A Knotter's song

The long and winding Lebong Cart Road of Darjeeling turns around at its northern most point. At this exact point, unescapable on good and clear days, emerges the amazing sight of the rolling blue hills giving way to the white majestic mountains crowned by the grand Kanchenjunga. Also at this very point, almost as colossal for their legacy and contribution of educating generations of young men, stands St Joseph's College and School, which are more popularly known as North Point College and School, Darjeeling. I was a special invitee to the Jubilee celebrations of the school and enjoyed my two days of festivities there. Day one, to enjoy the spectacular play, "Jesus Christ Superstar". Day two, for the sports meet and the awards night.  What I retained from the visit, were thoughts of gratitude towards the school, for having shaped the destinies of the students who studied there. Many of them went on to become nation builders, of not just India, but several neighbouring nati...

I must have been all of ten, when we first came to Mumbai. It was called "Bombay" then, a scintillating city of dreams, with superstars of celluloid, walking the streets as mere humans. Our hosts recommended that we visit the popular hotel "Sun-n-Sand" where we would surely encounter some of these stars. I don't quite remember seeing any such stars at the hotel, but unknowingly some scenes etched into my memories: the famous Juhu beach on which the hotel stood, the sun setting on the the Arabian Ocean where we took our photos, and the tables by the swimming pool where we sipped our cool drinks and enjoyed our ice-creams. Today, as I walked into the hotel, after a good forty years or so, the scenes came flooding back. I ran towards the pool, but it was under repair. Then the beach, almost nothing had changed. Then the sunset, vivid and enduring as ever, reminding me once again of a song: Carpenters "Its Yesterday Once More!" "All my best memories c...

A day in the hills of Jharkhand, reminded me of a Beatles song: "The long and winding road That leads to your door Will never disappear I've seen that road before It always leads me here Leads me to your door." There amidst the rolling hills and winding roads, was a lake and a heart of a road. I brought back pictures, and memories, of another time, another long and winding road...

When my favorite singer, sings about my favorite place and in-the background my favorite musical instrument plays, its natural that I shed a tear mixed with joy and sadness! Here I go....taking you along to my favorite place, with the singer and his song. And may it tug your heart strings and moisten your eyes as well.

While in Lucknow for a few days for work, with only one evening to spare, I went for a walk in a park near the hotel. I was pleasantly surprised to find a park full of miniature monuments of the state of Uttar Pradesh or UP, of which Lucknow is the capital city. As a bookmark for this recent trip, I would like to share some photographs of the replica monuments in the park called "Uttar Pradesh Darshan". This is followed by a birdeye view of another nearby park, and some photos in Lucknow airport of various ghats of Varanasi city.