Hangover of some heavy reading ....

While I start writing this blog, I want to tell you that sometimes a mixture of photographs and words speak more than words alone. I am not a good writer, neither am a good photographer. But I request you to read this and then look at the photographs to get a feel of “Reason behind writing this blog”. Please spend at least 5 seconds on each photograph and try to submerge yourself in the place, people, sentiments and the ambience. Try to imagine yourself behind the lens of that camera which clicked the photograph.To see ALL the photographs please click below :

http://picasaweb.google.co.in/bhogvanp/SoloRideOfSouthernIndia?feat=email#

Not everything in life was going fine, a lot of things had messed up terribly and there was a constant wrestle of thoughts inside me and this was giving me sleepless nights. I was at a point where you start questioning yourself, Why live? For whom? Why do you need money? Where will I be 3 years from today? I was getting weak, mentally and physically; both. I knew I had to get out of this and give a sincere effort of looking at life from a different angle. With a passion for Motorcycling, I thought there would be no better way to travel. Travel to run away from thoughts and memories.

For some office work I had to travel to Chennai from Bangalore and this meant I had 4 days which I could use to travel. The itinerary was prepared as follows:

Day 1 – Bangalore to Chennai

Day 2 – Finish Office work and start for Pondicherry.

Day 3 – Start for Munnar.

Day 4 – Back to Bangalore.

So on Thursday morning 6 O’clock I and Chavi (my bike) started off for Chennai. Chavi was recently serviced and would serve a good company, good company as she talks to me at times; and when she doesn’t talk I get bored, so I carried my ipod also. The road is excellent till Chennai with few bad patches in Karnataka, once out of Karnataka you are driving comfortably without using much clutch or brake. With just one break for breakfast I was in Chennai at 12 noon and checked in at the guest house by 1:15 PM.

Evening was meant for Marina beach at Chennai. Once there I spend about 3 hours there looking at families, lovers, newly weds, old aged couples, evening joggers, dog walkers, yoga freaks, lonely kids, fishermen, lonesome guys, sunset watchers, dancers, beggers, gays, policemen on duty and etc etc. It felt good to park myself at a lonely corner of the beach and just watch all the above mentioned folks and think about them however this was again starting the typhoon of thoughts inside me, so I got up and walked further. Here I met 2 boys, probably from slum. They looked at me and asked for the Mirinda I was holding in my hand, handing over that and looking at their joy can’t be described in words. I spent a few minutes with them catching fish in polythene bags and giving them a chance to play with my camera. This made me happy and away from my thoughts for some time. I left these HAPPY kids with a question. Do you NEED Friends to be happy?

I also watched a couple sitting there with the sunset in the backdrop. Hardly talking to each other or even holding hands, but just the feeling of being together had the words “very satisfactory” written on their faces. We exchanged smiles as I passed by and realized, You NEED a Companion to be happy?

Next day morning after completing the office work I was free after 11 AM and once again I and Chavi were on the road to Pondicherry. Driving on the ECR (East Coast Road) was a good feeling. You drive on the road which is butter smooth and on your right you occasionally pass the sea beach. I spent about 30 minutes on a beach where I was the only soul. It felt good to be away from civilization for some time at least. I left this place with another question, Is Society NEEDED to be happy?

Just before entering Pondicherry, there is a site which spreads across many kilometers where they prepare salt from the sea water using evaporation. It was enlightening how they make this salt in very poor conditions with minimal use of machinery. They have designed a linked-channel system of many-many kilometers so that they can get salt water from the backwaters. You can only see their channels and salt as far as you can see. I spoke to one of the workers for about 30 minutes understanding the whole process, how they live life here, where their kids go to school, what their wives do, how tsunami affected them, how relief works were and all this without I knowing his language and he not knowing my language. I left the place with another revelation about life; you DON’T NEED to work on Computers or with Technology to earn your Bread.

From last few months I have been thinking “How much money is enough money”? Today I know the answer.Evening came in quick and I decided to stay in the small city where I was while the sun set. Got up early morning next day and once again both me and Chavi were on the road. I wondered if she was getting tired of me waking her up early in the morning from last 3 days, but I guess she was happy seeing the sunrise and the early morning breeze. I asked her if she was upset, she didn’t reply, I guess she was too busy enjoying the morning dew on her face. I asked her again if she still loved me and she again didn’t reply, I took the silence as a “yes”. A straight stretch of road lied ahead and she asked me “Honey, shall we?” and I obeyed her politely and was soon at 100 KMPH until she was happy. Riding continually for about another hour I felt that the right cheek of my butt was asleep, stopped, woke him up and after a break of 30 minutes was again riding.The ride until Munnar was pleasant with good roads, no butt blisters and with lots of lovely sights where Chavi would ask me to stop and take a picture of her with the background. She said “I feel at home today”.I always wanted to know “Is Love NEEDED in life?” … She gave me the answer today.By 12 Noon we were at the Ghat Road which is a uphill road and has 17 hair-pin bends and riding through all of them was absolute fun for both of us. I felt sorry for hurting her once, I rubbed her foot rest on the right side 5-6 times, I was getting too excited on the turns. She didn’t mind it though and gave me another question. Isn’t Forgiveness a GOOD thing?

At about 3 we were in Munnar and felt peace coming to this place. There was a serene silence here, the silence which once again brought back the tribulations inside. I rested myself at one of the view point overlooking the lovely tea gardens and the clouds playing hide and seek with the mountains.The evening was spent walking with my thoughts amidst the tea gardens and clouds. This was reminding me of a past trip to Shimla. We had been there 2 years back (WE here doesn't mean Chavi, I am talking about a sweet, pretty, lovely girl) and were walking hand in hand on one of the paths on a mountain. She got tired pretty soon and I was continually asking her to walk a little more, “ok, let’s walk upto that street light pole, that will be the last one” and this way we both must have crossed about 20 of them. Here in Munnar while I walked, it appeared as if these poles were asking me… “What happened, you alone this time? Where is she?” …I didn’t know what to answer them and continued walking ignoring them. I guess I felt a tear on my right cheek, I didn’t wipe it. The night came in quick and I went to my hotel room and slept.

Next day morning again I woke up 8050 at 6 o’clock and took her to the top most point in Munnar’s hills. She felt happy there, I guess she was weeping with joy, I saw a few tears on her face, I realized later that it was the morning dew.After this we were on the way back to Bangalore though the Chinnar wild life sanctuary. On the way I saw a place where a kid with his mom was selling oranges. From the smell I knew the oranges were sour but could not resist spending some time with them, so bought a few oranges there and played with the kid for some time. Left that place with a question. Is having a family and your kids NEEDED?

I know the answer is yes, just don’t know when god will answer my prayers.I left Munnar with a question. Do you need a Good Job, a Good Home, Good Clothes and Good Food OR you just need job, home, clothes and food.Riding for another 18 hours with a few breaks in between, I was back in Bangalore. It was an attempt to run away from memories and thoughts but I came back with more thoughts and memories and questions.

Questions still trouble me, Memories are getting stronger with days passing by, Thoughts still wrestle inside, All I can say to myself is, have hope and pray to Lord and he shall bring you peace.