Jaipur-Agra : a trip thoroughly cherished

         “Industrial visit to sirf naam ke liye hota hai…ye to picnic ka dusra naam hai..”

                         Every person who has attended his/her college I.V will tell u the same dialogue! I understood that the above was true when we had our college industrial visit to Jaipur-Agra this chilly December! Since this is our last year in college (which we seldom attend) our minds were made up to have the best of everything J

Our itinerary went this way:

5^th Dec: Boarded Jaipur superfast express from Bandra Terminus

6^th Dec: Reached Jaipur station in the morning around 11-12 am. Proceeded to “Cambay Golf Resort”( our hotel-stay at Jaipur) Visited the magnificent Birla mandir and later experienced the Rajasthani culture at “Amber Vatika”

7^th Dec: Visited the grandeur of Amer Fort, the royalty of the city palace. Post lunch was the industrial visit to “Saras Dairy”     (the main purpose of our I.V) and then it was time for shopping and exploring the jaipur market area ;)

8^th Dec: Proceeded to Agra via bus!  After the scrumptious lunch at “Grand Hotel” ( our hotel stay at Agra) we visited the magnificent, beautiful heritage of the world “Taj Mahal”. The Later evening was spent enjoying the DJ at the hotel followed by delicious “Agra chaat”

9^th Dec : While few visited the “Agra Fort” we were having our share of “sugary sleep”. At around 11am we boarded the “Mangala Express” from “Agra Cantt” railway station.

 10^th Dec : We were back in “Amchi Mumbai” with wonderful memories of the trip J

                    The reason I elaborated this itinerary was that any person who visits these places will have the same sentiments, the same “awe factor”. But what I really treasure about this trip is the company of “Idiots” I was blessed with. They say if you have good company even the idea of “south pole expedition” will sound cool to you. There were 193 students at this trip..And of them we were those 18 idiots who lived in our own world. Of course enjoying the beauty of the places that we visited.

 I am sure; if you were not one of those who were a part of this group; reading this particular post ahead will surely give you the relative feeling you have with your friends.

These idiots are as Follows:

Anuja Sahasrabudhe: She is that friend who listens to every drama of mine and is a “ specialist” at councilling,managing odd situations, and her typical Marathi dialogues are world famous. Had not this “parlekar” allotted the seats aptly at the trip, there would have been a terrific haphazard situation. Her logical thinking can blow your thinking off! She is the all time shoulder you can rely upon.

Charu Nataranjan: Just like the “Tam-Brahm” Chetan Bhagat describes in his books, she just looks decent! She has all “thallaiva” qualities in her and can get the hell out of any creature on this earth. Had not she screamed “Ganpati Bappa Morya” every time we commenced our journey no matter hoe short or long the journey is...I doubt “good luck would have been with us! She is ultimate to-be-company and a mind blowing bargainer!

Maithili Desai: We called her “kaku bai” before the trip….but now I take that title back! If somebody has been on the 1^st postion in pulling leg , at hitting “deadly dialogues” its been her! Her F*#k off style with Mitul has been the “ultimate” gesture of 5 days…that swear word actually lost its importance because of these two! She is also the every time-I-see-mirror-i-look-into-it! Jokes apart she is the “diva”

Anurag Vanjre: His name and the dialogue “Mor Udav” are synonyms! Abbreviated CV he was an all time fun to be with company though we tolerated his not so funny jokes as well! To the surprise I actually spotted a peacock at the gayatri palace and started screaming “ Anurag…Morrrrrrrrrrr” He is an all time-support-no-matter-what! And anurag I am soryy that I seldom have pictures with you! L

Mitul Shah:   The ultimate “sanedo dude” As mentioned earlier his “F*#k off” style with Maithili gained immense recognition! This “1^st attempt IPCC” clear who rarely “visits” college was the soul of the fun element we experienced. Though an intense “Bird watcher” and “leg puller” he is one of the wanna-be company

Mayuresh Wakade : “Chup chup khade ho,jarur koi baat hai” is the song that aptly suits him! The very fact of whether he shall come for the trip or no was a big question mark till the 11^th hour. But things worked best and there he was the silent and the “time-pass company” one can ever get! Charu was our rescue at the jaipur market; because we would have purchased it at whatever price the shopkeeper quoted; thank god for mayuresh I had somebody to share my flop bargaining skills with..:)

Vaibhav Apte: He being our junior we had a deemed right over him to pull his leg..I refrain from using the word “ragging” here: P though we really had “palm-on-our-face” when we heard his logic on why he does not have any affair till date…he is still our “jigri and all time to-flirt with junior!

Prasanaa Mainkar: He is “my dear friend” Ultimate sarcasm hero and the “swag it” dialogue inventor! The trip made us wonderful friends and he thus falls is in my new-awsomest-friend category who I’ll love as company for any freaking expedition!

Namrata Bapat, Neha Shetty and Chinmayi Dalvi: The reason I include their names is because if these 3 ever participated in a story telling competition, they’ll be awarded the 1^st prize! Their “manu” stories are entirely responsible for keeping us awake during the travel! Bapat, your birthday just fell on the right date i.e. on 9^th! It is all the more exciting to celebrate your birthday away from home on trips, expedition! Her birthday gave us those cherry on top moments! A big thank you to these 3 wonderful girls for the                enthusiastic singing ( be it singing anything) and their gorgeous company.

Kushal Apte and Arpita Bapat: These brother-sister Jodi are the cutest I have ever seen! Arpita is an all time awesome hair stylist and “g-talk” friend while chotu apte is super sweet…! Arpita’s dialogue “buntyyy…toilet in mangala express still makes me laugh”J

Chinmay Borkar, Ajinkya Dussange, Nachiket Soman, Abhijiit Bhadgaonkar: The ultimate gang of scholar-ipcc clear-having internship with reputed firm is them! Soman, my “best friend” is the troubled one, he is an unsolved puzzle, while dussange is all-time-debate-with gargi, Bunty and Borkar are unknowingly flirtatious kind!  No matter what, these boys didn’t hesitate being our protective body guards during train journeys. Thank you…because you people are all-time-great company J

A person who was dearly missed for his terrific dialogues and his “ambersariya” song is Nachiket Sant J

 You may find these category of people everywhere..but I am the lucky one to have met them, laughed at and laughed with,enjoyed,teased! I am indeed an lucky one…To all of you…” I  love you dearly and thank you for being there”

A glimpse of those 5 days

Collage of the entire journey

The year is to an end….and no better time than this to express something I wanted to since when..Expressing what you feel is a wonderful thing; you should try it often :)

                              “Merry Christmas and a Happy New year Folks”

Soaked in the freshness of nature @ Mahuli Waterfall rappelling

I am a very enthusiastic and restless person when it comes to waiting for a particular trip! After a long stretched week the Sunday of 14^th JULY..FINALLY..arrived! What was so special about it???............that it wrenched my toll of patience…..the event was Mahuli Waterfall rappelling organized by Shalom Adventures..My 1^st adventure trip this monsoon…..yess…I still dance like a 3 year old…when I hear outings….

Me and two of my friends boarded the train from kurla at 7.27 am and reached aasangaon by 9 am! I was to find this 6 ft. tall man at the station platform….and there I saw him in his typecast orange t-shirt  and tracks with the name Miron and Shalom Adventures embodied on it. Miron is the one who had organized this particular rappelling session. We waited for others at the stn. Platform while others marched towards mahuli base! Surprise package was meeting Arunima..( both of us met for the 1^st time since we had co-ordinated for some work over the ph.)

We started walking towards the base crossing the highway path and fro..And later boarded the local transport and reached the base! The fun had just started!

We met Avinash there (Avinash had been coordinating the entire event together with miron) and filled up the safety forms! To mention specially we were given those pink color coins to keep a mark on the count maybe..which were unused and probably carried home as a memoir by all! We had a typical Marathi style breakfast of kande pohe and tea. Assuming that myself and arunima knew the way atop to the waterfall, as we had been there earlier too…we started ascending with a group of 7-8 people! Poor avinash still took the pains to explain us the way..but we seemed to loose our stable mindset in the excitement and coolness of nature!

I simply love the geography of Mahuli Fort! It is so simply pretty and a royal treat to the eyes..One carving of the mountain literally has the shape of shiv lingam…bow thy nature….Absorbing this sceneric view..We set ahead!  After a particular water patch we were suppose to take a left….but lost in the fun…we marched from the stream of water! (that was perhaps the only mistake we did ). The way was same..But not safe..!

Since it was long that we did not reach the top..Miron came down..found us and lead us to the correct way! The next 15 minutes after climbing up our eyes were treated with the ferociously milky flowing water! Waow…bliss to our quenched soul! I had visited the same fall last year..But this time the flow of water was much more than expected! I think “mighty” should be the word!

A more 15 mins climb…and we were near the stream of flowing water… a little ahead was the plateau from where participants would rappel down the waterfall! Since ours was the last group to reach…we were to wait till the remaining participants rappelled down! I think we must have waited for 2 hours or so….but this time the wait did not seem endless….time flew like a mocking bird as we drenched ourselves in the purity of the stream of water that was coming to us directly from the clouds ( vaporization process..u know ) To add to it…it started raining..though for a few minutes.. it was the icing on the cake. I  bet even those fancy water parks cannot give such relaxation, such divinity and such fun….

Some time later we moved towards the plateau where the remaining team was gearing up for their adventure to come…! It is so much fun to watch those anxious faces...,,,few were nervous..Few blank..few were waiving at therir friends to click their picture…and the variety of expression continued…

The 6-7 of us were the last people to rappel! Karan and Mitul who were accompanying me were all the more excited since it was the 1^st time they were to do something adventurous as this! Adventure has its own fun you know….doesn’t matter if you are a regular one or a 1^st timer…I think it offers you variety every time.

THRILLED by the scenic view upfront and the waterfall beneath we geared up with our harnesses, helmets,and gloves! For me it was the second time...still like an idiot I slipped for the 1^st step.….on the way down jumped and dropped stones..stuck my leg in the tendrils enroute the rappel path….my list of stupidity can be endless sometimes….but it was all the more exhilarating !  Thanx to my expert rappelling technique avinash’s head was saved from the stone that fell from top….3 times,,,, (my apologies again)

But trust me that 120 ft patch is magical….:-) It is a wonderful and bountiful experience...Monsoon and adventure go hand in hand....

Since the route  to go down from there was blocked due to heavy flow of water…we had to go back to the top and then descend from the other side!  There were almost 53 people who rappelled that day. There were 3 ropes put which made the event go speedy! The last person rappelled down at 3.55 pm! Please note I said last person! A 6ft tall monkey was yet to try his stunts.

The ropes were put on the either side of the waterfall…as I mentioned the waterfall that day was ferocious! After all had rappelled down…Miron decided to rappel in between the mighty flow of waterfall ( P.S – he is an expert at this “keeda giri and somehow does it flawlessly)

Since the rope was pulled back from the either side..Avinash thought it was all done and started to ascend to the top again..When I told him…”I guess miron is rappelling down from in between”..He too had a stunned expression..thank heavens..He did it after we all were done rappelling…

So after all this drama...we reached the top again..till then team shalom had been packing all the rappelling gear and equipments!  It must be 5 pm or so when the four of us i.e myself,arunima,miron and avinash descended down towards the base! The rest of the team had already reached and were having their supper!

We left mahuli at around 7 pm taking back all the wonderful experiences of the day! It was completely replenishing and rejuvenating! The event was timely completed, was fun, thrilling and the  plus point  was no injuries to anybody!

Each of those 45 people (plus the other 8 team members who rappelled ).....Will have different stories to tell…mine is one…..

Away from the city’s haphazard manner of living when, you hug mother nature..then be it even for a day or less ; it gives you all the nuture,care,solace to your soul….It was a sad sight seeing garbage cans, bottles lying on the way…lets atleast refrain from doing that and  not insult our mother…! She always has her arms wide open to welcome you to her womb…J

Waiting for more such adventures,....this time probably not resorting to my stupidity! ;)

Till then Happy and safe trekking 

That thing called "Rains.."

The scortching heat of summer,that yucky sweaty,fatigued image of yours and the thirst for "thanda paani" is all suddenly vanished as the 1st few drops of rain touch the heated earth and send in a wave of coolness,freshness and that smell of mud...maticha sugandh..( sadlyy...that fragnance of mud has disappeared)
I am simply in love with this season...its youthful..its romantic..its adventurous..its philosophical...bla bla...the list is never ending..I am sure you too will have the same thoughts as of mine.. but then there are other categories as well...who hate rain for the messiness..for the sleepyyy ness...for the mud..for the torcher of umbrelaa....two sides of a coin they say....;)...no blame game..
Two years back I started trekking in this season..it is simply an wonderful and thrilling experience! You tend to experience a world apart feeling of divinty,calmness and satisfaction...the nature tends to answer all your questions...you also happen to meet so many new people..so many different lives...its simply exhilarating!
And as these showers continue to please the nature....I look foward to a wonderful adventurous season...
Romance is perhaps another factor that dominates.....It is perfect season to fall in love..and if u've already fallen..enjoy it with the special one....and if you are one like me..single..mad...freak out..call your friends..step out of your house...splash...splash...dance.....hogg ( kanda bhaji and tea....yumm...)..sit at window..and switch to your favorite songs.....!!! Its a super season to be lonely as welll....;)...chances are u might fall in love with yourself....!!!
Cherish friendship,cherish love,cherish adventure,cherish music..cherish food( most imp.)...:D
This thing called rains is perhaps the most cherishable thing to all class of human beings....Rise in love...keepp smiling and cheerrsss!! 
                 Have a wonderful monsoon....!!!!

Different Outlook!

The other day i was watching Miss India Pageant and in the Q & A round the contestant was asked,"Do you think the dress code that is imposed upon by the Colleges/Institutions/Government on girls is justified?" Choosing her words carefully she answered, " no, i don't think that the burden of lack in moral policy of the government should be borne by any of us" and i was pretty much smiling at that answer for somewhere i believed it too.
A lot has been spoken on women empowerment and my thoughts in this process shall play the role of an atom in particular element ; .tiny and similar to the remaining atoms! I have no intentions in re-writing the entire philosophy as till date it must be by-heart to each individual.,blame the hypothecated media or the recent happenings! 
Whenever the topic "woman" or related thesis occurred in the syllabus i scored an "O" without studying much about it..coz "ratta maar" has been the approach since the subject of social studies was introduced to me! In the realm,i seem to have got used to all this rubbish
These topics remain a tea-time time pass buzz on whatsapp or facebook even for the youth! I often wonder how many parents ask boys the question "where were u the whole nyt,what were u doing?";rather how many are restricted,but when it comes to girls we know the "saatchya aat gharat" rule! I don't blame the elders but the kind of image our society has convicted on our minds; not to forget I,U, and all form this so called society!
I have quite noticed the bias attitude of other women towards a Divorcee,Widow or the one that unshackles the chains of stupid limits imposed on us and lives her dreams...and mind you this kind of jealousy exists among each of us..why blame the men..they still have a reason to taunt- the gender difference!
When we...the so called modern 21st century girls spend time talking such sh*t about those fermion's who have excelled in their particular job...why blame the orthodox and biased balcony and why be a loud mouth about "woman empowerment" itself...
WE are the ones supporting  and advocating the technological and  fashion advancements from the west, then why not stand for their free relation practises too! Why the hell a gal who has had a recent break up/divorce is looked upon with criminal eyes when steps out to have fun, when she tries spending time with a Good company of friends??  Better was the direct torcher of the parda,sati,etc. 
I stand for the above arguments not only against the men but also women! My thoughts at this particular moment may sound completely immature and bookish, but i have grown with the stories of Mastani,Savitribai Phule,JijaBai,Rani Laxmibai and my own mother who taught me to be independent,self-worthy and to stand for my thoughts!
I want this developing country to treat us equally...not greater,,i don't agree with SRK's WORD "ki aurton ko ageen hona chaiye"..let us leave that on individual talent and fair competition!
I hate it when I see girls around crying for broken nails,making reasons for not walking in high heels, and utilising their so called "feminism" for work benefit,rightly said as taking advantage of being a woman!
If u know u Cant walk with heels,don't wear them, if u know u cant do a particular thing,ask for help as a worthy individual and not on account of u being a "woman"
Lastly..be what u are...treat Yourself  as beautiful instead of waiting for your prince Charles to do that..and suddenly everything will turn perfectly nice! Next time be careful when u walk lonely streets,keep calm,follow all those tips u've been getting,and if u see somebody in such try helping "wisely"..
     With the colours of  this Holli let us develop healthy thoughts and attitudes..be colourful..be happy..keep smiling.. & cheers to all the lovingly awesome woman i have met along