I is for Introverts !

I have been bestowed with many compliments by people who don’t know me too well. I have been labeled as shy, reclusive (well this one is not too incorrect!!), haughty and arrogant.

The truth is I am just an Introvert! And we Introverts are such a misunderstood lot! Introverts take a lot of time to open up and be comfortable with people, and till then we prefer to speak and interact as little as possible.And so we are misunderstood as being arrogant !
It is not as if we don’t like people. Off course we like people – from a distance!

Frankly we just prefer not to surround ourselves with all sorts. We are extremely selective about whom we want to associate with. An Introvert will always have a few close friends she is extremely loyal to rather than have a whole bunch of friends and acquaintances. We are intensely private people. We don’t like to share our feelings and emotions with everybody.

And it’s not as if we don’t like to talk at all. Off course we do! The truth is that we suck at small talk! Conversations about trivial things simply don’t interest us. Put us in a social gathering and ask us to make conversation and we fail miserably. Give us 1-2 people who share the same interests as us and look how voluble we get!

In social gatherings unless I know the people very well I will be the one speaking the least. People who speak too much actually irritate me and I generally remove myself from the surroundings as soon as possible.

We also hate getting noticed. We prefer to do things quietly in the background rather than try to be in the limelight.

Introverts live more in their inner world than the outer world. We like being with our own thoughts. I tend to feel drained and tired if I have been in the company of others for long. I then usually wander off on my own to get my few hours or even minutes of solitude. If that is not possible, I try to retreat inside and block out the others.Some people get recharged by being with others. We get recharged by being alone and by turning our thoughts inwards.

People don’t seem to understand how I can like being alone. But there is a very big difference in being lonely and being alone. I cherish my alone time. I can spend hours in solitude, reading, writing, dreaming or just watching the world whizz past. I love travelling solo, alone with my thoughts, soaking in the surroundings, exploring and doing things my own way!

We Introverts don’t have much use for words. Not for the spoken ones anyway. All our feelings and emotions come out though the written words. We are not too good about expressing ourselves verbally and sometimes that is not a very god thing !

It’s becoming more and more difficult for introverts to survive in today’s world. In these days of social media and instant friendships, we tend to feel a little lost. Having few friends is what is just not acceptable these days.

Over the past few years I have made an effort to be more vocal and expressive, especially over the social media. People who know me online tell me that I am a different person when they see me in person because I tend to me more reserved and shy when I am meeting someone for the first time, even if I know that person online!

I love being an introvert, this is the way I am and this is the way I feel the most comfortable. But over the years I have actually made a little effort to be more social. If I may borrow the words of Shail Mohan of Shail’s Nest  - I am now an “Introvert in the garb of an Extrovert!”

I don’t think I could have put it more succinctly than that!

H is for Haiku

A haiku is a traditional Japanese poem of 17 Ons (Japanese characters) that are divided into three lines of 5-7-5. Another characteristic of Haiku is that it invokes a imagery and must always include a reference to season in it. 
I consider Haiku as one of the most beautiful forms of poetry !
One of the most famous Japanese Haiku poets is Basho. Some of his most celebrated Haikus can be read here.

Here is my Humble attempt in Haiku poetry !

Gulmohar flames 

Fireflies glowing amber

Summer fireworks

Some of my other Haikus can be read here 

G is for Ganges !

A lot of people try to find peace in a temple, or in the hushed environs of a church. Some of us try to find peace in the few minutes we meditate in. I find my own peace in the glittering waters of the Ganges, as she flows down from the mountains, pure and pristine.

The first time I saw Ganges or Ganga Maa as we like to call her, I was a small child of 6. We were visiting Rishikesh and I had my first look of the river from my cottage window, where I could see her flowing gracefully between the emerald green hills.

The next morning my grandmother took me to the River bank. It must be a little before sunrise and the sky was still a dark inky blue.The first hint of the sunrise came when the sky slowly started turning a pale pink, the stars getting extinguished one by one as if someone was blowing out candles. 

Then the sun peaked out from behind the hills, as shiny as a newly minted coin, a hue of yellow with just a hint of red at the rim. Slowly it rose higher and higher, painting the sky first a rosy pink and then a bright orange. Rays of sunlight burst forth from behind the mountains as if someone had let go a quiver full of brilliant yellow arrows. The rippling waters of the river turned into a molten gold. Far away I could hear the priests blowing their conchs and starting the morning Prayers in the many temples that dot Rishikesh. I sat their mesmerized, the sound of the conchs as gentle and soothing as the breeze in my face.

My grandmother stood immersed in the river till her waist, murmuring prayers as she stood facing the rising sun. There was something in her countenance- peace, acceptance, reverence, humility – that to me still signifies what devotion is all about. 

I took this picture many years later, on another visit to Rishikesh. 

The Ganges originates at Gaumukh, Roaring and tumbling down from the locks of the mighty Shiva in a resplendent waterfall, as the legend goes.The trek to Gaumukh is treacherous; I have tried it once but failed miserably. 

The Ganges just outside Gangotri

From Gaumukh it comes down till Gangotri and then flows down to Uttarkashi and the plains of India. 

The Ganges near Uttarkashi ! 

The most famous pilgrim centers on the banks of the river are Rishikesh and Haridwar. The Ganga Aarti at both these places is a very spiritual experience. 

To know more about the Ganga Aarti in India, click Here. 

When I feel like spending some time on the banks of Maa Ganga, I try to go to Gangotri or Uttarkashi. These places are very high up in the mountains and are still untouched by humanity as compared to the better known Haridwar and Rishikesh.

Sitting at the banks of the river there is a humbling experience. The Himalayan ranges rearing up towards the sky, the snow peaks glittering in the sunlight as if on fire. The surroundings hushed and silent; the only sound that of the Ganga flowing down from the mountains, almost dancing over the rocks, unrestrained in all her glory and splendor. 

A sense of serenity and peace. An opportunity to calm my mind and recharge my soul. Time to sit still and connect with one self and with God. 

(I haven't really had time to copyright the pics, but all of them have been taken by me at one point of time or the other !)

F is for Fifty Five Fiction !

Fifty Five fiction is where you have to write a story in no more than 55 words.
I love writing Fifty Five fiction because it really tests your ability to express yourself in limited words. 

Here is something I wrote Today.

Ripoff ! 

Maybe we should let it be. 

No! This needs to be done.

Some things are best left uncovered.

But this sure needs to see the light of the day. 

Well I can’t do it. Will you do it for me ?

A sigh of exasperation.Oh all right! 

Ow !!

And the Band-Aid was ripped off unceremoniously. 

For some more  55 fiction written by me,  click here.

E is for Explore !

Explore! A small word with a million possibilities!

Whenever I travel, and I try to as often as possible; I fancy myself as more of an explorer than a tourist. Through my experience I have learnt that my best travel moments were never those that were spent looking at tourist spots. My best moments were when I got off the beaten track to explore nooks and corners and places that were not in the guidebook. 

Exploring doesn't always mean destinations.You must also explore different cuisines, people and cultures. When you visit a new country or state, it  doesn't make any sense to eat the kind of food you have always been eating! Try out the local food. The best meals I have had include having camels milk with a nomad family in Jaisalmer, Salty butter tea in Ladakh and Octopus eggs in Kyoto.

Talk with the locals, interact with them and try to understand their culture. You will be amazed at how rich you will grow in experience and how much you can learn from the wisdom of others.

I remember when I was in London I decided to go to Hamilton court at dusk because I wanted to avoid the tourist crowds. I didn't get to see the inside of the Hamilton court, but I did have a lovely walk through its gardens and then I met a quaint old lady walking her dog along the Thames. She told me many stories about the ghosts residing inside Hamilton court that I am sure a guide would never have told me!

Exploring is not only limited to Travel. We all need to explore our own selves. The world is filled with endless possibilities. There is so much to learn, so much to discover. We need to give up our inhibitions, try out new things, different careers, new hobbies. 

Stretch your limits, Push yourself, Grow! Never be afraid of mistakes. It is better to explore and make mistakes than not to explore at all!

I leave you with this wonderful quote by Mark Twain. I try to live my life by this maxim!