Suma With Dev

Dear Friends,

As time flies by,

We wait for our moment in the Sun,

Be there to share this moment,

To wish us a life of Love and Fun...

Wedding Events

Date: 25 January 2015

Haldi ceremony at 07:00 AM

Saptapadi at 10:27 AM

Reception at 12:40 PM

Venue

R N Shetty Kalyana Mantapa,

Near Indira Glass House, Karwar Road,

Hubballi, Karnataka 580024

6 kms from Railway station

2 kms from Old Bus stand

ನಗುವ ನಯನ, ಮಧುರ ಮೌನ.
ಮಿಡಿವಾ ಹೃದಯ, ಇರೆ ಮಾತೇಕೆ?

ಹೊಸ ಭಾಷೆಯಿದು, ರಸ ಕಾವ್ಯವಿದು,

ಇದ ಹಾಡಲು ಕವಿ ಬೇಕೇ?
ನಿಂಗಾಗಿ ಹೇಳುವೆ ಕಥೆ ನೂರನು,
ನಾನಿಂದು ನಗಿಸುವೆ ಈ ನಿನ್ನನು.
ಇರುಳಲ್ಲು ಕಾಣುವೆ ಕಿರು ನಗೆಯನು,
ಕಣ್ಣಲ್ಲಿ ಹುಚ್ಚೆದ್ದ ಹೊಂಗನಸನು.
ಜೊತೆಯಾಗಿ ನಡೆವೆ ನಾ ಮಳೆಯಲೂ,
ಬಿಡದಂತೆ ಹಿಡಿವೆ ಈ ಕೈಯನು.

एक प्यार का नगमा हैं, मौजो की रवानी हैं

जिन्दगी और कुछ भी नहीं, तेरी मेरी कहानी हैं

कुछ पाकर खोना है, कुछ खोकर पाना हैं

जीवन का मतलब तो, आना और जाना हैं

दो पल के जीवन से, एक उम्र चुरानी हैं

तू धार हैं नदिया की, मैं तेरा किनारा हूँ

तू मेरा सहारा है, मैं तेरा सहारा हूँ

आँखों में समंदर है, आशाओं का पानी हैं

जिन्दगी और कुछ भी नहीं, तेरी मेरी कहानी हैं

नाहं जाणामि

नाहं जाणामि कंपि देवं न दईवं, णत्थि इसरो णियन्ता ।

णत्थि सग्गभूमि ण णिरयं ।

णो जगकत्ता णो विकत्ताय ण य जगईसरो कोवि ।

ण रक्खओ ण भक्खओ ।

ण य कालाईओ आदित्ठो दन्दनाईओ ।

कम्मुणो चेव दण्डं ।

हं सयमेव सट्ठा भोत्ता य मे सुहदुह - पियाप्पिअसंजोगाण ।

अप्पसरियो जीवो सव्वाण सुहुमतिसुहुमेसु ।

नत्थु कोवि कयापि दुहिओ मया ।

सया मे इइ संवेअणा ।

सच्चस्स मग्गा बहवे, सच्चो य एगरुबो णवरं ।

समया मे मणो दुव्विहअवस्थासु ।

मम पत्थणा - निज्जरउ अन्नाणकंमं ।

शुद्धसासयरुवो हं इइ अत्थु मे सद्दंसणंअन्ते - ण य भवउ चवियं, 

मे पयं मोक्खमग्गओ ।

The Bicycle Trip

Routine is boring and every normal day life feels like a life in prison unless of course if you are not in IT, which is summed up well by this dialogue in "Shawshank Redemption" by Red - "Prison life consists of routine, and then more routine... These walls are funny. First you hate 'em, then you get used to 'em. Enough time passes, you get so depend on them. That's institutionalized." I've seen a lot of people including me stuck being institutionalized and refuse to accept any change. I have nothing against being institutionalized but it is no fun at all. "Routine can be assuring and comfortable but it's boring!" and when the boredom reaches a peak, that is when I try to do something stupid which challenges the Routine!

So this time I take up cycling to the highest mountain peak in Karnataka, well this was indeed a stupid idea especially when you are super unfit. But I had made up my mind to do it, thanks to Suhas (The Bicycle Kid) who keeps inspiring people around him to take up cycling and "Cycling & More (CAM)" group for organizing the trip. I have always loved cycling like most of us do, because that is one of the first things that we do as a child growing up which is exhilarating and so much fun. Learning to cycle for the first time can be compared to learning to walk for the first time and the best thing is we remember the moments this time around. Having grown up and that too fat and lazy needed some inspiration to go ahead on this trip but with friends around you it isn't that difficult either.

Day 1 -
The Bicycle Gang (as we would like to be called for it makes us sound cool) included Suhas, Manigandan, Muthuraj and Myself along with 20 others from CAM who joined us in the adventure. We started on Friday night to Chikkamagalur - which was to be our base camp for the entire trip. Reaching early morning at 4 we luckily got an hours sleep before getting ready to cycle. At around 7 we got to our respective cycles and as it usually happens before the start "The uncertainty principle" kicked in. This time it was Mani's cycle which had a flat tyre and we couldn’t find any tubes for replacement, Tension Mani as we fondly call him had turned gray with the untimely worry. But thanks to CAM as they carry back up cycles to handle situations like this, we got one cycle ready for Mani and off we left for the much needed breakfast. Eating the normal south Indian Idly and Vada’s, we cooled down Mani’s frustration of not riding his own cycle.

With route maps in our pockets handed over by CAM and the support canter vehicle following us behind we started with task of the day. Taking in instructions to not race each other and not consider this like a Tour De France competition; We were advised to enjoy the ride. Hence we paddled slowly like ducks in a pond with cool breeze around and the Mullayangiri looking down upon us as if to challenge our will to climb it on a cycle. The first 3 kms were relatively easy, that is how much we cycled everyday probably during school days, so we made it without any fuss. For Mani, Muthu and Me the ride was always going to be difficult, having never done this before and with lack of fitness to hinder our will power, the ride would have been challenging anyways and we knew it. But we never knew that one of us would give up after just 5 kms. I was cycling at steady pace riding between Mani and Muthu, Suhas being the professional was nowhere to be seen, we were all basically trying to catch up. Muthu was steadily losing pace and was behind all of us, so I waited for him to join me but as he approached me closer I could see he was exhausted and once he left his cycle and slept on the road I knew something was wrong. I gave him some water and tried talking to him but nothing helped, he started closing his eyes and becoming unconscious. Well in all this seriousness of the situation I couldn’t help but start smiling inside because he acted funny and even a kid could cover 5 kms without fainting on to the ground. Meanwhile the canter came along and I told Vikrant (The CAM Race Coordinator) since it’s the first time for Muthu this might have happened to him but Vikrant said this happens to the best of riders and don’t underestimate him. Vikrant advised Muthu to go back to the hotel and rest. We gave him some energy drink and sent him back.

After this not so motivating start we had to continue and so we did, I caught up with Mani and we continued pedaling for another 5-6 kms with beautiful coffee plantations around and the thankful shade which followed us all the while. But after we had covered around 12 kms and as we started to climb the Mullayangiri it was becoming increasingly difficult for us. We waited for the canter to come and put our bikes in it to enjoy the easy ride uphill, as I ended my first stretch of ride I changed my role from being a rider to becoming the tour photographer. With beautiful western ghats around us it’s a joy taking pictures around here, also along the way we motivated the riders who were struggling to make it uphill. The riders kept asking for water and motivation along the way uphill. The canter then stopped at a place around 2 kms away from the Mullayangiri peak and we waited for the riders to complete the next 2 kms of stretch on their own. I personally thought canter following the entire stretch would have been good for riders but they didn’t do it. The riders however carried on, covering the most difficult stretch of road – A Hair Pin bend with sudden elevation which is difficult even for automotive engines to pull through but these super humans did it with sheer physical and mental toughness. I stood far away on another hill trying to find if the others made it to the top and wondered what these people were made off and what kind of agony they might be going through. After a while no one was to be seen for another hour or so. With time and camera by my side I started exploring the hills around until the tough guys returned from their conquest, I did some time pass photography and thanks to Suhas’s DSLR the pictures came out good too.

I kept wondering all this while up there how beautiful this place would be in the rains and winters. While I was exploring the hills around Vikrant and Mani fixed Mani’s cycle and that brought some relief to tension mani, finally he could ride his own bicycle. After about an hour the tough guys came back downhill from the peak and I could see the joy of achievement in all of them as they descended towards us. Cycling is one of those rare sports where coming downhill is actually a sense of achievement. I stood by and captured the moments of victory for these achievers.

Mani and me now joined the gang to complete the downhill towards the footsteps of Mullayangiri and it was an experience of lifetime. I was brimming with my dimple smile all the while coming down gazing around the scenery and enjoying every moment because it felt like a rollercoaster ride on a bicycle and you had complete control on the speed. Finally the joy ride ended in less than 10mins and now we had to climb up again to the Bababudangiri hill and I wondered if the last 10mins lasted forever but as the song goes “Everything fades away” it too faded away. We started pedaling again at snail’s pace gasping for breath and taking pit stops every 5mins. But we gave it our best and somehow covered around 6kms uphill and thought of putting our cycles back in the canter vehicle and reaching the hill top but that wasn’t going to happen as the canter had left us behind and we were to take care of ourselves. We called up Vikrant and he said that the hill top is not very far from the place we were stranded giving us some hope, So Mani and me exhausted of pedaling started walking up hill. As we kept walking a battle between mind and body had started; when the body said it can’t the mind had to convince the body that it can otherwise it would have been fatal for us, the sun was beating down upon us and we were hungry and dehydrated but our minds didn’t give up on the body. Finally we made it to a check post around 10kms from Bababudangiri from then on it was the rollercoaster ride again and we finally reached the lunch point to receive our well deserved rewards. As we entered the lunch point we could see Muthu enjoying his lunch, we were relieved to see he was fit and fine. Now we had a chance to ridicule him and we were not going to miss on the fun. But he was evidently disappointed by the way his day had turned out to be, so we held ourselves back and decided to give him some much needed motivation than sarcasm. We finished our lunch and went downhill to take a dip in the waterfall at Attigundi, WOW it was such a relief after hard days effort of sweating ourselves out. The icy cold water relieved our senses and energized our souls, just the way you feel after you have drunk Maaza in Katrina Kaif style. We did some fashion photography (check the image for proof) for time pass to help out the King Fisher Calendar and waited for others to join us so that we could start the last stretch of 15 odd kms back to Chikkamagalur.

The final stretch was fun again since we decided to skip the uphills using the canter and ride only downhills, We started tumbling down the hills feeling the breeze and the evening sun smiling at us as we descended. Finally we were back in Chikkamagalur at 6.30 and ended the day with the well deserved Mangaluru bondas. Heading to the hotel we took some relief meds so that we could get up the next morning. Rest of the evening was spent in ridiculing Muthu or praising Suhas or resting our bums.

Day 2 –
Getting up early at 5.30am needed some divine motivation after the tough last day, but we had to do it and so we got ready, packed our bags kept them in the bus and got to our respective cycles. This day the plan was to cover Chikkamagalur->Belur->Halebidu->Hassan around 75kms for expert riders and 45kms for the lazy ones like me. We started off after the breakfast towards Belur. We were all pumped up, so was Muthu and he seemed more determined this time but I still had my doubts of him completing the journey. Most of them were leading me as I was riding very slowly, I decided to plug in some music to give me some company. The roads were easy to ride this time around no sudden elevations or free falls but plain straight roads with some beautiful lakes and fields around. I kept pedaling slowly as I didnt have to catch up anybody instead enjoy the ride, steadily I proceeded occasionally stopping now and then to take pictures and rest for a while. Everywhere I stopped random people would come over or stop by to ask where was I riding from and where had I come from., With these questions I felt like an alien around not that I looked like one with all the sweat pouring from my head.

I reached Belur almost last around 10.30am. Suhas, Mani and Muthu had reached almost an hour before me and had almost done touring the famous Chennakeshava Temple. Stepping into the age old temple always feels special not for the spiritual experience at least for me but instead the overall soothing cool atmosphere. All four of us took some nice pictures together as a happy family and relaxed in the temple corridor, coming out we were thirsty enough to gulp up two tender coconuts each.

We got back to our cycles and headed towards Halebidu, it was getting hotter and I was getting thirstier after each mile but the end was not too far after about one and half hours of relentless pedaling finally I reach Halebidu. Touching down I needed 2 more tender coconuts to cool me down. Others had already reached which included Muthu, Who had proved Vikrant's statement to be true, I shouldn't have underestimated him. After all no one knows the limits of human determination. He seemed relatively pleased by his effort and I was hiding my face since I had come last. Few had even left for the last stretch till Hassan, but for me the trip had ended here after having cycled for 40kms was indeed some achievement for me. Going around the Halebidu temple I went around taking some pictures of the very nicely maintained temple complex. I reflected back on the last 2 days and realized how well I had spent it. Like one more famous dialogue in Sholay goes "Is storee me emotion hai, drrraamaa hai, trrragedy hai." our story had all of this and much more... In the end alls well when the bums well and it took 2 more days to get our bums back in shape.

What I take out of this trip is that the journey on empty roads matters more than the journey on the crowded streets and if you have taken all the pain to reach uphill then falling downhill isn't that bad a feeling either, after all there are so many things yet to be conquered...

Poem to Secret Santa

Dear Santa where have you gone?
I wait for your clue all day long...
I hope you remember your role!
Come back soon from the north pole...
Go ahead and do some shoplifting,
Because tomorrow is the day you should be gifting.

You are my only wish!

Like the grinning birds at sushine,
May you smile at every sight of mine,
I want to realize everything you cherish,
You are my only wish, You are my only wish.

Like a gasping wind towards a silent lake,
Every step you take keeps me nervously awake,
I want to keep walking until the finish,
You are my only wish, You are my only wish.

Like a busy bee crooning around a daisy,
Dancing with you should make the world look hazy,
I want to be set free and again be impish,
You are my only wish, You are my only wish.

Like the dangling melody of a restless chime,
Every move of yours should turn me numb like a mime,
I want to keep talking until the words perish,
You are my only wish, You are my only wish.

Like drops of dew on a tender leaf,
Tears keep running down my tired cheek,
I want to fight everyday the endless anguish,
You are my only wish, You are my only wish.

- Dev

Deepavali - I dream everyday to be this day.

For all those moments glittering, I dream everyday to be this day,
When I can close my moist eyes and still feel the starry night.

For all those unseen colors, I dream everyday to be this day,
When I can walk looking down to find the rainbow scattered around.

For all those sweetest things to feast, I dream everyday to be this day,
When I can feed my insatiable hunger with everything available.

For all those crackling smiles, I dream everyday to be this day,
When I can laugh out crazy loud and still not be heard.

For all those promises fulfilled, I dream everyday to be this day,
When I can look like a blooming flower with my new attire.

For all those open arms, I dream everyday to be this day,
When I can get that special drug from anyone called a mother's hug.

For all those corners lit, I dream everyday to be this day,
When I can see hope beaming out of the burning lantern rope.

For all those childhood times, I dream everyday to be this day,
When I can dream of a fearless desire to fly with wings of fire.

- Dev

On cloud number Nine - Skandagiri

I often think and think a lot sometimes, so much so that I get bored of the process of thinking and that is when I realize that laziness has it's limits. Hence now and then I decide do something adventurous to challenge my lazy mindset and push my useless body to it's limits.

The challenge was - Skandagiri, a beautiful hill about 60 kms from Bangalore near Mudenahalli (Birth place of Sir M. Vishvesharayya). Five of us crazy people started the adventure on our bikes at around 11 pm on Saturday night. With only enthusiasm and no planning the trips turn out to be adventurous anyways, so we didn't worry about the fun part. Since the planning part was missing we took two detours (lost our way) and reached the base of hill around 2 am.

We hired a guide, which was some good planning we did before we started the climb. With moonlit night the climb would have been romantic only if my friends magically transformed into the opposite gender somehow. But that was never going to happen and I decided to start the trek rather than regretting my bad luck.

It was fun initially for about 15 mins we were sailing smoothly with only some small stones, bushes as roadblocks which were too insignificant for us. Then once the actual climb started I realized how irresponsible I have been towards my health, carrying 90 kg's onto a hill top is no easy task. Somehow the enthusiasm took me to a level where I could recover from the punishment I was put through. But the test of physical and mental toughness was about to start since I had hardly covered 5% of the entire distance (It was like that scene from Kung Fu Panda where Po has to reach the Jade palace but is tired after just 3 steps).

Now gathering all the inner strength and peace I started again with only one friend beside me, rest of them ditched us for some girls who were ahead of us. Step by step the climb became more and more challenging but I couldn't give up. I had told so many people about the trek that I would have to run like an Ostrich if I hadn't accomplished the climb. So to save my face from embarrassment and to follow my "Never Give Up" principle I had to continue. About mid way after taking 5 pit-stops we were suddenly on - No mans land. One side there was a risky slope with wet grass on it and on the other side a huge rock which was waiting for a chance to go down. Clueless about our next step we decided to listen to some rock music (Stairway to heaven) on our phones, we thought someone should care about us and will come back to rescue us. After taking a forced pit-stop for about 10 mins the guide came searching for us and we continued under his expert guidance.

The weather started changing as we approached the pinnacle, we were sweating like pigs for first half of the climb and shivering like a malaria patient for the second half. Finally after about 5,003,343 steps and 3.5 hrs later we reached the top. And the rest was just an experience of lifetime which cannot be put into words. We might not have scaled the Everest but we sure felt some exhilaration of having achieved something at least in our aimless lives.

The wind resisted each of our steps on the top and we marched on against it, the temperature must be around 15 deg Celsius probably or I felt so. The moon seemed like a jump away when we stood on the edge, all we could do was stand spell bound and admire the beauty of Mother Nature. She in her grandeur is so humble and giving but we treat her like we own her! The place in itself is beautiful and out of the world but we have only made it ugly by using it as a place to booze and smoke. I was disturbed by too much human noise above so I found a calm place on the edge of a cliff and sat down there to feel the wind and stare at the moon, I did this for 2 hrs and around 5.30 am the color of sky turned from black to blue. We knew the sun had arrived and with it the end of our adventure...

I might not be able to explain the exact feeling of being there but this poem does it beautifully,

Beautiful Earth (what a marvelous thing) - Kathye D. Perry

What a wonderful joy it is to see,
The beauty of nature and its majesty.

Everything blends, entwines and embraces,
Spaced precisely in their designated places.

What a marvel to see, I wish I were a bee,
Flying free,
Smelling life's roses, no particular place to be.

How can it be, such a marvel to see
When it’s possessed by such as you and me?

Ours to have, cherish, and protect,
Not to pollute, take for granted, nor neglect.

Enjoy the earth, treat it kind
After all it is ours, yes... yours and mine.

- Dev

Theory of Reverse Psychology

Theory of Reverse Psychology - postulated by Prof Pritesh J Rasquinha

Theory
In short Theory of Reverse Psychology says,
"When someone’s doing something right and it goes wrong do the wrong it may go
right" - P.J
OR
"For every action there is equal and opposite reaction, hence do the opposite to get the right reaction for the wrong action" - P.J

Explanation -

Long ago when Newton postulated his 3rd law of Motion and Heisenberg postulated his Uncertainty principle they were both thinking of applying their theories to human psychology more than anything, but failed to do so. But only "Theory of Reverse Psychology" makes this dream of Greats come true.

When I first heard of this theory from PJ I didn’t believe it would work in this humane world ruled by uncertainties, but it does work like his charm on all the girls.
Initially it took time for me to get a grasp on this theory but when the Master was always there with me it wasn’t so difficult in the end.

The best application of this master philosophy is when you are with a gang of friends and you goto a common place just to eat or drink but you don't have a place to sit because it's crowded. Apply reverse psychology and take your whole gang to the table with least people and join them. Now since the people already seated there have no clue why you are there and looking at the size of gang they will eventually move out.

One more stunning application of this theory is to attract the opposite sex, when you know someone's watching you instead of responding with a glare just do the reverse i.e. IGNORE, as they say "Ignorance is bliss" and this bliss will help you get the undue attention. Anyways it's very hard to apply until you rate yourself amongst the best looking people around.
The tag line for this philosophy is – “It works like axe effect minus the axe”

The actual application of this philosophy is in our daily lives. Like in the song - "Awarapan Banjarapan" which is one of my favorite songs, there is a line "kaha kisi ke
liye hai mumkin, sab ke liye ek sa hona" which is indeed so true. But if you achieve what this line says you cannot! you will reach the utmost level of inner peace I think. People around you don't expect you to be nice and true always but do the reverse of what they might think of you. Be nice and true to them always even when they are not the same with you, it isn't so difficult. This will, at some point of time bring a change in their attitude and hence the reverse effect. You'll see the hatred turn into likability and likability turn into respect in the end.

It is indeed difficult to practice what you preach, but I try.

- Dev