Some trances and ecstasies revealed...

On my mind : me and my dreams

Music : A beautiful dream by Karunesh

Yesterday we had a guest from Indonesia at our flat for dinner. When talking about each of our future in our respective countries, I said something that remained unsaid in my mind for a while. I dont know where it came from or what made me say that, but I said 'I have a vision for my future!!!'. Since then I havnt stopped thinking. I never usually say that to someone. It was firm, intense and impinging! Han told me 'Archana, you are too ambitious'. Now thats something I had not realised about myself! and why not be ambitious?? What I would also like to realise are some of my long lost dreams.... and I need some inspiration for that!

My holidays of about 40 days end today :-( My second semester starts tomorrow. So its back to the usual , normal student life at the university from tomorrow. But having fun will never stop, does it?

The view from my room. Its beautiful at times when you can watch the world go by. Life just goes on. Nothing can ever stop it.  

....and then there is brightness filled by the sun. I never got to see this much of the sky in Bangalore! 

The sunset yesterday as seen from the window in my room. The sky has never been this red in Bradford. 

Brand new.....

On my mind : The Sun
Music : Rhapsody by Tris Chicas

I have changed everything around here....the previous one was boring! I have added a comment box, a link field [with almost everything], a guestbook. The colour is all green and it was never my favorite colour.Why did I choose green? Hmmm....All the clothes that I bought from Manchester too are green. I think maybe green is the colour of the season. Constructing it consumed my whole day but I am happy that it looks and feels good!!!! Finally, there was some sunshine in Bradford today. It has been gloomy and dark since forever!

Life on the fast lane...Manchester in star light and street light. The tram in Manchester in front of the Manchester Art Gallery. 

Manchester's edge

On my mind : the sky
Music : Sting [Dead man's rope, Whenever I say ur name]

Ever wondered how urbanites live? Ever thought about how people adapt themselves to the urban life? Visit 'URBIS' in Manchester. URBIS is an extraordinary modern museum cum gallery involving the concept of 'life in futuristic cities'. Most of the well built, ultra modern cities where life is always on the fast lane, from around the world like Singapore, Los Angeles, Sao Paolo, Manchester, Paris, Tokyo, Mumbai [ I was upset that Mumbai is enclosed whereas Bangalore is the most modern city in INDIA], GuangZhou [Han was upset that GuangZhou is involved rather than Shanghai] are included. It is an incredibly improbable notion for a gallery but we should have something similar to this in Bangalore! Manchester is so far the best 'ideal city' for me to live in but it comes next to Bangalore. Flamboyant shopping, exuberant breathing space, yum yum food, ethnic yet sophisticated city centre......its all my type except for the weather and the timing because of the weather. The shops shutter down at 6 in the evening....night life is supposed to start at 6 in the evening!!

Republic day and the fire alarm

Yesterday was the Republic day and this is the first time I missed it ever in my life. Nevertheless, as a citizen of the Republic Of India, I sang the national anthem at 12 in the night and my flatmate says it sounded like a ghost! What was louder was the fire alarm which started ringing at around 3:30 AM in the morning.....these things are crazy here! We all had to go out of the building and stand there watching the moon when it was freezing!! I like the whole scenario though!!!I am done with my exams and today we had Mechatronics [mechanics+electronics]. We had to answer 3 questions out of 5 which, by the way were elementary. I need to treat myself now. Thus, I am off to Manchester tomorrow for some fun hunting!

Peace, Piece and Peas

I had just put up a blog....but it did not get published, its lost somewhere in between!!!Ok anyways...here it goes again!
My flatmate came and asked me today "Hmmm....Archana, can you pronounce peas, piece and peace for me?" I said "sure...ofcourse I can". And I did. She asked me again,"which one was it? Peas, piece or peas?" I could not answer her. This is her first time with the English language. She studied in Turkish in her country because they teach only in the national language in Turkey unlike in India. Why is it that we study in English[a foreign language] in India instead of the national language? Studying in our own language promotes patriotism amongst and between us. Instead we have a foreign language ruling the minds of the youth in India. It is shame in India if you donot know to speak in English....why is that so? It is a shame for a few of us to speak our own language. I shall not blame our people in the government about this or the people who set up this kind of a system. This is because I know that it is of no use. The situation is not going to change if I blame them or not.So I have stopped blaming or complaining wayyy backk!! Maybe you and I should do something! I do not know about you but Im sure that I will do something about it which will be successful.That is why I cannot wait to go back to India forever.

Me and my friends have already formed a group called V3 2 years ago......u can join it as well [no admission or membership fee];-) I shall try to put up a website about the group within this April!

before I sleep...the Himalayas

Its almost about 11:35 in the night.... I think my cold is almost gone. Today I have been doing nothing but planning for our travel this friday to Manchester and about the party on saturday that we are hosting at our flat!![hopefully] Since Im a travel freak, I was also planning with two of my other flatmates to go on a Europe trip this June after our exams [ wonder what my father has to say about it ]. Did you know that I sometimes, only sometimes, think of having a trek to the Annapurna base camp and then to the Mt. Everest base camp [ or may be even the Everest ]......well for now thats just a wish which I hope will come true within the next few years once I find a right companion!
Thanks to Michael Palin for providing me inspiration to climb the Everest through his book 'HIMALAYA'. If it is a book that you havent discovered, you should, because you are missing something thats beyond spectacular! It feels like Im almost travelling with him and now Im in Xangmu in Tibet with him!!!!

Ananda Shankar and his music

Somethings in life just goes unnoticed. When I was in Bangalore last decemeber, I picked up an unknown CD from a store as usual. It was interesting to read that the musician was from India and the music too was from India but the CD was "Imported" from some xxx company! After listening to the music I couldnt help myself being shocked. The musician was Ananda Shankar [the nephew of Pt. Ravi Shankar]. For all those who love music, especially those in or from India, Ananda Shankar should have been an household name.He is one of those founders of what today is called the "INDIAN FUSION MUSIC". The way he blended and experimented the classical Indian music with western beats was pure magic! The album includes breathtaking compilations like Tori, Jungle symphony, Alma Ata, Betelnutters, Pluck and never to forget Tanusree [ok....that includes almost every piece now]. Its a pity that a great musician like Ananda Shankar and his music still remains unknown to most. He disappeared unnamed in 1999. The Indian fusion music scenario has thus lost an important character. I am on the lookout for more of his music.....please inform me if you know.

The consequence and some Bangalore music with TAAQ

I was talking about the weather being nice and cold in my previous post. The result of that weather is that I have a cold [finally...and a really bad one at that]. I have not been ill at all in the UK but now I think Im bearing the consequences for going out in the snow!!
I will be back in Bangalore in less than 2 months from now and yes its been just a week since I returned from Bangalore! Someone said its not logical to return home every 2 months but I cannot help it....Its just that I love Bangalore so much. Talking about Bangalore, there is a band from Bangalore called Thermal and a quarter [TAAQ]. They are professionals when it comes to music and are an absolute treat to anybody's ears [well that depends on who that anybody is...preferably a true music lover]. Their new album PLAN B is worth waiting for a lifetime [dontknow whether they've got it out] but you can download it from their website[CLICK ON THE LINK ABOVE FOR THEIR WEBSITE]. Songs like The Steal,Paper Puli,Dead Inside from PLAN B are extravagant to listen to! I was there at their fund raising concert, FLOODAID, for the TSUNAMI victims this Jan 4tH at the St.John's amphi theatre in Bangalore [the first time I EVER heard to them] and GOD....they were fantastic.TAAQ UUUUU ROCKKKK!! I'll surely attend every gig of theirs whenever I am in Bangalore.....not to miss!

there's something happening in Bradford

Yes and its love....love is in the air!!!! Maybe its something about the weather here in Bradford. It is more than romantic. It was snowing in the morning and now its raining dark. I look outside the window and its soo beautiful that I cannot describe. A cup of hot chocolate in my hands and the cold wind along with tiny raindrops [which is half snow] flowing through the window, I am thinking of that "someone" whom I donot even know of and some awesome music to make it perfect.....makes me love life more, more and more!
PS:[If you were wondering, yes, I am back to my crazy self again!!]

On top of the world!!Brahmagiri......have to climb about 360 steps barefoot from Talacauvery to enjoy this satisfying view. On a clear day, you can watch the Arabian sea from here!! This my 6th time at the Brahmagiri and the number will go on. 

The Chamundeshwari temple on the Chamundi hills in Mysore. It is an important holy place specially for our family and me....has a special place in my heart, offers me peace whenever Im there and Im here whenever Im in India!! 

The Nanjangud temple...an absolute splendor in its architecture. We visit this temple atleast once in year. 

A journey to my roots : Karnataka, my inspiration

Karnataka, my state, my mother!!She provides me inspiration everytime I try to uncover the secret side of hers. She is a sense of satisfaction to all the free spirited souls like me. Be it walking footloose and carefree in the green fields of the Mysore district or be it watching the mid-day sun with your sunglasses on while travelling on a bullock cart through an unknown village; be it discovering your own mystic self watching the Sahyadri mountains on the Brahmagiri peak, or be it unleashing your intellectuality at the Talacauvery, the place where river Cauvery takes her birth or be it understanding that being alive by itself is the greatest happiness while trekking onto the Kodachadri peak on the Western Ghats. Somebody said it right....Karnataka is a true theatre of inspiration.

I have started to write a book about this, which is why I desire to travel through my state to experience her, the way she is and the way I should.....like a normal Kannadiga, in a crowded bus, in a not so clean train, in the smelly boats, through the dusty yet innocent country sides, through the bustling yet welcoming busy towns.

I am in search for answers as to why life is as beautiful as it is and I am yet to find answers.This journey to my roots has just started and I am sure that my search will end someday, right here, in my roots.

so much of myself......the dress im wearing is called a "lehenga-dawani". Its the traditional attire from Karnataka for young women. I just love wearing these traditional clothes.....it brings out the elegance and grace in women. 

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as it seems...

As it is...everything seems so calm and suddenly something out of the dark happens.
It takes time to understand whats happening but still we need to because life ggoes on. I worry about all those people who are affected by natures fury. What is relief to them?? Is it just providing clothes, food and shelter? Dont they need something more than that? Most of them have lost everything they have had including people upon whom they could depend ,the people upon whose shoulder they would rest all their worries on, people who were life itself to them, parents have lost their children, and the children.... where will they get the love they deserve from when their gaurdians have disappeared? Looking into the eyes of these people makes me feel that I have lost something that is important. If there is nothing one can do then there will be nothing one can ever do! I pity those people who pray to God thanking God that "IT WAS NOT THEM". Is it not a shame because all it means is that you are grateful to God that someone else died instead of you!