Wayfarer's window!

My friend asked me, what I missed about Darjeeling....I then started thinking of my childhood years there. I thought of the clouds that would roll up from the hills below, the 180 degrees of Himalayan mountain range that one could see form the town. the walk in the mist which would soak my eyelashes, the rain that would appear never to stop in the monsoon, the red rhododendron trees in April, the walks on lonely roads along the hill, friends, family, home... Of the many places I have been to perhaps it is the purest part of me that I carry from Darjeeling . It is my breath of fresh air, it is my bundle of precious memories, of people, wonderful times, enchanting scenes, happy days, precious friends and heartfelt music.  Darjeeling has given me the mountain beauty in my spirit. This song I grew up singing from the bottom of my heart and on the top of my voice kind of sums up my travel from Darjeeling as I joined the cities below.....  "Along th...

this may be a re-post...but it means so much to me, that i had to post it again.

The newest state of the north east India. Our closest sister, separate at birth. Now our heavenly neighbors. A song....in the language that we share! This follows the devastating earthquake in the hill state a year ago!

Some recent events have prompted me to begin reading intensely about the transformation of South Korea. It is not just events, but certain hard facts that stir me more:  that one gets to see a Samsung showroom in the smallest towns of the country, that Hyundai cars are fast out numbering other cars, that LG's list of household appliances are growing every day, and that the largest buildings of the day globally, Petronas towers and Bruj Kalifa, have Korean constructors behind them. While I am studying closely how the miracle of economic, developmental and spiritual transformation happened; I felt like sharing a few videos on the subject. They call it the"miracle on Han river", a kind of overview on the vast subject. However, on a more closer view I am reading a book called "Achievers are Dreamers" by another Korean, Kim Bun Li, whose family, beginning from his pioneering father began a transformation movement in their own dramatic way: by taking tracts of ...

Sourabhee won the country's billion hearts when she was crowned the first female Indian Idol. Hailing from far away Tripura, she came in as a refreshing breeze from a little known North eastern state of India. You may want to listen to one more song of the North eastern collection..(well, not exactly in the local language this time...but the singer Sourabhee definitely is from there).

The music of Bhupen Hazarika. Strongly flavoured tea. The land of the Bramaputra. Assam. One song from the state. Patriotic, deeply rooted, moving.

A few things I remember about Nagaland, North-East India, from my last visit there. The war cemetery in Kohima, with nothing less than a thousand grey graves of slain warriors...halting the Japanese advance into India during the second world war. The local market, complete with strangest wares for the local dishes...snails, frogs, birds...let me not go too much into the details...but would have loved being invited for a meal! The baptist church, a landmark in the town which could be seen from all around town.The Christmas there had the biggest religious gathering I had ever seen, where the devout swelled right out of the church building right into its courtyard and streets. The rice beer, always served plentifully to every guest. The smoked pork...delicious. The music...soul stirring. Here we go..a toast to Nagaland...some quaint songs to enjoy. and now a funny one in Naga accent and locally flavored English language: