Sense and Souls

Holi , the spring festival of colors celebrated mainly in India and Nepal, signifies victory of good over evil. It does bring smile to the eyes and a rainbow of love, happiness, and fun to the hearts. Or at least that's what I have been observing and celebrating all these spring seasons!

Friendship is a blessed word. Every time I cherish its deepest meanings, I'm left with wonderful memories. Be it on a lazy footbridge in a sleepy hamlet, it never fails to inspire me to narrate the most beautiful stories of love and life.

There was a soothing smell in the air on that hot and sunny noon in the Himalayan monastery. I was not sure if it was the presence of a godly entity or the humbled simplicity of the dwellers. But I knew it soothed my soul. The shy smiles came back with me that day. I still feel the soothing smell in the air.

I probably could never understand the pain of solitude had I not witnessed one. It was a deserted building amidst the greens of Mussoorie, India. Must have been the sweet companion of someone's dreams, emotions that made it a home. I wonder what made the dwellers leave it alone to endure loneliness. And it that pain, it embraced the empathy of nature, maybe awaiting the owner's homecoming some day.

Ruins never fail to amaze me. I fell for the charm of the ruins of an old graveyard in a sleepy hill station, even before I went there. Ruskin Bond stories, and especially the ghost stories and friendly spirits from the Raj days, fascinated me so much that I found myself overwhelmingly enjoying one old site right from the Bond pages in Landour. I knew the friendly spirits from his books. When I visited this old British graveyard, the spirits came alive to welcome me with a familiar silence that I exchanged with my smile. Hello from the other side!

Roads to unknownness are usually my favorite as they leave me with endless possibilities to witness, visualize, and embark on beautiful journeys. These two roads meant the same to me. Even two countries, continents, and cultures apart, these two roads take me to the same destination of unknown yet wonderful journeys. The roads lead to my dreams, and I belong to the road.