The Last Mile

One of my short stories got published in an e-zine. Please feel free to comment/give feedback. Here goes the link.


Tanglang La

As our car meandered through the high mountain passes of Himalayas we(group of six) were exhausted and tired. The last of the passes before reaching the city of Leh from Manali was the pass- Tanglang La at an altitude of 17582 feet. It was around 3 or 4pm when we reached the pass. It was very cold, the place was deserted. The air was still. The snow-clad mountain peaks, around the pass glistened with glory. The rays of the sun were strong and harsh. As I got out of the car, I was shivering. My heart was pounding fast and was wanting a strong dose of oxygen. I made my way to the prayer flags marking the mountain pass and didn’t utter a word to my fellow travellers. We clicked a few photos and were back to the car within three minutes! It was a splendid sight and a hurried meet with the pass!

We cheered later on and were happy that we made it through all the passes from Manali-Leh!


Resplendent eyes…

I was intimidated as I looked up at the sky. There were zillions of resplendent eyes looking down at me. My heart missed a beat, my teeth chattered, I had goosebumps on my hand, my soul was filled with an immense pleasure which I cannot fathom. I couldn’t look back them for my pleasure knew no bounds, I was thrilled to my guts.

I knew I was being glared at, mocked at; for I was just a tiny particle amongst the mighty Himalayan mountains and under the milky way. I was at the mercy of nature and thankful for the chance to be amongst the wonders of nature.

4-Oct-2015 1:30 AM was the moment of experiencing the beauty of life.

I could not capture the night sky then but this a picture taken by my friend the previous night.

The star studded sky at Thansing Base camp, Kanchenjunga National Park, Sikkim, India

White Silk Cotton Tree


As I walk through the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens which is in Bangalore, India, I am enthralled by the verdure. The variety of flora and centenary old specimens is a sight to see.

The White Silk Cotton tree shown above is the largest specimen of the Kapok family(Ceiba Pentandra). The tree is gigantic and is 200 years old. The roots are enormously huge and so are the sturdy branches. It is home for a variety of birds.

Usually in the forests, they grow to a height of 25-30 metres. The orange flowers bloom in the month of spring. The fruits hold white cotton sticks and are used to make pillows and beds.

Nevertheless, it is a splendid sight for the sore eyes to see the immensely gorgeous tree and the beautiful wonder of nature.




It is a challenge to move from a Book to a Kindle.

I love the touch of the paper between my fingers, the smell of the book be it from the library or a new one from the store or from a bookshelf at home; they have their own story, the pleasure to turn a page physically and the usage of colourful bookmarks to mark your pit-stop, to keep some nice memorable things in between the pages…… aaahhhhh I want read a book right away!

Now the kindle; portable with thousands of books at your finger-tips, the ease of carrying it anywhere, reading under the sun or moon at any place, downloading a book then and there, reading in your favourite font and size, carrying along thousands of stories in just about 200g and 6″ gear, makes it the perfect one.

Yet a book is a book…….. it has its own beauty, magic galore and will always be the enigmatic choice. How many of you agree?

Endless multiple journeys

I have always been a voracious reader and if I had to be alone at home or wait for someone or something , all I would want is a book; I wouldn’t bother as to why I am here all alone or even remember if I had some work to do.

I have adored books since I was a kid, be it the texture of the paper, the words which dance playfully along with you, the smell of paper, ink which puts you in a different place altogether and the feeling that you are in a world-living multiple lives, living a dream, being a part of so many vivid stories and yet not moving an inch from your place. Hail Imagination!

The power of the word is truly enthralling….. It makes one jump with excitement or quiver with fear or stride along like a gallant warrior or wince at the appalling situation or cry when everything seems lost or love like there is no end to the moment or travel with an eye for adventure to the remote corners of the world or live a free-spirited life much to the annoyance of the society!

It always feel like I have been on many journeys across eras and learned from all of them the beauty of life.

I somehow feel we are what we read and imbibe and that gets played out in our characters with all the right intentions!

I am sure one is never tired of such endless journeys!


PC: Pinterest

The Meet

It is always a celebration when the Rain makes its way down to the Earth. The mesmerizing smell of the slushy mud, The Sun feeling shy to attend the watery ensemble, the drops romancing the tender leaves, the silence of all random mechanical humdrum, the freshness of the air intoxicating the soul with a subtle handshake, the thunder bellowing as the king of the Earth, the lightning flashing rays of light trying to be in tandem with thunder, the lakes-rivers-ocean welcoming one of their own to Earth, the trees all ready to dance to the whooshing wind, the clouds pouring their hearts out to the beings unique, the colourful umbrellas making their pretentious entry onto the grandstand, well is it not a clandestine meet up of the profound souls?


PC: Pinterest

Words of beauty

“This is not a beauty that steals upon you unawares, that flatters and soothes your bruised spirit, this is not beauty that can hold in your hand and call your own and put in its place among familiar beauties that you know, it is a beauty that batters you and stuns you and leaves you breathless, there is no calmness in it nor control, it is like a fire that on a sudden consumes you and you are left shaken and bare and yet by a strange miracle alive.”

W. Somerset Maugham

These beautiful lines just touched my heart and all I can think of is the place where I felt the same, the Himalayas….

Kanchenjunga as seen from View Point 1- 16000ft
Samiti Lake at 14100ft
Stok Range as seen from Ganda La
The Stok Kangri Range at Manokarma
My first snowfall at Greater Himalayas!

Babble of a Battered Soul

I want to stand in the midst of the world

As a citizen of this profound entity

Sans fear Sans religion Sans nation

Sans dependence Sans caste Sans culture

Sans borders Sans militarism Sans power

With Humanity as the lone religion.


But a bane with exploitations riding high

Bedraggled with insouciant people of Earth

Enraptured by power, riches & materialism

Where love, respect, honour, humility

Are to be lost in the ideologies

Power, Politics, Egotistical manoeuvres

Steer the course of a mechanical life

For the pawns are removed in the name of religion, wars


As I stand upon the gigantic mountains


Where no borders, no language, no culture exist

All that exists is one single breath of LIFE

Ushering a Peaceful LIFE!









Lamayuru or Yuru Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Ladakh, J&K, India. It lies on the Srinagar-Leh highway at a height of about 11500ft. Legend has it that the place was a lake. The place now holds the ancient monastery with about 300 monks.  The place enraptures one’s soul in a closed serenity.


The monastery lies atop a mountain and is very picturesque. There is verdure in and around and the place talks to you in a pretentious manner. There are crater-like structures near the Monastery which is a beautiful sight. It is rightfully called as the Moonland.


The quaint-like place is a balm to the tired soul and it brings about a profound feeling of the being and it touches upon the inner voice in you. You can feel the peace and the silence talking to you in the pleasant corridors. The terrace gives a view of the spectacular mountains. History says that it was called as the Land of Liberation, so named Lamayuru.