Switzerland of South India

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings,

Natures's peace will flow into you as Sunshine flows into trees.

The winds will blow their own freshness into you

While cares will drop off like autumn leaves"    said John Muir.

This is what I realised and experienced during my visit to the Switzerland of South India popularly called as Himavad Gopalswamy Betta.

It is about 100 miles away from Mysore and can be reached by Car or by Bus.Some amount of hike is necessary to reach the hill top.

As we reach atop the hill a sense of happiness blows up from our Inner mindsets and heart, accompanied by cold wind blowing during the hike when the hike trail is taken.

With the Sun fading away making way for the clouds and Sun masking the cloud each time every few minutes makes us feel as if both the Sun and the Clouds are playing the game of Hide and Seek.The Velocity of the cold Breeze is gives us a feeling as if it is trying to take us along with it, but returns back in vain

When we looked around due to the cold breeze,the hip length grasses dance in a uniform motion which is a very wonderful site to watch and eye catching.The sense of happiness and sort of contentment which we gain by experiencing the cold breeze and seeing the grass dance cant be expressed in words at all.

As I climbed the wonderful hills,I felt as if I was reaching a very great height and the clouds were only a few steps away from me!!When looked around I felt as if I was being hugged in the arms of Mother Nature tightly and she was showing me all around the place which included tiny little ponds,many hills around all away from the city and humans habitations.

I slept on a rock gazing the sky to realise that I was away from all the worldly tensions and activities.I felt relieved of all the worries I had experienced in the near past and I realised that this is what is called as real happiness which is given naturally by Mother Nature alone.

With no heart to leave such a wonderful place I bid it good bye as it made me a new person by bestowing on me a new sense of happiness,warmth and confidence...

I have not got a chance to visit SWITZERLAND until now.But I feel Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta cannot have a synonym even SWITZERLAND I believe!!

Memorable Trip to New York!

Far across lands had I heard and read about this dream land where ambitions come true,than did I really get an opportunity to visit New York during the Memorial Day weekend. With our Wedding Anniversary being round the corner this trip became more special and close to the heart.

With all excitement we boarded our flight to the East coast of the vast country from LA.As RUK had already visited New York before, we actually had already planned our trip completely before we started. No sooner did we reach New York than were we completely jet lagged, still did we manage to visit the Empire State Building as planned.So dumbfounded were we when we reached one of those top floors of the building to catch the holistic view of the city of everyone's dreams.The audio tour provided by them really helped us to identify the places which were just seen as pictures before.

Rains had certainly decided that they would accompany us everywhere during our vacation.With Umbrellas in our hands we walked into 'Saravana Bhavan' to have an awesome homely meal after months.As we had put up in Manhattan, all the places that we had planned to visit were at a walking distance. After few minutes of rest we started to walk across the roads of Manhattan and reached Times Square. The glittering lights and the hush of people were all over the place. The panoramic view of this place is saved permanently in the folder of the best moments in my mind.Later we reached the Broadway theater to watch "The Phantom of the Opera".This first experience of Opera carved a niche for itself permanently. Such a fantabulous show it was! 

Times Square in Rains

No sooner did the Opera get over than did we reach Time Square to capture another glimpse of the same.Early next morning we took a train and reached the ferry that took us to the famous Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The Liberty Statue which we had seen from the Empire State building as a small ant was such a gigantic structure when seen from a close distance.The view of the sky scrappers from the Liberty Island was one awesome view that captures our heart.Later did we reach the Ellis Island to see the history of how powerful country US of A was built.

Statue of Liberty

Brooklyn Bridge which reminded of SRK's 'Kal Ho Na Ho' was next over the list. The local Metropolitan Trains was something which made me believe in time. The trains marched towards the track over that accurate minute and this actually made us cover all that we had planned well ahead of time.The Bull of Wall Street became our next pit stop.So big and huge are the Sky scrappers that our neck starts aching viewing them from the ground. There seems to be no end to the line of those gigantic structures in Manhattan at all.

The WTC was our next stop which made our heart melt down for those thousands of innocent lives which were lost due to the ghastly activity of few self centered idiosyncratic fanatical terrorists. Also did we see how millions pattern of living were dislocated and created panic amongst everyone then.The Museum and the videos makes us get back to that dark day of history.

The American Natural History Museum which was our next destination was planned very early in the morning as we knew that it would take a complete day.The artifacts takes us back to those high school days of our life.Viewing those awesome things in the Museum and comprehending the same to what we had actually read over text books back then, makes it even more memorable.By the time we reached Central Park it was almost evening.A Romantic walk by the Central park with the Love of your Life is what we dream of and it was a dream come true! 

Central Park

Time flew by like an early morning alarm which we snooze every five minutes until it reaches that time where waking up is the only option left.It was time for us to say good bye to that awesome place which made our vacation the best ever vacation. We then reached the Grand Central station and spent some time around that common meeting place of every New Yorker. True are the words of Tom Wolfe who says "One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years".

Niagara-A Once in a Lifetime Experience!!

There are so many things and places that etch permanently in our minds and hearts.One such marvelous place was the "Majestic Niagara".The beauty of Niagara is just the one of it's kind and there can't be anything synonymous to it.

American and Bridal Veil Falls

It was a short weekend trip to Niagara from the west to east coast of US and the travel from one coast of the vast country to another was crazy and tiring.The very sight of the wondrous Niagara made us completely forget the tiredness.No sooner do we enter the state park from the US of A side, did we see just the Niagara river flowing.Later did we realize that the same river just flows down the falls just next to us with great force as it becomes the American Falls.Next to American Falls is what we see the famous Bridal Veil Falls which is synonymous to the Veil of a Bride.It is a small fall, but a sight that captures our heart.

Horseshoe Falls

During the course of stroll while seeing this nature's beauty do we get to see the marvelous Rainbow bridge which connects US to Canada.The bridge is itself one of it's kind.There is always a Rainbow seen when travelled across the Bridge.Then further down do we get into the just amazing experience of the trip-The Maid of the Mist. The Ferry takes us across and near all the falls and when we reach the HorseShoe Falls, no words can appreciate the nature's very own beauty.The one of its own kind "Horseshoe Falls" comes down with great force and the mist is completely covered.With the ferry just a few meters away, water just falls over us giving us the real feeling of being a part of the Nature's beauty.

I did recall another amazing Jog Falls back home near Sagar of ShimogaDistrict,Karnataka, but the experience that we have in Niagara is something different than what we get in Jog.There are four different falls named Raja,Rani,Rocket and Rorer which falls from a very great height when compared to Niagara. But each fall of Niagara is so continuous and the breadth is more when compared to Jog Falls.

A lot of pictures were captured and the view of all the three falls were done from multiple heights and places and every vista point was a treat to the eye and heart.

PS: Please note that I have not compared any falls and this is just my view of the Falls as I have seen both the falls.

When the Happiest place became Merrier!!

Disney Land Castle of Dreams

As a small kid I always dreamt of  living with all those fantastic characters,

As a small little girl those fairy tales fascinated me;

As a young girl I dreamt about living those fairy tale characters myself,

As a big girl I again dreamt of that young prince from those fairy tale characters who would sweep me away by the magic of Love.

Yes and Yes..This was my second visit to the Happiest place on Earth. And this time I visited this when it had become more Merrier..

Still guessing and clueless about the magical place I am speaking about..Yes, here it is..It is all about the Disney Land that I am jotting about when the land had become more merrier than it was.

It was a dream come true when I stepped into this Magical Land-The Disney Land where Mickey and Minnie bestowed their warm welcome.This magical land has been divided into so many small lands that it takes more than two days to visit and enjoy.

We visited this land off late when the land had become more merrier.Guess when will this happiest place become merrier..?? It’s only during Christmas that this Happiest place gets more merrier.The parade in the evening shows all the dreamy characters go live that no two eyes are enough to live and feel the same.The parade opens up with Mickey and Minne followed by the Flying Elephant.Within minutes we can see Snowhite and Cindrella waking along with their handsome young prince’s.Then comes the Santa’s mail room which takes out all the possible names of those young kids who had written a mail to Santa and what not..Life just gets merrier more and more when the fire works across the Castle begins..

Then again there are attraction rides of the mad tea party which makes us go more mad, there s Alice in the wonderland, there’s tomorrow  land and not to forget there’s Snow white and Sleeping Beauty Castle walk through..There ‘s Winnie the Pooh and the flying elephant and not to forget Peter Pan's Flight. There are those cute toy train rides that takes us back to our childhood.All that we dream is present there as a whole bunch that we do not feel like getting out of the Merriest place.

The land is so very organized that we just need to go ahead and visit the same. In case we are stuck there are people who would guide us and then more than everything we have those Iphone and Android Apps which become crazily handy which has the updated wait time for all the fun activities and shows and based on that we can plan our whole visit.

Looking forward to visit the land of “The Lands” again and again in days and years to come to forget the present and live a dream- a dream which really comes true!!

In love

In Love with Cooking

It’s been a while that I wrote something.Lots of drastic changes in my life led to no room for this personal liking of mine-to pen down my thoughts..Just started thinking on what can I actually write about as there loads and loads of topics.Finally decided to write something about Cooking which I have done for the most part of these days and I am loving every bit of it.

There was a time when I hardly even stepped into the Kitchen and mom,grandmom used to suffice my stomach with all those Yummy dishes they used to prepare. I never even bothered to know about the ingredients put into the dish and used to just gobble up and escape.

There was again a time when I stayed in the hostel that “Maggi” and “Ragi Hurihittu” –called Sweet Ragi Powder were the two delicacies that I mastered upon. And even today I just love Maggi and miss those old Hostel memories that I have with Maggi.The bonding that I have with Maggi is that of a soul mate.

Then I started getting all pampered staying back at home.Just the monotonous daily routine of going to the office, getting back and eating yummy food that my aunt prepared became so boring that I felt I need some change, something which I should learn and do.. So I started assisting mom, aunt and just observe what they exactly do and how efficiently they utilize the available resources to prepare the mouth watering dishes in the stipulated amount of time.

I made up my mind and started experimenting with mom and aunt.Experimenting on all those daily dishes that they prepare and experiment the same by adding few extra ingredients was just fun.This was very very occasional though! (Depended more over my moods accompanied by my laziness).Post discussion topics about the dishes prepared were good! Got many inputs about easy preparation of the same.

Then came the biggest turning point of my life that I got married and had to come down to work and stay with my husband in USA. With he being one of those persons who happens to be a “Health-freak Foodie” and me being “free to eat anything kind of a foodie” ,as an independent beginner I began to think the way that I can cook that balances both our lifestyles. Started experimenting with Idli’s followed by the daily South Indian menu’s which has a tinges of the North Indian flavor added to the same. Luckily my experiments are turning out to be good. (Inputs and feedbacks received only from Umesh who has no other go but eat what ever I prepare).

My phone calls with mom spans from the daily activities that I do and also discussion about the recipes and the kind of balances, ingredients and substitutes for the ingredients that are not available here.Every evening when I leave office and walk back home, I begin thinking cooking.Think about what all can I cook from the available ingredients at home.Have started following few website and blogs for recepies and there is no end for the same. I sometimes think why didn’t I show so much of a interest towards cooking before.Cooking is just fun.Makes us good Managers.Efficient managers to manage and cook with the available resources over stipulated amount of time.Feels good when I prepare something and it feels more good when someone has it and provides feedback about the same. Frozen food is okay, but readily cooked food is just awesome.:)

Finally to conclude I can whole heartedly tell that I have fallen in Love with Cooking.

There’s a proverb in Kannada with regard to the same “Kaliyo tanaka brahma vidye, kalita mele kapi chesthe”.I guess that is true. As I fallen in Love with cooking, guess I would love experimenting on more and more recepies in days and years to come.

PS: The reviews and feedbacks about the dishes are given by my only husband who has no other go, but to munch what ever I prepare.

PSS: No hard feelings towards Frozen foods.Personally readily cooked food is more tastier that the frozen ones!

Contrasting Dreams

She sat relaxing hearing euphonies,when her playlist played this song "Baanalli Odo Megha" from the biggest hit "America America" by Nagathalli Chandrashekhar in which contrast between two parts of the globe is portrayed brilliantly in the form of contrasting dreams.With her mind almost moving along the same Contrasting Dreams as beautifully spun in the song,she started thinking what could  be the true meaning as she had 100's of varying questions running all over her mind. Analysing the true meaning of this poem answered all her questions perfectly..And here it goes..

Considering clouds and hills as two independent entities, both have their own wonderful and unique features with one being just moving and the later being stationary.One cannot survive without the other.But still, be it the clouds or the hills both bestow lots and lots of Love. 

The sky in which the Clouds reside can always be considered as a reflection of our thoughts which reside in our inner heart.Our inner heart always has dreams wherein each dream is woven and interwoven every now and then typically in the form of precious beads and when we achieve one dream we begin thinking about the other and this chain of beads spreads all over the sky and there lies no end to this chain of dreams, wherein every one dreams of reaching greater height which is far and far away synonymous to a small dot.They like a bird flutter their wings from one dream to other and fly away to reach that small dot leaving behind all that they have, all those loving things which love them the most.

On the Contrary, there lies a dream which has a very strong root and has dreams of achieving more and more things over the support of the strong root that has already been planted since ages.This makes their life more greener than how it was.They stay behind with all those things which love them and with their support they have a more greener life over that strong base.They always question the Clouds which reside in the sky,with one eternal question being why had you to fly like a bird to reach that dream of your's when that can be created and achieved here itself over that strong root which obviously provides them support just as the later one gets..Why why and why??

The answer and conclusion is pretty nice, true and factful wherein it clearly explains and makes us realise certain things.Even though the clouds break in the sky itself leading to rain and more rain,the rain drops have to obviously fall down to the ground(law of Gravity) as they have their place inside the mud and no where else.So this makes peace treaty between the two contrasting dreams and makes them go hand in hand as one cannot survive without the other.So it can be finally ceased that all kinds of contrasting dreams have the same end, what ever may the dream be!!

2011 and Me!!

I actually have the very habit of sharing my thoughts about the year that past by every year on the 31st of December.So here it goes..

In the year 2011, I experienced most of the phases : downfall,rise,luck,happiness,surprises everything and everything..I can proudly tell that it was a complete year for me..

Realised how people around are, how am I to them…A stupid bunch of friends with whom I crazily hanged out and laughed to my hearts content ..

Guess that’s it…Have become a bit lazy to write more..

Hoping to make 2012 a memorable one!!!!!