Dholavira.

A day spent in reliving the past Dholavira.

4500 year old Harrapan Site, it doesn't leave much to explain, does it? It does, the thought of civilizations, cultures evolving on the very soil that you are standing will give you goose bumps, if not anything else.

Spread over 250 acres, I could only look over the major location where the castle stood, stones carved to perfection, and drainage system more advanced than present day conditions in our localities, apart from that, this site, the 5th largest in India, boasts the oldest signboard ever made, imagine those cheeky "his/her" toiletries evolving from this :P jokes apart for the serious Sherlock's, the writings have not yet been understood, it's up for grabs, go one try your luck in deciphering what this stands for, who knows you might be the next Indiana Jones who is actually from India.

A well, separate tanks for taking water to drink and water to bathe, they controlled the flow of water from the river that surrounded to the 7 separate tanks, in an ingenious pattern(well everything back then was ingenious), after a tank would fill up, the flow of water would shift to another tank, automatically, through the drainage systems.

I could fit into one of the tunnels that took water from one tank to the other :P

Most of the area is yet to be dug and look into but whatever has come up, has given waves of new information about how people lived in the era beyond this materialistic pandemonium.

Its better felt, than read.

Papa had his try at archaeological surveying and found this tiny speck of copper, which may be the archaeologists could not find, or thought its of least importance, it was a win win for us, who knows where this would have been used, maybe used in making spears that tore game in their heart, or a part of the most ancient ornaments that mystique women would adore . Whatever it may have been, I can proudly say that I carry a part of the 4500 year old Harrapan civilization in my purse :)

For people who love imagination and can connect the dots, it's a place to, imagine a life without gtalk, or blogspot, for that matter a life where everything is what you want it to be, where you could put the stones on 

the pavement to future, maybe we all got it from there, maybe they wrote it for us.

All you can do is imagine, and it is the fun part :)

The Mumbai Local

I am sure there must be a plethora of articles on the ever dependable mumbai locals, well this is another from how I see it.


In mumbai, the daily routines of an average person is quite different from the rest of India. People wake up, People get dressed, they eat(or not many a times) and they Travel.


The system is so addictive, it gets to you from the first day, it'll be like you've always been doing this and its nothing out of the blue. And for the local trains its like a black hole, which accepts anything and let's into every inch of human flesh it can take, sometimes even more when people just hang to the pole, and god knows I am right, they should be given bravery awards.


Its the place where people eat, sleep, work, have business meetings(its true I have seen two people in blazers, signing agreements), do their accounts, their homework, play uno, and in the era of technology, people stand with their heads down probably feeling guilty, gazing into their cell phones, poking the device, as if trying to wake a person, they knew was dead.




The system works like a clock, people get polarised to the direction of the gate where the platform is expected to come, as if a magnet of opposite charge had automatically been activated. Its a sight to watch. And if you are the adventorous type, get down at dadar station at 6 o clock, and get back on the same train, you'll get the thrill of you life.

Its another sight at cst in the rush hour, a sea of people flowing, you can see just heads of black, with patches of skin and white. Making you belive that India deserves the first rank in the largest population race.


And there is the omnipresent, ubiquitous, rookie, who does not know which station to come, which side to turn when a station comes (I am a living example :p) and its a scene when you see a rookie(me) trying to explain another one :p
It makes me feel like I know this city, I have lived long enough and earned this right of explaining what many don't know, only a few times though I have been of some help. Its a good feeling :)


In all this rush, mayhem, sweat, and flesh, you see people enjoying, smiling at each other when they accidentaly push their wrong buttons :p, talking on the phone with their girlfriends and boyfriends as if they were standing in a meadow, constantly updating the person who is awaiting their arrival, 'haan dadar cross kiya! byculla bas 2 min door hai, abey ruk bas 5 min mein pahunch rha hun!'

The journey in a local is adventerous, its fulfilling, it can lift your mood if you're down, and can ruin it as it wishes. You may come out smiling, frowning, growling, or sometimes thanking god for you dint believe you would survive. Whether you live here or not, this journey will spell the following words out from you.


'Mumbai meri jaan'

Bhubaneswar - Not just the city of temples.

For everyone who has not been to this city, let me break the notion of it just being a city of temples. It is not just a GK question's answer, Its much more, one of the planned cities, a forte less known in India. The city is a secular hub, built at the dawn of freedom, it comprised of just six units, mostly with structures that could run a state, but it has grown into a city where each one of us can find his/her identity.


"Its been 84 years and I can still smell the fresh paint!" Yeah its a romantic affair, and I'm not shy about it, but the city makes you fall in love with it. My stay in bhubaneswar has been sporadic, I was here in my early days of school, made friends and moved to different towns in the ever so beautiful Orissa (its not Odisha for me). Then came back with vigor and nostalgia, went to the same school, and there was a pompous reception, all my friends came running to me, took me up on their shoulders and did a victory run. Well not literally, but I felt it that way :) since then its been seven years and I can still smell the fresh books, the pages had never been turned, my school was called the school of dreams and it was, it really was! (Too much titanic eh? I am in a nostalgia mood, and its the best movie that runs in flashback, puh-lease don't think about 'memento')


From school, to college, to graduation, the journey has had its ups and downs, but the city stayed where it was, always welcoming, comforting, alluring, it always had places where i could sit reconcile in hard times, lionize in happy ones. The street food in bapuji nagar, to sumptuous buffets at the elite hotels, the city has it all. A couple of friends at home, sit back relax, let the world revolve and let a new day rise.


The streets, the food, the points on the road u will never forget, cause there stood the guy with his cycle and two big handis whose 'dahi bara aloo dum' you loved. I am sure people who have lived will agree with me on this, they will never stop complaining about how there are so few places to go, but everytime they are on a vacation, these words would have come to their lips 'Bhubaneswar jaisa jagah aur kahin nahi hai'. I now live in Mumbai, but its another chapter, will tell about it some other day.


Ever growing, this city brings you calm and peace inspite of the hustle that goes just meters from your home. Evening breeze, terrace encounters with cloudy skies make a mark in your memory, swings (if you are lucky enough to have them) will be a blessing in the early mornings, read the newspaper, and listen to "macha neba machaaa" :P as the road mongers create pecuilar sounds.




I miss this place, its a city you wont forget. Its an identity you will never loose. So long, for all the thoughts, will make this city proud someday.


Later.