Ghumakkar's Diary

Procrastination, actual workload, a ‘beautiful’ mind in my skull – have been a few reasons to not to publish any travelogues, random thoughts and any other post in last few days. Tomorrow morning or better say within hours I will be riding after a long time and that too to Jaisalmer. But, before that would like to post a small request to help my FB/Twitter/Activist friend Tarang organizing Achieve Together Conference . This is a one day conference, at Don Bosco High School, Matunga East on March 10, 2013 ,  with an aim to bring 120 children from across the Megacity together to be inspired by role models, engage them in some fun learning workshops and obviously let them have new friends. Vision is the world of tomorrow as being a place that not only encourages co-operation, sharing, a life of values but also a love for learning. The entire day is structured leading us to the vision " learn and inspire, together ".

So, let’s call it a year. Through a lot of ups (!) and downs (yes!) over some 365 days classified in to 12months, the day is finally here, when I can finally say it ‘was’ a year and the coming ‘year’ would be actually better. I, who belongs to the species of human beings generally called as brats , have shed a few layers of my not-so-narcissistic admiration for self in last year – to say. The way this all and that is happening (yes it’s still happening and not reached the death) I would never be able to love myself, reach the earlier level of self-respect ever, and yes I said ‘ever’. But the post is not again about the love of my life – I! It’s about what I am wishing from the coming year and for what I would actually try. Life!

We have been planning to visit the winter guests of Mumbai for last few years. This year finally we could! Thanks to a bulleteer mate – Vikram Pai aka Untamed. We planned it on Whatsapp and visited Sewri Mudflats for a rendezvous with the guest birds – Flamingos. Walking Flamingos at Sewri Mudflats Scientifically, these are Lesser Flamingos or Phoenicopterusminor , the smallest species of flamingo. It mainly occurs in Sub-Saharan deserts and Runn of Kutch. Annually, thousands of Flamingos fly in to the warmer mudflats of Sewri, Mumbai to avoid the harsh winters of their breeding habitat in Rann of Kutch, Gujarat. A lot is still to be done to study the main reasons (winter, food-few of them) and their possible routes. Their general stay at Mumbai ( Sewri mudflats, Thane/Airoli/Vashi creeks ) spans October-March, though it depends on the arrival of winters in Kutch and also on the ability of baby-flamingos to fly. Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and few other NGOs are...

This post is in continuation of Series of posts on my recent Zanskar trip. For the first part on Srinagar, Click here . Dal Lake Famous as " Jewel in the crown of Kashmir " or " Srinagar's Jewel ”, Dal Lake is the second largest lake of the state with a shoreline of about 15kilometers and covering 18 sq km area. While, Houseboats and Shikara (small boats or gondolas) bejewel the Lake, Mughal era gardens decorate its periphery. During winter season, the temperature sometimes dives sub-zero and freezes the lake. Sunset at Dal Lake Spread over 18 square kilometres, this Lake is essentially a part of a natural wetland which covers 21.1 square kilometres (8.1 sq mi), including floating gardens that are actually fenced and tied to wooden logs. These floating gardens are known as "Rad" in Kashmiri. The wetland is divided by into four basins; Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal and Nagin. Lokut-dal and Bod-dal each have an island in the centre, known a...

Varanasi is world famous for annual celebration of Ram Leela and Krishna Leela. Leela or Lila means an act or dance. Particular chapters of the Leela have got associated with particular places in the city. Like, Bharat-Milap ( when Ram returns to Ayodhya and meets his younger brother Bharat ) of Naati Imli, Ravana-dahan ( burning the effigy of Ravana on the tenth day of Dussehra ) of RamNagar and Nag Nathaiya of Tulsi Ghat. Krishna and Balram at the Leela It’s said that the Leela of Nag-Nathaiya was started way back in 16 th century by Tulsidas. The tradition is still being followed at the Tulsi Ghat and is being organised by Tulsi Das Akhada. Tulsi ghat is almost adjacent to famous Assi Ghat. Nag Nathaiya is celebration of young Krishna’s victory over a gruesome serpent Kaaliya. It is organised on the Chaturthi tithi of Karthik month of Hindu calendar. This is the fourth day from Diwali and falls in the month of November-December. Nag Nathaiya basically means 'controlli...