random thoughts - life

there are duties

2011-08-08T10:41:00.000-07:00

There are duties
duties to thank those who really matter
there are parents who sacrifice and you know that
there are those who love you beyond anything and you know that
there is earth, who is a mother who gives you all and you know that
those are the duties you need to fulfill and you know that

self

2011-02-26T21:07:00.000-08:00

Its the the fundamentals that we stray away from;
just like how we need to breathe,
we need to believe, we need to believe at the core of self,
self, the self we want to be in our uninhibited root of existence.

The isolated and faraway Ladakh is no longer a final frontier for adventure travellers.

2010-07-28T22:27:00.000-07:00

The isolated and faraway Ladakh is no longer a final frontier for adventure travellers.
I remember when biker buddies Satya and Omi set out on a 45 day expedition from Bangalore to Leh in 1996(their second or third) – I went to the railway station to see them off. The sense of an adventure like that those days gave me goose bumps. It remained a dream in me until I set out to do the same in 2002. By then itself things had changed. Satya and Omi’s stories of riding out into the vast mountains, high roads and passes made no sense at all. There was black tarmac roads built, new passes were opened, signboards, guesthouses; home stays along the road, made this a very doable ride. One, no longer needed big bikes to conquer the road that was counted among the ‘Top 10 in the world’. Life had changed – there were more people riding/driving/flying into once forbidden land of Ladakh. But the sense of an adventure to Ladakh was still exotic when I made my first trip.
2010 - Today, I am sitting in Leh. I am annoyed at the way things have developed here. Facebook, Orkut, Mr. Aamir Khan and the various commercials, which includes a Maggi noodle ad in Ladakh, has changed the character of this faraway land. Four lane highways, a tunnel to tame the Rohtang pass, a proposed rail connection from Manali, road connections into Zanskar from all sides, will continue to make Leh, the Manali/Shimla of Ladakh. Hotels and guesthouses are built by the dozens every season, new restos crop up every season and newer businesses find their way into Leh – massage parlors, tattoo artists and many more.
What remained a destination for the adventurous of travellers has been decimated to a destination for the package tourist – the kind who wants to carry their kitchen with them. Thanx to corporatized tour companies like Makemytrip. As I walked into my favorite guesthouse Oriental – I was surprised to see the change in genre of travellers. As I sat at the open area by the kitchen, I hear a tourist who yells out from the window of his room “areh there is no hot water in the room”. Staff replies “ it takes a while for the solar heater to warm up the water”. Our man says “then get me a bucket of hot water”. No thank you’s, no please’s in the whole conversation. Then another white shirt, Bermuda shorts clad tourist walks into the kitchen. Same question “hot water”. Followed by another who complains of not having EPABX (intercom) or he would have yelled from the intercom itself. What hell, I thought.
As I walk into the town – I was shocked to see the change in landscape of the town. New buildings, new shops, new restos, and many more new’s – I have not dared to walk back to town again. Leh has lost its charm.
There are other stories to be heard. Oriental owner rattles – it is difficult with all the high impact tourists coming this way. Leh runs on diesel generator power, the whole town I mean - all the geysers, lights, TV’s, water heaters, water pumps all of it. Some of them like Oriental have solar powered water heating systems and basic lighting running alternatively. The makemytrip types don’t see the point or value the scarcity of resources. They stand below hot showers emptying the overhead tanks, insist on keeping the generator ON all night, and turn a blind eye on conserving. I guess the problem is awareness.
Now there is a problem in a larger scale. So far Ladakh has been seeing independent travellers. These independent travellers have been scattering their monies into the many restos, guesthouses, taxis, and other local setups. There was a split and all involved locally were happy and earned their share. Then comes the corporate tour operators; charter flights arrive, hotels are mass booked with obscene discounts bringing in the ‘every minute packaged’ tourists. This ‘every minute packaged’ starts at the hotel and ends at the hotel. Every meal every snack is planned at the hotel. On local tours – packed food from the hotel is carried along. Instead of smaller vehicles big buses are used to ferry the packaged. Now this is what might happen, serious travellers avoid the touristy places. We have seen what has become of the Ooty’s and the Manali’s of the world. So the smaller businesses who depend on tourism suffer cos the ‘every minute packaged’ cant afford to explore the offerings of the town. They are tied into their packages. The serious travellers who scattered their monies are no longer there. The taxis don’t have much business cos the ‘every minute packaged’ are ferried in big buses. Guesthouses, hotels, have to scale up to have TV, intercom, geysers, and god knows what to satisfy the high impact tourists, thereby they getting into a debt game. I have not even spoken about the trash and solid waste management.
Where does it stop or where does it begin?
When Ladakh opened to tourism – year 1974 – 500 travellers braved the journey to visit Ladakh. This season when the corporate tour operators floated their Ladakh packages – one single company got in 10000 tourists, they want to bring 50000 tourists next year. Where is it headed – no answer to the question, but we have seen what has happened to the popular hill stations of the India. Aren’t they in a mess?
Few tips to make ur trip in Ladakh low impact;
1. Pick a local Ladakhi operator or a conscious travel company
2. Make an effort to share ur money into local hands
3. Avoid an ‘every minute packaged’ tour. They are cheap but they don’t give a local experience, they just make the bigger hotels, operators and themselves richer and fleece the smaller fellows
4. Value and conserve the local resources – use buckets instead of showers – simple things like that
5. People in Ladakh are a wonderful lot – they are peaceful and welcoming – pls treat them well or we will loose the innocence of a breed of happy simple people
6. Pls don’t trash the place – avoid things like mineral water bottles. Carry ur own bottles which can be refilled at local places. There are spots in town where one can fill in filtered water. This is an effort to cut down trash by locals
7. Pls be more aware – I am sure u don’t want to be counted among the ‘every minute packaged’ tourists.

Santosh

when?

2010-05-15T01:44:00.001-07:00

when?

when hands clap without a sound, and eyes blink without a tear
when every hope breeds doubt, and every dream shrinks in fear
when there’s no such thing as a simple answer, and not much to do but cry
when the breeze suffocates you and the rain leaves you dry
know that you’re not the only one, there’ve been many on that path before
it allows no exception, you’ve gotta swim the tide before you get to the shore
you never go down, you just have to sometimes walk a steeper incline
one step at a time, will get you home in time, and then it’ll all be fine

who gives a damn how hard you run, for what or who you beat
it’s your choices that drive the continuum, results are just points discreet
know it when you see it, choose it when you know it,
do it when you choose it and say it when you do it
when do you know enough to jump the cliff
when do you know enough to figure out how
when do you know enough to quit wondering what if
when do you know enough to know it’s got to be now

your choices will not change the world one bit, you’re the only one that gains
as you fill your emptiness, out grow your shame, and heal through your pains
choose, do, have fun and die, don’t bother about how they’ll judge you
you won’t be around to know, and those that judge will soon be ash too
no one needs your tears, no one cares if you laugh or cry
no other beating heart beats for you, it’s on your own that you rely
it takes you as far as it does, and then despite all your plans, you simply die
you and all that’s yours, everything, without an exception, goes with that sigh

you never know where you’re going, till you get there, despite what you think
and when you do get there, all you’ll do just once forever is breathe and blink
so my friend, when it’s all got to end not so dramatically, what should you live for
just getoffurass, ‘cos living is the only way to figure out what you should live for
somewhere between too early and too late and between too near and too far
you find something to die for, and finding something to die for is what you live for
don’t be in a hurry to get there, take your time to make space for memories
‘cos before the last blink, nothing else brings you a smile if not your stories

i write this for myself as much as i write this for you
am too old and too fuckin wise to wish it all just for you
now here’s a promise i want us to make for those days
when we just dream ahead and look back proudly at our ways
let’s us, the bunch of friends, roll the nonsense and smoke up
watching the sunset, 10 degrees off, with no plans to wake up
have a beer in our hands, and some air in our lungs
stories in our heart, and a few words on our tongues!

by a dear friend Kalyan Akkipedi
www.InteGreater.org

What is Goodness?

2010-04-26T22:48:00.000-07:00

The question will be asked, "What is goodness? What does our moral nature mean?" My answer is that when a man begins to have an extended vision of his self, when he realizes that he is much more than at present he seems to be, he begins to get conscious of his moral nature. Then he grows aware of that which he is yet to be, and the state not yet experienced by him becomes more real than that under his direct experience.

Necessarily, his perspective of life changes, and his will takes the place of his wishes. For will is the supreme wish of the larger life, the life whose greater portion is out of our present reach, most of whose objects are not before our sight.

Then comes the conflict of our lesser man with our greater man, of our wishes with our will, of the desire for things affecting our sense with the purpose that is within our heart. Then we begin to distinguish between what we immediately desire and what is good. For good is that which is desirable for our greater self. Thus, the sense of goodness comes out of a truer view of our life, which is connected view of the wholeness of the field of life, and which takes into account not only what is present before us but what is not, and perhaps never humanly can be.

--Rabindranath Tagore, in Sadhana

breakdown

2010-04-05T08:35:00.000-07:00

Heidegger, a German philosopher said our minds function in an auto-pilot sub-consciousness most of the time until things don’t work as we expect and then we have to snap out of our slumber and actually think. Opening your front door is an automatic action that doesn’t require thought, but imagine the key won’t turn. You have to mentally change your plan, from entering your house, to figuring out how you are going to open the door. He called that moment “breakdown”.

road

2010-03-31T11:45:00.000-07:00

the road is an inspiration
in the endless horizon i dream of freedom
i dream of my soul being free

silence

2010-03-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

there is silence in the noise of the jungle,
in its silence is the story of my soul.

i live

2010-03-31T11:33:00.000-07:00

for the love of joy
for the love of simple pleasures
for the love of freedom
for the love of free thinking
for the love of happiness
for the love of life
for love I Live.

lives in a van

2009-10-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

this is the story of Dave who lives in a van. he says "My goal is to have a life more memorable; a life less predictable. I was, and am, now on the hunt for great experiences, future memories, beautiful stories."

check more about him here -

pioneer couple

2009-10-28T01:02:00.000-07:00

Go back to the 1800’s with a couple determined to live in solitude without any modern technology. Dick and Bonnie Cain don’t have electricity, running water, or any other conveniences on their West…

such a neat story for us to sit back and enjoy and at least dream about this type of life and break away from our hectic day to day lifestyle we live in today.

Land owns us

2009-10-17T03:40:00.001-07:00

Land owns us - it is a beautiful way of being. It doesnt push anyone out, but brings everybody in. And the completeness of being, who you are and where you are, is a really good feeling.
Bob Randall, Yankunytjatjara and traditional owner of the Uluru.

there is a spirit in it.

2009-10-17T03:30:00.000-07:00

You know, everything in the world, it is not explored.
you know there is spirituality. People think that the air is not speaking, the soil is not speaking, the sky is not speaking. but there is a kind of spirituality when the sky is roaring with thunderstorms, and the rain is coming, and the clouds are rising. There is spirit in it.
by Kapo Kansa, Indigenous Elder - Gamo Islands

we live in an manufactured world, there is nothing natural here. we have lost wisdom that comes from the natural world. shouldn't we just stop for a while to understand, and connect with what we have lost?

journey to a small Place..

2009-10-14T23:59:00.000-07:00

Journey to a Small Place
By Patricia Kerns

My journey to a small place began with a simple desire for financial independence. Several years ago, having taken an early retirement from my employer, I needed to find a way to live on less than half my previous income. I had to reduce fixed expenses, especially mortgage/rent. The crazy idea that I could find some cheap land and build a house with my own two hands began to work its way into my head.

How crazy? I was a 40-something attorney whose only experience with a hammer was to hang diplomas. Being a woman, I didn’t even have a high school shop class to draw on for experience. I ran through these and other pertinent facts every day, trying to get the goofy idea that I could build my own home out of my head. When the chance to attend a workshop on straw bale building came along, I jumped at it, thinking I could finally prove to myself that I couldn’t do it. But that workshop, and several succeeding ones, made it clear to me that my dream could be realized.

I began planning my home’s design as I sought land and prepared to move to a small desert community in the Big Bend area of southwestern Texas, far from any big cities. As I developed the design, I realized that the house would have to be very small if I wanted to complete it myself. I originally considered this to be a limitation, one I was willing to accept. I imagined that my standard of living in terms of creature comforts would decline, but accepted this as a small price to pay to free myself from the burden of a mortgage. I got some excellent advice at one of the workshops I attended: record the amount of time I spent in every area of my home for a week. I was living in an 1100-sf home when I conducted this experiment. I was amazed to find that there were two rooms in my home where I rarely set foot. I realized with a shock that the primary purpose of those two rooms was to store furniture that I had only purchased so those two rooms wouldn’t be empty. This was a happy realization, since all I had to do to cut my space needs in half was to sell furniture!

I sold every piece of furniture I owned, had multiple garage sales and made a few deposits to thrift shops. After two months of shedding stuff accumulated over twenty years, I packed what was left into a 10 x 6 U-Haul trailer, hitched it to the back of my truck, and headed for Texas. I had never felt so free in my life. It was the first sign that living in a small space wasn’t going to be the dip in standard of living that I had imagined.

I spent the first three months in Texas camping out of my Suburban in the National Park while looking for land. This was a good start to my new commitment to minimalism. In January 1998, I moved onto a piece of unspoiled desert land halfway between the communities of Lajitas and Terlingua, Texas. I erected a 16 x 16 foot army tent, built a composting toilet and solar oven, set up a solar shower and camp stove, hooked up some solar panels for power, and I was living in the lap of luxury.

It took about two months to get my foundation built and the straw bale walls up, just in time to have a place to get out of the severe winds that whipped across my land in February and March. I had no roof, no windows or doors, and no floor, but I had a comfortable place to sit and read or play my guitar while the winds howled by “outside.” I could never before have appreciated such a humble shelter. It seemed like heaven to me.

I spent six months finishing the exterior, roof, door and windows, then moved into the house while I finished the interior. I had designed a space that included a bedroom, a small computer nook, and a larger sitting room. The design was a circular space trisected into three areas. Between the three areas, instead of building walls, I built shelves that pass through so they can be utilized from either side. This gave me a great deal of storage in a small space. The bed is a futon on a plywood board that flips up to reveal storage. I also designed a built-in sofa in the sitting area with storage underneath. I learned a lot about effective use of small spaces for storage by visiting numerous trailer sales lots and observing their use and design of space. All of my interior furniture is built in, using cob (unformed adobe) and scrap wood.

I decided not to have the kitchen and bathroom in the main house, but rather to leave them for a second project. I haven’t regretted this decision, and continue to be happy cooking on a camp stove or in a solar oven, and using a camp shower and composting toilet. The climate here is quite mild, so this might not be feasible in a more northern location. I learned to live with so little during my journey here that every addition now seems like an unaccountable luxury.

The most beneficial consequence of my decision to build small became apparent as I networked with other self-builders. I was able to complete my home in the same amount of time that many people used to build larger structures, but using much less labor. This allowed me to like the home and continue to like it as I worked. I never felt overwhelmed by the process. My little casita and I have remained fast friends, and I have nothing but good memories and good energy invested in my home.

As it turns out, there was no lowering of my standard of living – not in creature comforts, not in any other way. I have learned to be greatly appreciative of every little comfort, and I enjoy what I have now far more than the four times as much that I used to have. My home and possessions serve me and shelter me, and are never a burden that require more than I am willing to give (such as a 30 year mortgage). I am well on my way to becoming sustainable on this land and a small home is part of what allowed me to see my way there. Now, when I am inside large enclosed spaces, I feel lost, disassociated and adrift. I wouldn’t trade my casita or my experience of creating it for a mansion any day.

Patrica's myspace

view more pics

Invitation

2009-10-12T21:30:00.000-07:00

Lets allow what we feel in our hearts to come out into our daily lives.
All people from all cultures feel at some point the need to bring harmony into their lives.
We all reach a time in our lives when we feel a thirst, a longing to change our lives, this routine of working, sleeping, repeating the same thing everyday.
We all feel the need to live in harmony with all manifestations of life.

My INVITATION is to do it. Lets trust our intuition. Lets follow our heart. Lets stop for a moment and look at our lives from a broader perspective. Then we realise that there are more important things in life than spending the whole weekend in the super market trying to buy everything we can so that we can experience momentary satisfaction.

I, repeat, the INVITATION is to follow our hearts, stop for a moment, look at our lives more broadly and we all clearly see that our lives are more meaningful than a supermarket.

as told to Global Oneness project by
Don Alverto - Quichua leader and healer

interview of VON CHOUINARD

2009-09-30T22:39:00.000-07:00

You try to live life on the edge, because that's when you get the most value -- you're really sticking your neck out, really working at optimum efficiency -- but you don't go over the edge because you die. And I think we're over the edge with society. Right now we have the government we deserve. They are absolutely a reflection of who we have become.
Von Chouinard

a thought provoking interview of Von - founder of Patagonia

adventure film festival 09

2009-09-27T20:20:00.000-07:00

film festival for the best and most inspiring independent films encompassing all aspects of adventure from serious exploration to environmental heroism to gripping tales from the edge of the believable..

adventure film festival 09 - pilot video

live a life

2009-09-19T02:18:00.000-07:00

i set up my retirement dates from active work. sep 13 - 2010 is the day when i permanently relocate to another place and just be, just live.
what a difference it has made with my approach now. i have a year left; 358 days or so and there is so much do.
simplify is the mantra now;

figuring out what i need to achieve is what it started with - work related and sustainence when i move out of the urban setup
i started throwing dreams and thoughts out of the window which are worthless and materialistic.
i am finding ways to detach from business, simplifying it - by putting together people who are interested in continuing - if it gets difficult - i shut down.
i am in the process of getting rid of stuff that is useless - my jeep is going first. all the expensive equipment that is worthless in a year from now is up for sale
where will i move to? a shack in the countryside is almost complete
for simple living; a monthly minimum budget is what i am working on. i will grow my own vegetables and other necessities that i can manage
how will i support that? some agriculture, a simple small guesthouse which does not take much of my time will be set up in the 358days to go, find other easy no-stress revenue streams
what i cannot live with? a motorcycle (which i have), some music, books, phone for emergencies and to run the guesthouse and some more simple gadgets
these are things that i can think of as of now. looks simple so far.

sep 15th - i plan to celebrate with a good friend out there on one of the hairpin bends of the segur ghats from where all of this began. ur invited if ur around. mind u it is a weekday..
Santosh

is it worth it?

2009-08-19T22:19:00.000-07:00

u sometimes wonder if it is worth the while? there are times in life when u come to a point, crossroads wherein u start to think. u have tried ur best to be a good human being. u have tried ur best to be as honest. u have tried ur best to commit and go out of ur way to deliver in what u believe. u have tried ur best to be a friend.
but there are times when u feel - what the hell? is it worth it? do people as in people, friends, relation ever care for it? people who u have put ahead of urself, cos u have made a commitment, ever value it?
i feel sometimes it is not worth at all, to waste time on people, individuals.. no more.. u loose hope. i have lost hope many times. it is a materialistic world.
but i will still commit to be honest, straight forward, deliver, beleive. i will still find new causes, new relationships, new friendships with an open mind. but this time i will not be the ways and means to a materialistic goal/world.

Elephant earth Iniative

2009-05-01T02:38:00.000-07:00

Mankind's relationship with elephants is both ancient and fraught: For tens of thousands of years we have hunted them for food and ivory, captured them to use as beasts of burden and — ironically — employed them to destroy the forests they need to survive. Elephants have reacted to our encroachment by raiding the villages and crops of people who are often poor and marginalized, and who compete with them for living space.

Elephant Earth Initiative seeks to improve the lives of the world's largest land mammal by engaging with local people in areas where wild elephants live and where captive elephants are kept. We strive to:

initiate and support the conservation of wild elephant habitat
facilitate research of wild elephant populations
provide education around captive elephant welfare issues
help to develop humane and sustainable elephant tourism projects

Elephant Earth Initiative

another way of life -

2009-04-30T23:03:00.000-07:00

dream, dare, discover..Another way of life - we have it in us but hell we dont care cos the world drives us through our motions, thinking and living.. what the hell one can say - snap, change its course.. it is not easy but gets easy when ur in the thick of it..here are couple examples..

Within Reach - Emerald Earth Sustainable Community

Another Way of life -

Living Forest Communities

True Life: I'm Living Off The Grid

nothing

2009-01-12T10:11:00.000-08:00

forever do random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty

elephant news

2008-03-27T12:14:00.000-07:00

Guys,

Interesting site dedicated to Asian elephants – keep urself updated – sign on the RSS feed -
www.elephant-news.com - there is not one happy news about and for the elephants - can we do something?
We are happily encroaching on their centuries old corridors, habitat by creating more newer roads, highways, railway lines, opening out more areas for agriculture, industries, mining and whatever else we can think of – our greed goes to no end. They are killed by speeding trains, knocked by trucks, buses in our own backyard, they are chased away from lands that belonged to them by forest staff, villagers to avoid conflicts, they are electrocuted by live wire fences, they are poached, killed, what else. Do they have any place to go – what belonged to them is not theirs anymore – can we do something?
The good news is that their population is growing – the bad news is that their habitat is shrinking creating a future of more intense man-elephant conflict. Are we any close to understanding the situation we are in and the elephants? Will they survive? What can we do?
There are plenty of questions that each one of us has to ask oneself – when I see an elephant in the wild, I am joyful but with a trace of pain and sadness thinking of the situation we have created for them.
I have no answers, no plan, no suggestions – just hope that we will be able to bring about some change and give them a better future.

everlasting

2008-02-25T10:23:00.000-08:00

There’s a soul in me – it believes
I love you –
It is unconscious –
Still, It believes
I love you

I need no more to say
I need no more to know
I need no more to believe
I need no more

Ur gone – I know
I need no more to know
I know I know
I love you

Something I need u to know
Even though I don’t need u to know
I know I know
I love you

dream

2008-02-21T04:10:00.000-08:00

on the road
standing by my steed –
sun setting behind me
the road dropping down to the sea -
all is in amber
with the heart of a cowboy

attraction

2008-02-21T03:58:00.000-08:00

when ur soul belongs to nowhere -
when ur a independent being -
life will call wherever -
and ur obsessively attracted -

journey within!

2008-02-21T03:43:00.000-08:00

anything i do - will be a journey
i want to absorb the world - its colors, energy, soul,
i want to be up-close to mother nature
i want to be a gypsy

live by the day

2008-01-16T10:23:00.000-08:00

it was a great day
filter coffee to begin noon,
rum at the local bar,
beer at tavern,
great friends for company,
passionate intense conversations - life, freedom - close to heart,
each one to himself
wanting to change the world
the evening is yet to end
strings of freedom continues

You need steady work, a house, two cars!

2007-12-07T08:33:00.000-08:00

"'Why do you do it?' friends often ask, perplexed,
Brows raised, minds sorely vexed.
'The world out there is dangerous!
Aren't you scared? Why do this?
You need steady work, a house, two cars!
You have only a motorbike, and sleep under stars!'

Dear friend, if you must ask, you cannot know
This curiosity that drives me so.
To you it is hidden; in me rises unbidden!
But one day the world I'll have ridden
By iron steed, then perhaps this need
Will have vanished, finally vanquished!
That day will find me on deathbed,
With no regrets for the life I led.

Will you be able to say the same?
Or will you despair a life worn plain?

I will stake my Himalayan memories
Against your estate of a thousand trees.
Pit my Thai sunset
Against your private jet.
Weigh my horse rides at sunrise
To your Italian suits and ties.
I'll rejoice in friends before I go,
Not the figures of my stock portfolio.

And, amazingly, there are more like me;
They reject slavery, and are truly free.
They took the chance we all had,
And honestly it makes me sad
That you didn't.
You thought you couldn't...
What?
Live without the luxuries
Of all our modern amenities?
You choose the bonds of mortgage, but claim to be free,
Wasting a lifetime absorbed by TV.
Why watch it? but live it!
One life's all you get!
Don't put off 'til morrow and continue to borrow
The lives of strangers; 'tis the greatest of dangers
To the soul
Which grows old
Before its time.

Hercules, Columbus,
Guevara, Odysseus,
Champlain, Agamemnon,
The list goes on...
What have they in common?
Regardless man or god,
The soil of continents they trod,
Not in search of gold but adventure!
Not growing old 'cause they ventured
Far from safety; but far be it from me

To Judge...
The pitiless pity us
With souls black pitted.
Pray! save it for those less spirited.
For us... our horizons are unlimited."

Lot to say but too tired too write, but never tired to Ride.

By James C Richmond
about James C Richmond - A prolific, evocative spoken -word artist/poet who through his poetry enlarges our comprehension of the world around us and helps us to grasp our cultural destiny, writing with feeling ; radiating energy that illuminates everything in it's path. He is a consummate performer of his poetry and has written two books of poetry. His pioneering CD called, 'Emerging Sound' with forty-nine of his poetic works is ground breaking. He is a recipient of a New York City Citation, 2005. Guyana Folk Festival Award, 2005. A certificate of Congressional Merit, 2001 among others.

Everything random in life -

2007-10-19T22:43:00.000-07:00

It was a easy lazy evening at home - did not have any pressing commitments to fulfill. as i was looking at my computer screen - a chat window popped up and there i see my dear friend Soppu throwing me a line, a thought, - i knew what frame of mind he is in. and then the conversation began - it turned out to be an interesting hour which followed, each of us traveling the thought process we live in today -

some lines i saved to my note pad - i shocked myself, is this me - well yes it is me living a life to make this a reality.

lets go riding
on the road
into the setting sun
chasing the warmth
to feel the chill of the night;

_________________________________

u loose to win -
to conquer ur inner self -
the divine innocence is all there in u -
u just need to be blessed

__________________________________

Yes,
some relinquish it to live in the wilderness, on the road, in the mountains, by the river - dreaming, thinking, smiling, singing –
For a life which is only theirs

___________________________________

I want to live in the deserts, in the mountains, in isolation –
with wheels to ride my destiny
monasteries, temples and villages my neighbors –
god is within me
in nature, in my soul –
why the hell am i looking for him
let me be on the road

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home is relative –
it is the heart, it is the soul - my home
how does it matter where and when –
it is a constant journey

end is always beyond
end is only physical
but that is the beginning of beyond
the journey continues

and so the journey continues - a constant search for clarity, a constant search for that momentary joy to continue forever...