Dharmastala & Kukke Subramanya Temple Visit

A Marathon visit to Dharmastala & Kukke Subramanya Temple.

Runners: Vivek & Vishwanath

Departure from Bangalore: 2034 Hrs
Arrival at Dharmastala: 0305 Hrs
Darshan of Lord Manjunatha: 0630 Hrs
Departure from Dharmastala: 0730 Hrs
Arrival at Kukke: 0905 Hrs
Darshan & Prasadam: 1200 Hrs
Departure from Kukke: 1230 Hrs
Arrival at Bangalore: 2040 Hrs

Though the calf muscles hurt & experienced cramps, Very happy with the Darshan and the Blessings received from the Lord.

Ride to Mavinakere

1 Classic 350cc, 3 Thunderbird 500cc Royal Enfield's and the State Highway can be deadly fun and adventurous. Started off at 0500 Hrs from Tavarekere, my pillion Vivek joined at Mekhri circle, convened at Nelamangala junction with the rest of the riders and thus began the ride.

Breakfast Stop at Udupi Hotel near Yediyur and the first challenge - Satish's rear Tyre was going flat. Within a kilometer found a puncture shop. The mechanic fixed the puncture without removing the wheel. The first time I had seen someone do it that way, new learning! Our next stop was atop the mountain of Mavinakere Ranganatha Swamy temple.

Splendid view of the landscapes and the cool wind kissing the cheeks was an experience. After the darshan of the Ranganatha Swany we descended down to the Venkataramana Swamy temple. After performing the pooja, Vivek & I took a holy dip in the river Hemavathi. It was refreshing!

We just touched the main road & Sridhar's rear Tyre was flat. As if it were a plot, there was a puncture shop adjacent. Being hungry, wanted to get over this faster, hence dismantled the wheel quickly and the mechanic was on his job. The assembly was challenging with the rear disc brakes getting into the slot. Once accomplished, the next stop had to be for lunch which was in fact a long distance to cover. Raced at the best possible speed to reach Hotel Mayura.

Next was a tea break at Nelamangala Junction from where we dispersed back to our Homes.

Thanks Satish, Sridhar, Shashi & Vivek for the wonderful ride and hoping for more. You guys are great company !

Turrahalli Ride with Family

View of the city from Turrahalli rocks

Impromptu ride to Turrahalli decided with my friend Sridhar. It was an adventurous ride through the loose gravel on the rough gradients. Both with wife & kid on the Bullet. A small Shaneshwara temple on the top of the hill surrounded by thick forests & rocks.

We trekked through the forest, enjoyed the view of the city from the highest point, watched a group of rock climbers doing rappelling. Captured some wonderful moments on the camera and had good lunch under the shade of the tree next to the temple.

The Trekk

Sridhar & I took some pictures of our RE's. It was an adventurous outing for Swaraj & Saakshi where they helped each other on the trekk.

Family Pic

Hope to visit the forest to view the sunrise & sunset sometime.

ಜುಟ್ಟಿನ ಹಿಂದೆ

ನನ್ನ ಹೆಂಡತಿ ವಿದ್ಯಾಳಿಗೆ ಐದು ತಿಂಗಳಿನಿಂದ ಒಂದೇ ಚಿಂತೆ - ನನ್ನ ಮಗಳಿಗೆ ಜುಟ್ಟು ಯಾವಾಗ ಹಾಕುವುದೆಂದು ? ಪ್ರತಿ ದಿನ ಅವಳ ಸ್ನಾನ ಆದ ನಂತರ, ಸಾಕ್ಷಿ ನಿನ್ನ ತಲೆಗೂದಲು ಯಾವಾಗ ಉದ್ದ ಬೆಳೆಯುವುದು, ನಾನು ಯಾವಾಗ ನಿನಗೆ ಜುಟ್ಟು ಹಾಕುವುದು, ನೀನು ಹೂವು ಯಾವಾಗ ಮುಡಿಯುವುದು .... ಹೀಗೆ ಜುಟ್ಟಿನ ಹಿಂದೆ ಒಂದರ ಹಿಂದೆ ಒಂದು ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆ. 

೨೦೧೪ ಫೆಬ್ರವರಿ  ೨೨, ಅವಳ ಕನಸು ನನಸಾಯಿತು. ಸಾಕ್ಷಿಗೆ ಚೋಟುದ್ದ ಜುಟ್ಟು ಹಾಕಿ (ಬಲು ಸಾಹಸ ಪಟ್ಟು) ಒಂದು ಗುಲಾಬಿಯನ್ನು ಮುಡಿಸಿ, ಅಬ್ಬ ಎಂದು ಸಂತೋಷ ಪಟ್ಟಳು ವಿದ್ಯಾ.

ಈ ಕಡೆ ಸಾಕ್ಷಿ ತನ್ನ ಪುಟ್ಟ ಜುಟ್ಟನ್ನು ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ತೋರಿಸಿ, ಹಿಗ್ಗಿ ನಲಿದು, ನವಿಲಿನಂತೆ ಗರ್ವದಿಂದ ಜಿಗಿದು ಕುಣಿದಾಡಿದಳು. ಇನ್ನು ಜುಟ್ಟಿನಿಂದ ಜಡೆಯ ಕಡೆಗೆ ಪ್ರಯಾಣ ...............

Indicator Peak in Chrome

Riding to the center of the city though within 10kms from My Home can be hectic with the traffic halts every 100mts. Finally decided on venturing out on the RE accessories shopping. Shopped at Sandhya & Fixwell on J.C. Road for the following and for a few more have to head out this week.

- Clutch Cable 90/-
- Accelerator Cable 180/-
- Pilot Lamp Bulbs 10/-
- Indicator Peak in Chrome 140/-
- Air Filter 130/-
- Oil Filter 30/-

like this view of the Peaks while riding :)

Teaching Courage - the Grand Father way

The only way to overcome fear is to face it. This was my Father's mantra for my Sister & I. AND for sure He wanted the legacy of No Fear to pass on to the next generation as well. Every opportunity is well utilized since Her birth. When She was struggling to sit, She would fall, we would watch but offer no help. She learned to sit on Her own in a day. She wanted to stand & fell down in doing so for two days. Again, we watched but offered no help. She took the first baby steps & we watched Her fall, rise to Her feet & walk everywhere.

She often hurts Her head against the low lying cot, the chair & we just ignore. There were instances when She would fall & we would rush to Her help & precisely when She would start crying. However, when we ignored, She would rise, rub the head & continue playing. When She started to climb the stairs we were worried about Her safety, but watching Her little hands hold the grills tight, We knew She would be careful. Two days ago, in excitement to greet my neighbor, She jumped and fell down two stairs with a good bump on Her forehead. I was quick to lift Her and rub the forehead & Her cry lasted for a few seconds. When I told this to Her Grand Father, His response was "She will not jump the next time". She was 12months old when I took Her alone without any support on my bike & today She confidently sits on the bike & even stands on the Activa & roams around with Her Grand Father.

This photograph was taken at Hebbale (Her Great Grand Father's birth place) where river Hemavathi flows in full might. Saakshi was 11 & 1/2 months old. She played in the river with Her Grand Father for a good hour & as we were taught, we knew if She was enjoying, nothing to worry about Her health.

Thanks Dad for teaching courage the practical way & in days to come Saakshi would be proud of the lessons taught !

200th Blog Post

The first blog post dates back to October 8th 2006. Thanks to my dear friend Sridhar who introduced me to the blogspot. Which began only as a photo capture slowly grew to capturing moments, stories, fantasies & more. Proud that I have 200 posts!.

There have been daily posts, months without any and some terrible ones. Looking back is joyous irrespective of the sentiments. I regret not capturing so much more which I could have :(

As my profile reads, sure hope to leave a history when I finally leave...........

New Memories - Cubbon Park

Cubbon Park for all Bangaloreans brings some memory or the other. For me it is still the giant wheel, the toy train & the playground.

We took Saakshi to enjoy the toy train but that was closed for the day. However, that did not stop Her from having fun. She learned how to play bubbles, ran around the trees & the lawn. Walked & walked, played with the gas balloon & the highlight for me was the way She chased the pigeons & learned how to release bubbles.

Saakshi learning the Bubbles

Vidya demonstrated the bubbles and in one go Saakshi had learnt. We enjoyed Her play till She was bored of it.

Saakshi trying to feed the pigeons

We reached the pigeons feeding area where there were hundreds of them. Saakshi waited a moment to see what they were doing & in that excitement She ran towards them & they flew away.
As soon as they came back, She was cautiously taking slow steps towards them, but they kept jumping a step away. She ran around chasing them for a while and then She slowly picked up the grains from the floor to Her hand and walked towards the pigeons. Though none of them came to feed off Her hand, I was amazed at how Her brain worked. For me who was hiding behind a tree with the camera, it all looked so well planned. She saw them feeding on the grains & it struck Her that if I hold the grains in my hands, they would come to me.

This is the best learning technique - observe, understand, reflect & act. Thanks Dear for teaching me new things everyday!

AT&T Jamboree'13

Saakshi enjoying on the floor with Tangerine

Thanks to AT&T for hosting the Annual Family Day. Feels great to celebrate the joy of working for a Company with your family. The event was named Jamboree and it was fun unlimited.

Games for kids, jolly rides, face painting, caricature artists, family portraits, RJ's to host the show, entertainment programs by leading artists and delicious food.

 The event began with the mob music, one of its kind experience. Every chair had a musical instrument and you could pick the one of your choice. The host who was at the center of the audience would then conduct the play. First he would ask all those who had the drums to play, then the ones with the tangerine and then both. It was a melody by design.

Saakshi, my Daughter picked the tangerine, played to Her hearts content, danced till Her legs dropped, made new friends and for us, it was a memorable evening!

a Photo a Day theme

As crazy as the thoughts get, it gets that much harder when you sit down to ink. The sudden gush of thoughts erases the words out of your brain and if you had a mirror to look into, you know how your face would look. Hence I have been thinking a better way to keep posting everyday is with the help of a photograph. Every photograph has an emotion, a meaning, a tale to tell & the best way to bring them alive is to write about them...

Why am i waiting ?

with Sridhar

This photograph dates back to 2006. We came by bus from Murudeshwar to Kundapur soon after breakfast. The view on both sides of the road was mesmerizing. And to favor the journey, our bus from Kundapur to Bangalore was scheduled later in the evening. Having watched the rivers, the sea & greenery all around, we decided to walk the 14 kilometer stretch from Kundapur to Maravanthe. Maravanthe is the heaven on earth where the river Souparnika meets the Arabian Sea. We walked enjoying every moment though there were moments when we lost our breath. It was indeed worth every step, the view of the mighty ocean & the singing river can only be experienced. We were so thrilled, amazed & proud of the moment that we dozed off for an hour or so in the nearby coconut groove.

This photograph taken with the sun above our heads, the smiles with the burnt face tells me life is about decisions you make. Had we not decided to take this walk, we probably would not have this record of a 14 kilometer walkathon in our lives. I am yet to break this record of mine. I simply should decide ?

Skanda & Saakshi

Skanda & Saakshi

When this photograph was taken Saakshi was 5months old. The moment She sees Him, it's smiles & laughter unlimited. She would crawl upto Him, try to hold His hands, touch His head and as you can see in this photograph, both are so happy in each others presence. Skanda would call Her Putti and She would go where ever He went. She would make sounds like trying to tell Him something. She would rains kisses on His cheeks repeatedly. She is different when Skanda is around.


I always relate this to the DNA. I love Him more than anything else in the world and it's definitely a blessing to have a Daughter who loves Him more than I do. You don't teach the essence of blood relations, it's passed on genetically. Now She is 15months old & as soon as She sees my Sister Ramya, the first words out of Her mouth are "ANNA" (brother). I feel blessed - Om Sai Ram!


When She is alone at home, the moment I say Saakshi look Skanda has come, She rushes to the door with the broad smile. Even when I show His photograph on my cellphone, She smiles, cheers up and calls "ANNA". Sometimes She picks up the phone and holds it to Her ear and walks talking loudly (though the words are not clear), I can sense from Her reaction that She may be trying to reach Her brother Skanda.

I shall cherish these moments of togetherness, their smile, laughter, joy & play.

Squeaking Noise from the Rear Wheel

While on a routine cleaning session, heard a squeaking noise from the rear wheel. It would occur at one point both when the wheel was rotated clockwise & anti-clockwise. I could bear with it as the noise was low, however, thought of investigating further.

On reaching the Mechanic Shop, we discussed about the recent changes done, whether the Bullet met with an accident, could it be a tight chain or some foreign material stuck in the rear wheel assembly. The only way to find out was to eliminate the reasons one after another:

• Recent Change - was the new rear sprocket & chain
• Met with an accident - NO
• Tight Chain - NO, the slackness was right with the links straight & no bends
• Foreign Material - found none on dismantling the wheel

On careful observation, we noticed that the sprocket had rubbed against a part of the wheel hub leaving behind a trail in the form of an arc ~ 2 inches in length. So it was the new sprocket causing the squeaking noise.

Two ways to fix this, file the extra casting on the sprocket or insert a thin spacer between the brake shoe & the wheel. Since he did not have a flat file, inserted a spacer & the problem resolved.

I have to keep in the mind the spacer when I remove the wheel again.



 

Life is but a Race Horse

Unique We are

Being Born or Being Born to die but what a race ahead to win. No one wants to be a failure yet we give up hopes, dreams to be shattered by time & a winning race lost. How I wish I raced for myself, the true myself? Often than not, we fail even before the race begins, not that you were any weaker but the thought of your enemy being stronger. Weakness is Death & certain it is. We train & train, for, one day we know we will be tested in mind, body & soul. We do what we believe is the best, we give everything we have, I run like it is my last race & there I stand to be judged. The long years of training takes a toll, the merciless riders & their whips, the cheering crowd who then spell a curse & at the end of the hard days labor, I retire to the lonely stable & dine alone. Don't you want to see me running alone ? like I do in my dreams, cheer & make merry that I'm still running & never let you notice the torn shoe at my feet. I beg, not to sell me to a butcher, nor in my old age be the beast of burden... remember the fine horse that I once was, the innocence of whom the world stole away. You threw challenges higher with every day. I was running to live & yes! I lived to run free. What you are is your destiny but why compare? Life is unique & let it be. I want to run, not a race but a run for joy, I seek no glory nor promise you of one, let us live in joy, share the joy & die in joy of being there to shed a tear when you leave & return from the grave with the joy of being born to witness a life so beautiful !

Longest City Drive - Alto

I don't own a car yet (may be soon). Had to attend this family occasion & then a house warming, stretching between two corners of the city & reluctantly decided on driving My Brother-in-Law's car, the Alto. Not that I'm not confident but the apprehension of not being a regular city driver.

Started off from BTM & reached the first destination on West of Cord road. From there to Hennur via the outer ring road & back to BTM. The first couple of gradients were challenging with the half clutch drive but then got easier. The greatest challenge was through the packed streets of Russel Market & Shivajinagar. I had an inch space on all sides & had to be careful of not rolling back beyond that inch or accelerating beyond the inch at the front while holding the steering steady.

This drive without any assistance from the navigator has definitely helped Me overcome the apprehension :)

put Her to sleep

Had read about the feeling of putting a baby to sleep, but had only one opportunity earlier to do so. It was my Dear nephew Skanda who fell asleep on my shoulders. It was bliss and was longing for that feeling for a real long time. The wish was fulfilled by my Daughter.

She was 15days old when this photograph was taken. After Her bath & feeding, I held Her in my arms for Her to burp. She fell asleep on my shoulder and the joy was so immense that even I fell asleep. It was only two hours later that we woke up. Her tender skin, Her tiny clasp and slow breathing, cuddling to my chest - couldn't ask more of life.

She is 16months old and more than I do, She enjoys sleeping clinging to my chest. She wakes up with a smile and with Her sweet words "Appa"and the sweetest kiss, we both are off to play.

30 days Challenge

Inspired by My close friend (who did not succeed) & many others who wrote on the 30 day challenge, I set forth on this challenge on a experimental basis. Eager to encounter the challenges in following a routine, I wanted to write how it all happened or why it did not happen.

The day was 31st Dec 2013 when the list was made. That wasn't hard. I had the liberty to choose what I would want to do everyday for the next thirty days.

• Exercise for at least 20mins
• Post a Post on My blog
• Drink at least 4litres of Water
• Control My Temper (not to loose at any circumstance)

 In no order of priority:-

Exercise for at least 20mins: Googled & prepared a basic workout regime for every day of the week. As it has happened in the past, you wake up to exercise but feel lethargic because your mind cannot suggest any workout for that day. Twice this happens & you give-up. The heaviest lift was getting My ass off the bed. Because I was fasting on one day & another day when My Daughter was unwell & awake the whole night, I couldn't exercise. But yes, the thought that I did not exercise remained throughout the day. The mind was almost winning on days when I went late to bed, mostly because I would watch television. The moment I realized this, I gave up watching late night television programs (there is always a replay).

I feel fitter than before & as anticipated have increased my weight by 2kilos :) The goal is to get a six pack before 31st Dec 2014 & increase My bulk by another 8 kilos.

Post a Post on My Blog: Everyday brings hundreds of incidents worth dropping to your treasure box. And no better way than writing it. Idle mind is the devils workshop & I must admit, all crazy thoughts would run in them & I had to spend less than 15 minutes to compose, edit & publish them on My blog. This was fun (giggling as I recollect the moments of writing). There was the weekends when so much would happen & I was lazy to open My laptop. I would then make brief notes on my cellphone & the next day would get to writing. Everyday is not Sunday, so there were a couple of days when I couldn't manage the time well & missed on writing. On a few days, I would start the draft & after being interrupted would lose focus & push it to some other day.

Overall in the last thirty days, I have published 26 posts & you bet, I'm proud of it!

Control My Temper: This was a easy win. Since I exercised every day, looks like I de-stressed all the violence hidden beneath. I did not get angry with any of the family members. I did not frown or curse on fellow riders on the road. At work, I maintained a smiling face.

I'm certainly not a bad tempered man :)

Drink at least 4litres of Water: The only challenging task after exercising was this. The frequent visits to the washroom became a habit (don't bother about others minding it). Initially it is irritating for self to do so many rounds, it is a fear of some sort that you have to conquer.

I'm confident of a longer life span now!

To begin with I had My own apprehension on whether this is possible, am I committing to failure & is it doable. To pump Myself, watched inspirational videos on youtube.com on how people have overcome their fears, achieved their dreams & asked myself "How Bad Do You Want It" ?. I had to take steps towards what I wanted to achieve, I had to push & punish My mind when it told me a 'NO', I HAD TO DO IT.

For the next thirty days, I'm looking at:

• Exercise for more than 30mins
• Drink at least 4litres of Water
• Post a Post on My Blog
• Read at least Five Pages of anything

I shall continue to ask myself  "How Bad Do You Want It" ?

Happy Customer with Buckaroo

I'm very particular when it comes to buying footwear. I would roam around all the shops, try all those that I feel looks good & comfortable. The slightest discomfort, it gets rejected. Isn't it why they say, you should get into his shoes & feel what he feels? Though I'm taking the literal meaning of the saying, I believe, a wrong measurement of the shirt or the trousers really doesn't make that difference which your footwear can.

Your walk defines your personality, gives you the confidence and helps you on your journey stride after stride. Hence, don't ever compromise on your foot wear.

After scrutinizing the details, I picked up the Buckaroo Alise Brown Leather Boots. The design gives the tough looks. The ankle length converse gives you that extra support while walking or running, the flat corrugated sole makes your feet feel soft. Overall a quality product that has met all My expectations of shoes.

Alise Brown Leather Boots

I was so happy with this brand that I wanted another pair of casual shoes from the same. My Wife insisted I buy a double shade & something that I haven't worn earlier. Narrowed down on the Buckaroo New Hoshi Casual Shoes. Was delighted again with this purchase on all aspects. Feels like it was tailor made for me.

New Hoshi Casual Shoes

By now, you must know that my next shoes will also be a Buckaroo :)

The Midnight Ride, a difference worth experiencing

I am still that kid who drags his feet to his school on a Monday morning not because I don't like going to work on Monday, but the chaos that I have to enter into. The long wait at signals, ridiculous drivers, constant drumming of the honks, all to cover the distance of 8kms from My home to office.

I'm talking about the ridiculous time between 7am to 10pm when riding My Royal Enfield is most hurtful. I feel like I'm holding the reins so tight that My Iron Horse almost chokes to death. I feel it crying in pain begging me to let it go free, avoid this route, know my worth & let's go some place where there is space & fresh air to breathe. I know He is telling the facts & yet, I turn a deaf ear & turn blind to the sufferings on My beloved Horse. I wish I could really fly with Him - that is what He craves for.

Doing the late evening shift has many cons, the only solace is the ride back home at 0200 Hours. The empty roads are inviting, the thump is loud & clear, feels like it's a ride to heaven & I wish the road never ends. How I wonder it was only Me & My Iron Horse riding to eternity....

This is the journey that I wish never ends, this is an immortal love story, a saga of My Life on the Iron Horse!

My Daughter & the Bag

Life is joy when I'm with my Nephew Skanda or My Daughter Saakshi. There is always something that we do for fun, laughter & love. The reactions are spontaneous & we get creative with any prop that is lying around, like this instance when I took My Daughter to our room to get the bag for their trip to our native.

The moment She saw the bag, She started playing with it, trying to hang it on Her shoulders, drag it &  toss it around. Seeing this play, I gently placed Her inside the bag & She was all smiles, She enjoyed being there.

She decided to play hide & seek & for a flexible body that She has, it was a easy fit in that small bag. She wanted Her Grandfather & Mother see this & play along. We played till our stomach hurt by the continuous laughter.

It was fun & I feel this is Life's way of telling "Live the Moment".

8 Ball Pool on Miniclip

It's always hard to find out how something became an addiction. The process is a slow obsession to something that we find hard to live without & for me it was the 8 Ball Pool on Miniclip. Started with friendly matches as a guest, then signed up for the free account, played till hearts content & just when I thought it was done, Miniclip introduces points (shown as coins) that you can play for. With 250 that was credited to my account, I played 5 days a week & within months, My all time high was at 500000 coins.

Played all tournaments, won 49 of 56 awards, I rank as a Super Star & the thirst just doesn't seem to quench. I think I will play as long as I feel like. Because this is the only online game that I played for such a long time & not bored of :)