# An ode from a son's weeping heart.

"I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life. ~Abraham Lincoln". 
Sometimes life takes such a turn that you end up losing the one who has been an inseparable part of you.Tried to pen down feelings of a a close friend.

Let me place another sob on your shoulders, let me clutch your palms once more. Screech another time maa and will not do the mischief you had been telling me to refrain from.

Come maa will hold your hand like you held mine while you taught me how to walk away from my worries. I know I had been too busy chasing my dreams but if you give me another chance it will be just about a picture perfect life you expect out of me. I swear I will bring you here in this metro city for I was wrong when I underestimated your capacity to adjust in any circumstance provided I was in front of your eyes.

I promise to never skip a meal even if I am busy with my corporate meets and be a source of anxiety for you. I’ll ring you twice a day, and In-fact lets strike a deal for four times a day. Even more if you wish so.

Maa I promise I will prioritize your travel wishes over my weekend getaways. I want to take you to the temples you always wanted to visit but could not because you were too occupied nurturing me & my siblings.

Maa when I was a kid and you use to get upset about my frolicsomeness leading to destruction and shout at me, it was the scariest moment of the day.

 For I wasn’t afraid of you, for I was too timid and the thought of you not talking to me for next few hours use to make me feel week in my knees.

Today I am shouting maa, and trust me this time I am scared as hell. I want to make up for each moment you have complained about. I am calling for your name, but it seems you are so upset that you don’t wish to listen to me anymore. Please Maa for your son’s sake, come and hold me once and I assure I will never let you down.

Kareri : Through the eyes of 10 wanderers

A month back while I received a call from a school friend insisting to accompany him & few others over a Trek Trip, the whole idea was just to have a break from work. I need to admit that the so called break turned out to be a decision I cherish till date. After experiencing the magnificent Kareri Lake I have earned quite a handful of things. The list includes few amazing friends, dollops of splendid experiences and above everything the desire to indulge in such adventurous expeditions over and again. While many adventure enthusiasts can be seen knocking around he much famous Triund trek, we decided to take up the less populous and not so famous one “The Kareri Trek”. To elaborate a little more, we opted for the calm, placid and the lush green trek paving way to the shallow and fresh water lake to the south of Dhauladhar range. The trip started as just a normal one with the entire group chilling at Bhagsunath / McLeod Ganj for two days until the real fun unleashed which I consider as the actual first day of our trip.

DAY 1:

How to reach the base: Kareri Village (Altitude: 4347 ft. / 1,325 m)

Modes of Travel: Taxis from McLeod Ganj/ Dharamshala (Cost: Rs.700-800) / Roadways buses from Dharamshala: Travel Time: 1 .5- 2 hours

We could negotiate for a good deal at McLeod Ganj that included to and fro Taxi till the base “Kareri Village”, all meals during the entire trek, two porters (carrying the tents, sleeping bags and other necessities), one guide and one cook. The entire package was on the grabs for just Rs. 20,000 hence the average cost per person amounted to mere Rs.2000.In case you are a solo traveler or travelling in a small group, anticipated cost is Rs 3000- Rs 4000 per person for similar amenities. We could reach the base by 10 am and halted for an hour. While our guide made the necessary preparations for the trip we were served a not so fancy but delicious breakfast in our guide's humble abode, post which we started the trek.

DAY 1 Continued & DAY 2:

Kareri Village to Kareri Lake (Altitude: 9760 ft. / 2,975 m)

The narrow 15 km trek provides many breathtaking scenic views on the way. The Kareri River flows by the side for most of the stretch which gives an opportunity to refill your water bottles without much hassle. The added advantage of the conjugating river is you can break and soak your feet in the chilling cold water and feel rejuvenated for the rest of Trek. We took the first long break after 5 kms where we were served Maggi. The second break taken was at halfway at a place named Reoti, where many of the trekkers decide to halt for a night .One can chose to halt making it a two night trip or continue trekking depending upon the stamina of fellow trekkers and time availability.

The Alluring Trail

Reoti/ A refreshing Halt 

It was after 7 hours of trekking and short breaks we could have glimpse of the picturesque view we have been waiting to see. It was an enthralling experience to witness the snow covered mountains feeding a lake at the base and green meadows surrounding all four sides. To add to the beauty there was no one but just our group in the entire proximity.

Kareri Lake : Conquered

The Loner Camp 

Late evening tea and the dinner cooked in the most conventional way was one of the best servings we have ever experienced. Night time was adventurous but equally daunting as the temperature dips as low as 0 degrees. It is suggested to carry ample warm clothes and sleeping bags to face the chilly winds of the Dhauladhar range. Waking up to the fresh sun rays accompanied by cool breeze made it a perfect morning. Post breakfast with a urge to come back again we repacked our bags and left the camp. The journey while trekking back is little less tedious and can be completed within 5.5 hours.

Summing up, the two days expedition was an experience for a lifetime. The trek is very easily approachable by people staying in the northern part of India, can be wrapped up within a weekend and is a must in the list of every adventurous traveler’s diary.

The Feminism Debate: Other side of the coin

It seems that this world has become a big platform where chauvinists and feminists are fighting over umpteenth issues and the war seems to be never ending now. Just a couple of days back I saw arranged marriage & love marriage rotis being trolled at the best, hottest topic for a day or two. What followed was pretty much expected. There were some crisp and bitter replies condemning the pun. It was further cascaded by couple of more posts flooding over the social networking sites and people profusely showcasing outrageous behavior against such sexist jokes.

I am a feminist; someone who would never in a lifetime takes a gender based comment on myself but I really feel the need to raise a point here. Is so much buzz required on such issues? Do we actually think this is going to make any difference in thought process of people carrying peanut sized brains? The reality is that they would not be moved even an inch with all this voicing. I believe god has already done enough injustice to them (SARACASM) by gifting them with ridiculously low thought process. No hatred, no outrage can outdo the misfortune they have deliberately stuck themselves into. I am sure they would love the women in their lives (Mothers, wives, sisters all being encompassed in the definition here) merely for superficial things,quantum of measurement of which can never surpass derogatory levels. At most they will end up choosing a woman partner whose handmade delectable food will be the utmost criteria indicating her meritorious performance. So here I come back to what I am trying to persuade upon.Shouting and jeering against acts of set of such people is mere wastage of time and efforts.

I have a better idea, an altogether different perspective. Rather than hating these people why not channelize our efforts in praising the ones which are actually worthy of commendation. May be everyone is not lucky enough but I can bet quite a lot of us certainly are. Why not raise the toast to the community which even in their dreams would not think of looking down upon a person basis her sex. So here it goes for an extremely supportive and advocating father. Two brothers in whom I have found best of my friends .A cousin who sets best of example when it comes to exemplifying open-mindedness .Few awesome  friends and colleagues who appreciate the bold side in me and other women in their family/workplace. College mates who have provoked me to jump off moving trains and hostel walls during midnight.

Yes All of them are protective about me, possessive too at times but I can bet none of them will ever have the audacity to disrespect a woman. Reiterating the fact that I am proud to have such people surrounding me, I feel my oats while I write this post as I know presence of these men makes my world certainly very elated and exuberant. I am sure many of us have handful of such men surrounding them.If not anything else we can Say a big thanks to them and pay gratitude  for everything they have ever been to us :)