule over its empire. The black not only symbolized the strength, but the unapologetic sexiness that drew people towards it. It is the undeclared king of roads, as the black monster, roared along with me, on a journey undefined..on the rough paths. 

2. The gleaming single dark black pearl chain, is what desires are meant for. It gleamed against the skin, as it created the halo of the awe that inspires jealousy and envy. It rested on the space between the neck and chest, a space its darkness ruled with the incomprehensible charm. The strength of that elusive black pearl, not only draws but commands attention as it seductively wins over hearts.It's rare, it is mystic and it is poetry of unparalleled desire.

3. Its beauty is the elegance, the rarity of its existence, the charm of its unique shades that makes you feel blessed, the mystery of the black rose. To hold it is intoxication, the nectar of the darkness, a single perfect Black rose, the elusive story. 

5. The charm of the perfect dark kohl, the black kajal as it turn the coy eyes to the bold, that seductive look that can melt away hearts and pierce the shields. The dream for that perfect kajal, which can define the aura and the power of black. The black, as it seduces and displays its intensity as it conveys without even talking. The simmering of dark black kohl lined eyes, as they set out on a journey to conquer.

The night, all black and dark, stood regally

as the laughter echoed,in the illuminated night

the black pearl gleamed, in its velvety touch

the scent of the black rose, mysterious

trailing of the seductive black chiffon sari

framed by the bold black kohl lined eyes

as the powerful black BMW roared

"black ruled", in its vastness, in its charm

in its rarity and in its calm!!

This post is a part of #WhatTheBlack activity at BlogAdda.com