Trenchant

Isha Meet – Dhyanalinga & Parikrama project

This post might make complete sense to folks who are already introduced to ISHA. For those who are not… please see http://www.ishafoundation.org (or better still, talk to me! ) before reading further.

I went to an ISHA meet after really long. This one was not a Satsang but was a meet for the volunteers to discuss about the parikrama project.

Wanted to share what I could grasp from the meet.So, here’s what.

Sadguru envisioned this Praikrama project ever since the Dhyana linga was consecrated 12 yrs ago.

Parikrama is to my knowledge, all the infrastructure that would be needed around the Dhyana linga, in such a way that a visitor is prepared by just passing through the various facilities, to receive what the Dhyana linga can offer. One such a facility (or you could use a better word) is the Theertha Kund thats already around. A dip in the theertha Kund prepares our senses to calm down to be able to meditate and be receptive to whats available from Dhyana Linga.

So the Prikrama project at hand is to create one more theertha kund and several other such facilities. The project is estimated to cost around a 100 crore and is planned to be completed in the next 4yrs. This meet was to say that we could contribute in terms of money or any other form we can.

There were three excluisive videos of Sadguru that described the project and several Qs abt gathering the resources. Sadguru says, this facility at the ashram is here to stay to benefit people for thousands of years, and we’d contributors to something larger than human imagination could ever figure out.

I’ve registered to pay some amount per month via ECS direct debit. This might be meager money but its is some!

If this sounds good to you, I’d suggest you get in touch with any volunteer you know.

My first Night-Camping-Trip

I just came back from what was my first ever night camping trip. I’m perhaps completely exhausted right now with the amount of physical activity I’ve been through on an April Summer day. But I want to write about it before the excitement sinks in and I fall trap to the regularities of a frustrating IT life.

I joined the Great Hyderabad Adventure Club (aka GHAC) a few weeks ago and went on the Moulali Trek (see my blog post here). That experience was so very exciting that I feel like going on every one of the adventures/trips/treks GHAC organizes.

I signed up on this Night Camping and Adventure trip (RSVPd as folks at meetup call it!) and along came Vijay, Karteek, Pranshu and Puja. Shradda who co-organized the trip called us to meet at the pick-up point, Yatri Nivas near Paradise, Secunderabad. We were to meet a few more GHACians there and were to car-pool and head to the adventure destination.

That’s where we met LakshmiPathi. We five hopped on to his Bolero to meet a few more GHACians in Nanal nagar which was the other pick-up point. Soon as we introduced ourselves to LakshmiPathi, he asked us to call him Pathy instead. So did we! And more interestingly we came to know, Pathi is a Scientist working with Dow Chemicals. Me being a techie, rarely do I get a chance to meet people with careers completely different from mine. Luckily for me, I meet these amazing people from both GHAC and Toastmasters.

As we reached Morine Bakers just by the Nanal Nagar junction, we saw so many more GHACians all decked up for the trip. While I expected some hi-hellos there, Sharadda was rather busy ticking out the attendees and noting which car would each of us travel in.

So where were we headed? We were to reach a place called ‘Trails’ by the Anantagiri hills near Vikarabad, some 55Km from Nanal Nagar. Did we know the route? Nay, none in our car did! But fortunately for us, Shradda gave us the GHAC stickers to be stuck to the rears of our seven odd cars. So, we could follow any of those other cars. This was fun, trying to follow. We only had people following us lost-souls, but not one car for us to follow!

We were to stop by at this Tawakkal Family Dhaba for dinner. Less did we know that many had other plans and stopped by at a different place. While we figured out what to do, Srini joined us and more GHACians came soon. Tawakkal Dhaba had this lush lawn (of course sans the grass!) where they clubbed tables for eleven. While we ordered food and waited, we had quite some time for intros, well actually three rounds of them!

First round was sort of an ice-breaker where every one would intro their names and what they did for a living. We thought the food would come by then. It didn’t. So we thought we’d know more. To somehow match the context, each of us shared about places we’d traveled to. That was done. The food did not come yet. So there was another round of talk, and here, each of us would share some thing of their personal lives. Most talked about their life partners, would-be s. One interesting part of that chat was Puja, who assumed the head-of-the-family position at the table and the only girl in the current gang. Obviously, she was asked to talk first, each time!

Finally the food came. Let me tell you, the food was good. Even the cats at Tawakkal Dhaba knew it, for, Puja shared almost half of her rotis with cats and kittens that came greeting us visitors.

By the time we finished dinner, we came to know one IT consultant, a chemical Scientist, four TCSers of which I was one, three IBMers of which one was a Bengali another was a mallu born and bought up in north India and who thinks IT guys don’t really have a personal life, one entrepreneur who owns a Castro Bike Zone franchise, one Oracleian who hopped eight companies in his twelve year IT career, been to the Everest base-camp twice and traveled the length and breadth of India, one Satyam Ventures automobile designer, and what not.

After what I call one-hell-of-a-dinner, we were headed towards Trails. On the way there, we checked out a three meter long viper, dead, apparently killed by a few people. While we thought we’d be one of the first that would reach the venue, as irony would have it, we were the last but one!

We were shown the place where we’d erect our tents and camp for the night. It was a matter of minutes and the tents were there. A small one, an Igloo style tent, a looking-like-a-cave tent etc.

Shradda arranged for an intro for us thirty two member camping enthusiasts. And as would it obviously be, at least 25 were IT guys. Not again!

When we were trying to figure out what to do, a bonfire was lit and we joined for some talking. Okay, I cant miss telling you that we had one Mr. Neeraj, the Guitarist. Neeraj started by saying he is not much of a guitarist and not a good singer. And as a matter of fact, for some reason, not many of us knew most the songs he sang. So every time he said he was missing a line or not playing the guitar well, we all repeated in chorus ‘we wouldn’t know, so keep playing’. But to end this ordeal, Neeraj played John Denver – Leaving on a Jet Plane, and proved that he is not at all a bad singer, and that he could actually play the guitar!

An antyakshari of sorts ensued soon later as the bonfire cooled down. It was bed time. It was more than bedtime but we went on a small little trek on which Puja told us ghost stories (ha, she does that, you know!). The story inspired us to click this.

We reached the tents at around midnight and contrary to the usual expectation, most of us slept outside the tents, thanks to the summer heat! Puja thought it was unfair to tell the Ghost story to the select few on the trek. So she repeated it again to all that were already struggling to catch some sleep. Good night was that?

After a few hours of sleep-of-sorts, Jitendra who was co-organizing the trip, woke us up at a ghostly 0530hrs and said “lets get going guys”. We stood in queues at the one and only toilet and freshened up soon as we could, went out to a morning trek into the wild. I had been through such walks before as a kid but this one felt different. Well, it seemed to me as though a bunch of us got lost, and I thought it was fun to be lost in a jungle. But as fate would have it, we eventually were back at the camp. It seems the other groups (who were apparently not lost) spotted rabbit, deer, peacock and wild boar. We could only spot the most peculiar species on planet earth, the humans, us!   My camera spotted a little more.

We came back and talked and talked as waited for breakfast. Waiting for food has never been so much fun! There was a host of other activities lined up for the rest of the day. So, we were split into two groups headed by Shradda and Jitendra each. I thought that it would be easy on me if I put the camera and phone in Vijay’s bag and be care free. But what I miss now is the snaps for what I’d talk here on!

Okay, so people, it was rock-climbing time! This was much like the simulated rock climbing we see in Prasads cineplex. What I realized however was that it takes quite some energy and stamina. Thanks to a sleep-deprived night, a jungle walk and puri for breakfast, my batteries were at the lowest to start with. I could manage rock climbing, of course clinging on to a  harness, a helmet and someone holding you tight up with the ropes. But I could not manage Zoomering, which is  climbing up ropes using a device called zoomer. It requires quite a bit of your arm-strength.

After that, we did Earthquake. Well not actually quaking the earth, but crossing a host of wooden swings, while still wearing a harness! These activities were more than just exciting oneself with the adventure, physical and psychological challenge. It was loads and heaps of fun with the group who tease, appreciate, make fun of and encourage each other. I came to know more of each of them in my little group, we almost became friends! I’m sure if we meet again somewhere in the real world, it’d bring us back these wonderful memories.

Shortly after that, we valley crossed clinging again to a harness on ropes and pulleys. While that was not too exciting, it was sure fun to watch everyones’ expressions!

The feeling was exhaustion and what would come tomorrow would be body pains. Shradda said these would be ’sweet pains ‘.

After so much activity, which we would usually not do in our lazy lives, we were mighty hungry. We washed fast (and some even asked ‘haath dhona zaroori hai kya?’) and jumped to eat some yummy lunch. The food was good, especially the jalebi.

It was time for a group photo and then a game in the shade. My photo doesn’t capture all of them, but believe me, there were thirty two of us! Soon after, we reluctantly joined for a group game. The game was something like this – I choose a partner, and my partner responds to questions I’m asked, and that too quick. If he/she could not, he becomes the questioner. That kept us all completely alert!

Then Shradda and Jitendra did some accounting, and we tried our hand at Archery.

It was parting time and we did the bye byes quick!

The resort ‘Trails’ was a litter free and well maintained place, not too many arrangements and not any less. The staff were friendly and ready to help. Good food and great ambiance.

All in all this was one hell of a camping trip, thanks to the diligent organizing by Shradda, Jitendra and all those who assisted them. And thanks to all the thirty two who attended, and made it memorable.

I would look forward to more such trips. The spirit that you see amongst GHACians is unparalleled.

Guess I wrote too long a post. I’d so much to say, what do? The trip was worth it!

Please share your views in the comments section. I would like to know how you’d appraise my writing skill as well.

PS: On any of these trips GHACians follow one basic rule – No booze, No litter!

Wonderful fellows eh!

Trekking trip to Maula Ali Dargah

Yesterday morning I went on my first official trekking trip ever! What started as a casual invite from a friend to join her on the adventure, went on to become an unforgettable memory. The trip was every bit fun filled and I learnt how to trek too!

For those of you who are wondering where Moula Ali Dargah was… its located in Secunderabad some where in between Mirzalaguda, Tarnaka and ECIL.

The trek was organized by enthusiasts from the Great Hyderabad Adventure Club. They’re a club who come together to travel, trek, hike, camp etc. For every trip they go on, they start with an announcement on meetup.com and invite members to RSVP if they’d like to join. The club was founded in 2008 and has become so famous in these two years that there would be a waiting list of about 10 on every one of their meetup adventures.

I was lucky to have registered early, thanks to Moumita, a friend of mine from TCS. And soon as I told my roomies (read room-mates) about the idea, they jumped into registering on meetup. In all we were Bharath, Moumita, Anchal, Vijay, Arun, Naresh, Karteek and Ravi (not in this pic, ‘cos he was shooting it!).

The plan was to meet at Moula Ali at 0615 hrs on Saturday morning. And that meant we’d to get up at a ghostly 0430 hrs, get ready and drive some 20 odd Km to reach Moula Ali on time.

Somehow, things fall in place when we set out to have fun! Moumita and Karteek joined us roomies in just no time and there we were to meet twenty others. Padmaja from the organizing team greeted us, while I was contemplating if I knew this person already. Yes I did, I met here before at a Deloitte Toastmasters event. Aah Toastmasters… I must say its almost like a religion! I get to know quite a few wonderful people through it.  Now for example, there were at least four Toastmasters on this trek (Me, Moumita, Padmaja, Arun and Srivalli).

To describe the terrain that awaited us, Moula Ali dagrah was atop one huge rocky hill. In fact the hill itself looked much like one huge rock. While most of us took the steps, the looking-for-adventure lot tried to climb through the sides. Once up there, we introduced ourselves. As would be expected, there were quite a few IT folks, from TCS, Infotech, Microsoft… so on and so forth. But the interesting part was that there were folks like Mr. Subbarao who once woked for the Indian Air Force, a Kargil veteran, with his about 5yr old chirpy kid Meghna.  And there was Virginia Wang – Chinese by origin, an American by nationality. What we wont forget about her is her flawless Telugu.

Once the intros were done, Padmaja lead us through the steep downhill behind the dargah. Man it was so steep that I thought I’d fall straight down to earth. But as destiny would have it, I climbed down and up easily enough !

Once we were back from the first of the three planned adventures, we tried very hard to push some rocks down the hill, after all there were too many of them there and the hill seemed burdened.

We went to the other side of the hill and discovered that there were two other hills that looked similar and we could go there the next time around.

A little later I saw the team walking down the hill. While I was wondering if the trek was over already over, we assembled for what would be for most of us, the once in a lifetime, almost vertical climbing experience.

Initially climbing the wall like rock seemed impossible and even risky. But as a few of us did it with ease, we the first timers tried it out too. It is at this moment when I learnt a few nice tricks/rules of the sport.

1. Hold on tight, take a nice little jump start, keep the momentum going.
2. The three-point-contact rule: At any instance, three of your limbs have to grip firm before you make the next move.
3. Keep calm, breathe deep and believe that you can make it to the top.
4. Encourage all those around, you’ll get the same from them!

What was beautiful to see was that people from various walks of live, who did not know much of each other teamed up, encouraged, helped eachother, and more than anything else, had loads of fun.

I must thank Moumita for having suggested me to sign up, Padmaja and co. for having organized it perfectly, and all those wonderful people that were there. Hope to meet you all soon!

Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

Leader (Telugu Movie) – Review

After waiting for over a month, after listening to the refreshing and spirited music from the the movie over and over again, and the on going hype on TV, I went to see ‘Leader’ first day second show.

Cast: Rana Daggubati, Priya Anandh, Richa Gangopadhyay,  Kota Srinivasan Rao, Suhasini Mani Ratnam, Tanikella Bharani
Crew: Director – Shekhar Kammula, Producer – AVM Productions, Music – Mickey J Meyar, Lyricst – Veturi Sundararama Murthy

To start with, the theme used for the titles was interesting. We see a vague sketch taking shape in the background and by the time the director’s name appears, it unfolds to being the state assembly.

The movie opens with a bang, not a very exciting one though. The bang came from a bomb blast, an attempt to assassinate the CM. I would not uncover the plot here but would comment on what I liked and what could be better amidst the hype and the wait for the movie.

The lead role: Rana looked to have a mature stance and his dialogue delivery is a big plus. But he lacked the sensitivity and expression that one would expect from a ‘Leader’. He is good given that he is a debutant, but the debutants that featured in ‘happy days’ (another of Shekar Kammula’s movie) were so much better. In fact there were many scenes/situations in Leader where one would expect a dialogue or a fitting expression from the role (Arjun Prasad, son of assassinated CM). I would not say the actor was not capable, but the skill was not demanded and exploited by the director.

The actresses: I’m guessing that they are both are debutants. Priya Anand’s role (Ratna Prabha a TV reporter) was not only completely unnecessary & irrelevant, it was also irritating to see her inappropriate and untimely dialogues. Ratna Prabha disappears without a hint or a reason in the middle of the second half. Richa Gangopadhyayv (I cant recall her role’s name) also happens to be a media person (owns  a TV channel I guess..) who stays alone as she doesn’t like her politician father. While she looks pretty and carried herself well through the movie, her role has not much to contribute to the plot. All in all, the girls were only there to fill in.

The others: While Kota Srinivasan Rao is a high capability actor, his role too in the movie as a political party head was mere. Tanikella Bharini another veteran actor, did well as CM’s chief secretary but again, his capabilities were not exploited. The only role I thought was well pictured was Suhasini’s. She played Raajamma, Arjun Prasad’s mom. But then, the director killed her towards the end without a reason or a purpose.

The Plot: Arjun Prasad becomes CM with an aim of removing ‘corruption’ and ‘caste system’ in the state. He decides that solely on the request of his mother and a dying father. The plan is to play politics and gain power and then use that power to bring back money from corrupt politicians and distribute it to the people. If you thought that this was a serious affair and expected to see some genuine activity in that direction, wait, you’re in for disappointment. There is so much inappropriate sentiment, drama, insensitively put in romance. Udhaya Bhanu’s item number, the extended romance with a TV reporter, the vague and lack luster political discussions, are clear examples of attempts to drag the movie on.Towards the end however, the movie seemed to have gained some pace, but only to end abruptly. One doesn’t realize really why was Arjun Prasad a Leader? And where did the idea of removing ‘caste system’ go?

The closest comparison I could draw for this sort of a movie would be ‘Oke Okkadu’ (one-day-CM movie starring Arjun, made by Shankar). On comparison Oke Okkadu outshines Leader in every department, especially in the plot.

The Music: Micky J Mayer proves once again that he is an outstanding music composer. Add to this the beautiful lyrics by Veturi. The remake (sort of) of Maa telugu talli ki was path breaking, and the title song was equally as brilliant. My personl favorite is ‘Sreelu Pongina’, but I did not find it appropriate for where it was used in the movie (When Raajamma dies). Vandematarm makes for a great listening but was again used at inappropriate places. In fact I believe music from ‘Leader’ is great as a music album rather than film track. Perhaps the movie did not have enough scope to employ such stirring music.

Cinematography: I consider cinematography a very important factor in determining the visual quality of a movie. While most of the movie was pretty ordinary in this aspect, I found the slow-motion scenes in while Arjun Prasad walks are far too many. They fail to create the effect since the theme surrounding them did not call for a slow motion sequence. If one observes the assembly scenes, shots from the rear show not more than five seat columns while those from the front show more than a dozen. While the CM spoke, they were looking at an angle away from where the CM was looking while all of them faced the Speaker. This was probably a result of a flimsy attempt to create the scenes artificially instead of shooting for real.

A few bits ‘walk into the public’ towards the end of the movie were good. At the same time, the shot that shows a campaign meeting in Warangal was absolutely artificial and visible so; and so was the swear in ceremony where the public was completely artificial, in white clothes as it would be if it were shot in the fifties. This I would say killed the spirit of film making in the cinematography department.

What I liked in the movie was that the ’songs’ were a part of the movie rather than separate bits that are plugged in as in most Indian movies. The movie publicity campaigns on TV and Radio are innovative and encouraging.

Recommendations: If you want to see Leader, go with no expectations. Its difficult not to have expectations because its a Shekar Kammula movie and the music is wonderful. but if you expect to see something revolutionary/outstanding/intellectually pleasing, you’d be disappointed.

Conclusions:

• Mikey J Mayer is one good talent.
• Rana can do better. What is proven is that he is capable and we can look forward to his next.
• In Leader, Shekar Kammula completely misses on the elegance, the story line and the clarity in screenplay that we saw in Happy Days or Anand.
• Leader is not much of a Leader.