The Green Trek- From Donigal to Kukke

The timing could not have been better. The news was in the air that the Bangalore- Mangalore train will start chugging by September end. Even though there was lot of speculation in the air regarding the starting of the passenger train service, we did not want to take a chance. So we decided to have a go for it. And so the journey began from Donigal to Kukke Subramanya. It was a railway trek in the sense that, the trek involved moving along the railway track that ends at Mangalore.

We started off from Bangalore on a Friday night and boarded a bus at around 11.00 pm. Reached Donigal station at around 5 in the morning. Donigal station is a very small station may be some 5 kms from Sakleshpur. The track was mainly used for goods transport. The road after Sakleshpur is very bad. So we had to rest our backs for a while so that we can be ready for the adventure. It was definitely a challenge considering that nobody even gave us a chance when said our aim was Kukke Subramanya. We had set our targets for the two days. 4kms per hour was the aim. 49 kms was the total distance. We saw a small water falls like body which was convenient for us to take a shower. We just hopped in, had a refreshing shower and then started off. As we moved on we took lots of snaps and enjoyed the surroundings, the greenery blessing these eyes which had grown sour of City Lights. This was just the beginning. We encountered a river which was flowing quietly adding to the serenity of the nature. We just took a break, had our breakfast rested ourselves. Since it was a really long time since I had actually trekked the strain was showing on me. But nothing could deter me. It was a challenge that I had taken upon myself.

By the way we carried bread, chapatis, biscuits, fruits and avalakki (beaten rice) to serve as our food. The long bridges which were around 200 - 250ft high, the long tunnels engulfed in a blissful darkness and the gorgeous mountains just took our breath away. We had to cross Yedukumari on the first day itself since we very well knew that the station master over there would not allow us to spend the night. So we stepped up the accelerator just to make sure we reach the next station in time. We stopped at the next station after Yedukumari and decided to spend the night there. The station was under construction and there is no station master deputed there. There were a few workers who were working on the station building. We inquired with them whether we could spend the night over there. The under construction rooms were empty, which facilitated our stay. We ate our chapatis and just slept away to glory. Although I could not gather complete sleep the rest energized me for the next day.

Second day:

We started off after having breakfast our breakfast at around 8am. As we moved we met another water falls where we thought of having a refreshing bath. It was natural massage to our aching bodies. All these tiny water falls were a result of the continuous rain in the region. They were a boon to us. The scenery was breathtaking. We had seen all this and more in movies and thought it was beautiful. But in reality it was much more than that. The beauty of the trek ended as we neared Kukke. After completing our special lunch(heated avalakki + chatnipudi) at Shirivagilu, we started off to what was the last stretch. When it was around 4 kms to Kukke all the remained was a hot afternoon and a dry surroundings. But everything was braved and we reached Kukke station by 5.30 pm. 12-13 hours and 49 kms . Awesome feeling, a sense of achievement. Once we reached the main town of Kukke we visited the Subrmanya temple, had our dinner and made our way back to Namma Bengaluru.

The body was tired but the soul was replenished. A sense of satisfaction filled within. I do not think we can make it again since the train between Bangalore and Mangalore has been flagged off. So until I get another chance the memmories will be cherished and for a long time to come.

If you can read this post completely, thank you.

Until the next post Adios.

Mumbai - The city that never sleeps

A visit to Mumbai on the auspicious occasion of my friend's wedding told me the meaning of the phrase which is serving as the title of my post. Imagine on a Sunday night you are travelling at around 11.30 in a local train and you have to stand the entire journey!!!! That is how busy the city is. And it is not just the men who keep travelling at that god damn hour of the night but also women.

The local trains, about which I had heard so much about, are amazing. They form the best mode of transport for a city that is fed up with the traffic situation. It stops for around 30seconds in each station is what I heard from a localite and yes its right. You better be on your toes when you are nearing your station. If ever you think you can get out once the train stops think again, the rush will be so much that you will be able to get out only if the entire crowd in getting out at the station, so that you will also be pushed out. I literally had to jump out of the train on to the track to get down at the right station. And it is very dangerous. The trains travel at a very decent speed and that can easily stop you once and for all. In a day, I heard, the local train takes away on an average 6 lives. I do not know how much of this is true.
But whatever be the case hats off to the railways for maintaining the local trains so well. Timings are impeccable until and unless there should be some "Jam" on the Rail tracks.

Oh and not to forget the visit to the Sri SiddiVinayak temple. There are only a few temples where in you can experience spirituality inspite of the crowds. This is one such place according to me..

All in all an adventurous and a journey which I will remember for a variety of reasons.

Relationships - My point of view

I have been thinking about this for quite somtime now. Is there anything that a person does without benefits linked to it? I am not too sure about it. I have had discussions few and far between on this topic but to no gain. So I am presenting my view of the subject in this blog of mine to see if I get any answer. So let me get to the subject now.

It was sometime ago when I saw the movie 'A' in Kannada. There was dialogue in the movie where a foriegner says "Why do you people marry? Just to end up in sex." It does make sense to me. Its only after that I started thinking that every relation has a dependency associated with it, be it emotional or monetory. You can call me too materialistic if you want t but for me this seems to be true. Tell me how many of you think carefully before choosing your friends. Almost everyone right? And why do you do that? Just to make sure that if ever something goes wrong there is somebody somewhere whom you can go back to and tell your side of the story without any fear. This sometimes gives you some sort of a relief. The emotional burden you will be carrying with you will ease atleast a bit although not in it's entirity.
Now the institution of marriage. What is it that somebody expects out of a marriage? A bond that will carry you through your life. And if you are just searching for a bond then why dont you settle for friendship which you choose to keep in high regards. Because people will have their own reasons to keep moving and you cannot find them whenever you want. But if you are boiund in marriage you are bound to be there atleast ethically. And also there are certain pleasures that you can derive out of marriage but not out of freindship. So are we not selfish in this regard. In this way I can go on describing all the relationships that come in the way of our life and we associate a lot of value but never agree to the fact that we are materialistic about it.
I think I might loose a couple of associates if they go through this blog, but it is just an opinion on which we can debate. If you can convince me that I am wrong then I will be greatful.
If you ever manage to read this come out let us discuss/debate.
Shubhamastu.

Middle Class Madhavan.

I was just returning from a dinner recently. There we managed to give a tips of Rs.500(it was not my money by the way. It was a project party.) to the waiter. And also generally be it our own or otherwise we end up giving a good tip to the waiter if we are happy with the service. Nothing wrong in it. But have you ever wondered that we always manage to get our change back from the autodrivers or the bus condutors, however good the experience it might have been or however small that change might have been.We wait till the bus conductor manages to procure the change for us. What is it that we are trying to prove here? Are the conductors not worthy of that small extra sum? I was looking at this bus conductor the other day who issued a ticket to a person whi has supposed to get down at the very next stop. Not everyone is so service conscious neither are we 'The Public', and that too when he could have readily took a small amount and let the person away without a ticket. I think it is this 'Middle Class Mentality' as people like to call it. When we go to some restaurant with some new person we end to show off by placing some tips but at the same time if we are with close friends it is all the same. And since the bus and the auto have been our long time comapanions we tend to take them for granted. That's the way life is. We never change for the old companions and choose not to be the same for the new ones. How strange? Think about it.
Until then Adios Amigo.

Reviews - Mozhi and Bheja Fry

Writing after a really long time. It has been a hard time for me in the recent past. but as they say
'Everything happens for a reason abd for the best' . As a reuslt I was neither in a mood to write nor had the time. So let me start off this new innings with reviews of two movies I saw recently. I do not watch movies regularly and this week was an exception. I watched two movies.



1) Bheja Fry - I definitely needed a break, so decided upon a comedy. Bheja Fry is a different movie in terms of concept and cast. No starry cast and good situational humour. No vulgarity in comedy either. That is something I was looking forward to. It is not a great comedy but a time pass one. You can laugh a bit. Keep your brains away and watch it for pure entertainment. It is a decent piece of work. Though the director has tried to put across a message I do not think he has succeeded. All in all 3.5 out of 5.

2) Mozhi - A Tamil cinema. A Prakash Raj Production. I indeed expect something unique to come out when I see that name Prakash Raj. This Kannadiga who was never given his due in his homestate made a kill in Tamil and Telugu bagging a National award for Mani Rathnam's Iruvar.

Coming back to the movie. It is a nice movie. A good message. Characters well woven into each other's lives. Some good acting to complement it.Not to forget the comedy. You do not have Vivek or Vadivelu to make you laugh. Prakash Raj has a timing that can give these noted comedians a run for their money. PritviRaj has excelled in his role. I even liked Jyothika for a change. It is refreshing to see such a movie. Such involvment is hard to come by. When PrithviRaj asks the professor to cry when he comes and says his son is dead or when at last Jyothika manages to let her voice out loud and cry, the moments are captured with brilliance. Also Prakash Raj asking the girl to marry him with such a straight face is brilliant. Kudos to the team for such a brilliant movie. I do not know how many will like the movie. I liked it. An unconventional charm.

That's it for now. Until the next blog, Adios.