The khet of the Rani!!!

Ranikhet is a quaint, picturesque hill station, a mere 60 kms from the more popular, overtly crowded Nainital. An area maintained exclusively by the Indian Army, the location serves as a perfect escape from a bustling city life and offers the tourist a quiet, serene and virtually isolated holiday.
The excursion turned out to be absolutely rejuvenating; perfect to recharge life's batteries- dulled by the ennui of everyday life, sharpen the consciousness- muffled by the pollution of senses, and revitalize the imagination- subdued by the humdrum of employment.
The trip made me realize that I am not all that bad at photography- if I actually talk less and click more. But on sensible second thoughts, it really is not me; it's a good ol' camera and mother nature showering her benign blessings. Nature is far too smart to allow us mortals to mess her up. Kahlil Gibran said "Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair." And I allowed nature to feel my bare feet and dry hair, but in return I shot and captured her varied moods.

 Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything,
That's how the light gets in.
Leonard Cohen

 A sensitive plant in a garden grew,
And the young winds fed it with silver dew,
And it opened its fan-like leaves to the light,
and closed them beneath the kisses of night.
Percy Bysshe Shelley

 'Tis distance lends enchantment to the view,
And robes the mountain in its azure hue.
Thomas Campbell

 Earth laughs in flowers.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

 I cannot see what flowers are at my feet,
Nor what soft incense hangs upon the boughs.
John Keats

 The sky broke like an egg into full sunset and the water caught fire.
Pamela Hansford Johnson

 For whatever we lose (like a you or a me),
It's always our self we find in the sea.
e.e. cummings

 Into my heart's night,
Along a narrow way.
I groped; and lo! the light,
An infinite land of day.
Rumi

To the next beautiful vacation and renewed camera batteries! Amen!

Shayari Sunao Madam?

I made a trip to Agra on the Mahatma's birthday. Nothing planned, just a leave-in-morning back-by-evening kind of outing prompted by a sudden wish on my dad's part to visit the Radhasoami Temple Complex. My great-grandfather had become a follower at some point in his lifetime and my father is a disciple by proxy. I don't as such ascribe to his faith but mean no disrespect either. Moreover, the elaborate carved marble patterns are breathtakingly beautiful and render the shrine a visual treat. The temple aspires to one day surpass the Taj Mahal in terms of its beauty and intricacy of design. And this is in spite of the fact that the temple has been under construction for over a 100 years- some say it is cursed- the most logical reason, though is an acute lack of funds. But all this in no way takes away the promised splendor of the holy place.

And since it is nearby, we decided to visit Fatehpur Sikri as well. I had very fond memories of the place courtesy a childhood vacation but the trip this time was nothing but disappointing. The entire area is in shambles and left to the local populace, which seems hell-bent on converting it from a World Heritage Site to a World Eye Sore Spot. At the entrance, goats were being fed by tourists. Not that there is anything wrong with feeding goats, but aren't there no rules as to what members of the animal kingdom are allowed to interact with humankind at monument doorways?

The red sandstone flooring burned and scorched our feet and in the name of convenience flimsy mats had been placed all around which I am sure had been left thread-bare thanks to the ever-nibbling goats.

The area enclosing the graves and tombs in the complex has been turned into a marketplace. The traders were selling chunnis and traditional offerings to be chadofyed at the Tomb of Salim Chisti; including promoting the whole dhaaga-bandho, mannat maango routine. Faith is the cheapest commodity in this country but it still is disturbing when people trade in it and that too atop dead ones. Lends a whole new meaning to the phrase 'someone just walked over my grave'.

It is sad and extremely disappointing that such famous tourist attractions have been allowed so carelessly to be left in ruins.

The most memorable thing about the trip was a question asked by a child at Sikri- "Shayari Sunao Madam?"
Or was the best thing the yummy besan laddoos which are distributed as prasad at the Radhasoami temple or the beaded necklace I bought at Fatehpur? I wonder.

The only thing I don't wonder about is whether I'll be making a return trip!