The White Mountains

Since Anaya-Siya are past the age of three already and my parents being there to help us with them,we decided to do a road trip this summer (yay, finally). Our first destination was Lincoln, New Hampshire from where we planned to visit different areas of the White Mountain National Forest. The day we arrived, we spotted a black mama bear with its two cubs playing in the grass near our lodge. It was a good omen for Anaya-Siya's initiatory trip!



Bump Bridge



Thence on we went to see some of the covered bridges of New Hampshire. These wooden bridges built over flowing rivers against the backdrop of green meadows or mountains give the countryside an ancient look. Standing inside a covered bridge one can imagine how horse driven carriages must have passed over it in bitter cold sometimes laden with goods, at others with wary travelers. Northern regions are cold for most part of the year except for four or so months of summer. The bridges are sturdy and individually unique - a fine work of engineering. They are a part of New England's historical heritage.



Cog Railway



The next day we took the Mount Washington Cog Railway which leaves from Marshfield Base Station and climbs to the Mount Washington State Park at an elevation of 6,288ft above sea level. Kids had an awesome time during this one hour train ride up the track with stunning views of the passing vale. Mount Washington is the highest peak of Northeastern USA and has a observatory at the summit due to its famously erratic weather patterns. The day was as sunny as can be providing excellent views of the surrounding mountains. The deep ravines surrounding Mt. Washington looked great with close knit forest. White Mountains has the longest running forests in the USA without any cultivated land in between. The immediate terrain surrounding the mountain above the forest tree-line however is dry and rocky, a little like the alpine regions.



View Atop The Summit Of Mt. Washington





Old Man



On our way back we went to visit the 'Old Man Of The Mountain' historic site. The Cannon Mountain Cliff used to show the profile of an old man carved by nature in its granite boulders for years. The boulders fell off in 2003. But due to its popularity, a profiler plaza has been created on the shore of a scenic Profile Lake from where one can see the outline of the old man's profile as before with the help of some steel profiler rods. The wonders an awe-inspiring legend can make people do! Anaya-Siya are still calling any mountain they see 'an old man' ;-)



Then we went to the Basin. This 20 feet deep granite pothole formed by the cascade brook with its water gushing in with full force is a natural basin. The kids were very happy here splashing in the cool water. The mile long trek alongside the brook to view first the Kinsman Falls and the Rocky Glenn Falls still ahead was worth every effort. Here, Yogen and me, we both realized how much we missed our hiking days. We definitely would want Anaya-Siya to take it up too, to enjoy and understand nature and it's elements.



The next day we took the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway which took us to the summit of the mountain at 4,180ft. The kids were overjoyed to see the cable car. Their questions and comments just wouldn't stop. That day, I hadn't carried the camcorder unfortunately, but wished I had, such was the excitement! The 5 minute scenic ride up was a thrill for them. The 1/4 mile steep hike up to the observation platform was done in the same euphoria. And, oh the panoramas it presented - of the distant mountains, the widespread valleys, the sprawling, dense forests inhabiting thousands of species of flora and fauna! It was a spiritually reflective moment which makes one bow before the enormity of the Universe, the diversity of nature's culture.



Panorama from the Cannon Mountain Summit



Cannon Mountain is in Franconia Notch State Park. The other attraction we went to in this park is Flume Gorge. This beautiful natural gorge with its Conway granite walls, the waterfalls cascading through it, mellowing down on the table rock making musical sounds is a sight to behold. The droplets of water fall steadily in a rhythm through the soft green moss growing on the walls of the gorge and vanish into the gurgling stream below. A place like this is a haven for the writer within me.



The sentinel Pine covered bridge looked royal with its handsome semidark wood railings and the deep emerald pool of water below was just a treat for the eyes. The entire 2.5 mile loop trail through the woods up and downhill  took us four hours with even the kids walking all the way. There were huge granite boulders from ages swept in and lodged into the forest, little three stripped squirrels scurrying around. I pointed out various ferns, mosses and mushrooms to the gals. It was superfun and a day well spent.



Sabbaday Falls



Then the kids napped in the van and we took a scenic drive along the Kancamagus Highway. The road provides great vistas of various mountains along the way. The Pemigewasset overlook gave a great view of Mt. Kancamagus and the surrounding mountains. At dusk, the overlapping mountain ranges looked like meditating sages beyond our reach trying to pass us a message by their calm demeanor. Strangely, it seemed as if we caught on their meaning we would gain wisdom. Short streams and creeks met us along the highway making for a pleasant journey. We walked a short way along the Sabbaday Brook up to the Sabbaday Falls which are gorgeous. There could not be a more perfect ending to our day. We returned back to the lodge watching the mountains bask in the golden glow of the setting sun.



Mt. Pemigewasset Overlook





Day three, we devoted completely to kiddie fun. We took a steam train ride at the Clark's Trading Post. The  crazy, yelling wolfman with his rusty vehicle and firing gun appearing out of the woods was curiosity piquing, even a little scary for the girls and still helps us feed them when they aren't eating or control them if they are misbehaving ;-) The Chinese acrobatic circus and the Bear show was an added entertainment. The only regret is that we didn't spot a moose though signs of 'Moose Crossing' were all over the place :-(



Coincidently, I had read 'Hunger Games' by Suzanne Collins before going on this vacation and was quite taken by it. Katniss Everdeen, and her struggle for survival has been on my mind ever since and every solitary moment reminded me of her! White Mountains themselves every instant reminded me of District 12 especially because they are a part of the Appalachian region mentioned in it. The wilderness, the basic necessities of life, the peace and quiet found in the arms of Mother Nature - all so pure! And yet the persistence of Man to break free of Her, to destroy Her in ignorance, little by little and wallow senselessly in artificial, invented joys!



Flume Gorge



White Mountains awakened the serenity in my heart making me realize the beauty of coexistence of species. White Mountains reminded me yet again the forgotten principle 'Live and Let Live', and how it would make our earth a much better place.













Book Spine Poetry

Summer Reading Sessions are on at our Local Library and today was the Book Spine Poetry Workshop.  Choosing titles through hundreds of lined books on shelves in half an hour was quite a mental exercise. The spontaneity of it was amazing. Didn't know I still had it in me! Then was the tough part of making sensible poems out of them. That really got my creative juices flowing. The once forgotten art of poetry writing beckoned to me from its depth. Once I had my poems ready, the fun part was to pull out the actual books from the shelves and align them so that their spines show the poetry thus created.
Personally, I think this is a great idea to get kids started with the art of poetry writing since these days, we do have a lot of children's books at home. Those of us into reading must have some book collection at home, so even adult beginners can try their creativity here. Book Spine Poetry was a literary fun exercise far apart from the boredom that people generally associate with poetry writing.
Below are the Book Spine Poems that I made:

When Daddy Took Us Camping

Me And You

Into The Forest

The Days Of Summer

Dandelions

Cloudland

The Dark, Dark Night

Willow's Whispers

Moonlight Kite

Gleam And Glow

Bedtime In The Jungle

Goodnight Moon

Close To You

Straight Into Darkness

Never Let Me Go

I'll Be Seeing You

On The Street Where You Live

Moonlight Becomes You

After Dark

The Devil She Knows

It Only Takes A Moment

To Have And To Kill

Time's Witness

The Army Of Angels

The Color Of Hope

WiFi Kids

Its amazing the way kids catch up with technology these days. Its not been a wonder anymore that today’s scholastic population uses computers to complete their projects. Its become one of their basic needs. At times they are much adept at using windows and powerpoint than their parents. With powerful online search tools like Google, Yahoo etc to help them they can tide over many difficulties on their own. They are way too competent intellectually than their earlier generations. These kids keep texting each other messages. Seeing them all around I often wonder though, if the future generation is really going to be extraordinarily self-sufficient to the extent of not needing to literally “talk” to any other person.

Its hard not to think about my own school days when telephones were a rare commodity and computers non-existent. What a bliss it was to talk to friends face to face for hours and hours on any topic under the sun! During College days phones had made their way subtly into our daily lives and it was great to chat with those inseperable friends after wee hours. I remember when computer craze had started rocking every household. My mum had been after me to take it up too. But the technology resistant lazybum in me had stood up against her, right till the moment it was absolutely necessary for me to have an e-mail id, to send my resume to prospective job recruiters.

Today it’s a completely opposite scenario in my own family when one of my kids picks up my cell phone. Her twin sister cries, so in a hurry I thrust my iPod Touch in her hand and set about to do my chores. Within no time I hear a familiar old Hindi song playing. I turn back with amusement to see that my two year old has not only unlocked the iPod Touch but also figured out how to play the music. My kids also know that they can talk to their grandparents back in India on mommy’s iPad. The news that they chatted with relatives back home reaches their dad before I have the chance to speak to him. They ask me to show pictures and why I don’t play songs on iPad. But this is about two year olds!

Recently I visited my nephew in Arkansas. He is a mere 5-month old baby, a dashing, aggressive little bundle of joy! I was showing folks my kids pictures and this young guy was leaping forth with full force to catch those off of my iPad. The moving images were enough to make him realise this was going to be his future domain. I didn’t let him touch the screen and he started crying. Thereafter everytime he saw the familiar pink smartcover, he wanted the iPad. Now that’s what I call a true technokid.

Kids nowadays don’t amuse themselves with colorful toys for long. So many in collection and parents showering yet more, kids quickly tire themselves of those. Their real playthings are iPhones, blackberries, notebooks, iPod Touch, iPads, all the technologically advanced thingamajigs which they see in their moms and dads possession. These kids are so much into these technotools that wherever they go they want to play games, listen to music, text their friends etc. Its their lifeline. That’s why I call these kids ‘The WiFi kids’. All their knickknacks run on WiFi. They will keep craving for all the latest innovations that keep hitting the market.

Here rests a major responsibility on our shoulders as the parents. We have experienced a WiFi-free world as they have not. We need to show them that world too. What would a WiFi dependant generation do in case of a major, irrevocable network failure? Just as information technology is necessary to enrich their educational expertise, so is love of nature & respect for culture, history and other human beings, to ensure their physical and emotional wellbeing. There is Chaos without Harmony. These kids can either develop a balanced persona with an inner strength which will help them face any crisis or they can turn out to be geniuses without the ability to act out in the time of need.

The ball lies in our court, the future depends on which way we swing it!

Happy Birthday Dad

Tommorrow my dad turns 60. I wanted to be the first one to wish him, so I called him since its already past midnight in India. There isn’t  too much though that one can say on phone except a few formal greetings combined with the  literal push urging folks to have fun.  But where spoken words fail, written words aid.  So I am writing a letter to my dad, reminiscing about some incidents from my childhood that I would like to share with him.

Dear Dad,

Many, Many, Many…. Happy Returns Of The Day!

Anyone who has ever come in contact with you knows what a strict persona you have as a result of which people are a bit scared of you. But the earliest and many more memories I have of you are the most tender ones. I remember you putting the tincture iodine on my cuts and scrapes; me, screaming frantically even before you brought the medicine soaked cottonball near me and you, trying to pacify me. Once we were travelling to some out of town place in a train and had to sleep on the middle berth. I was scared out of my mind. You held me close and kept on rocking,  reassuring me even as I slept to the wildly swaying motion of the train. The journey from Jammu to Kashmir in the bus was the worst one where I hadn’t let you sleep a bit or enjoy the scenery at all with me throwing up all over you, all the way. This tenderness has come with me a long way and helps me nurture my kids today.

As a kid I was very fascinated by the drawer that you always kept locked. Eventually, I figured out where you hid the keys. I knew that you were a man of order and discipline. Anyone messing with your things would be a big mistake. But I was very curious to see the pictures of your wedding. I loved to imagine you and mom as my moviestars. Finally one summer day, I gathered all my courage and  found the keys, opened the drawer, took out the envelope, saw all the pictures in it and put everything back again in the same order (or so I thought). In the evening I was waiting for you with a rabbit’s heart and sure enough when you came back you asked the dreaded question, “Who touched my drawer?”.

I guess, you actually knew the answer to that but you didn’t make a big issue out of it and I ran out of the house as fast as I could. But I was amazed. How could the man know? I was so careful. Then onward, I continued with my little adventure but I was careful. I was cautious with the order of the pictures, the positioning of the envelope, even the direction of the little key, till I grew so skilled that you didn’t notice (or if you did you never mentioned J ). May be you considered it as a part of my growing up. But the most important thing I learnt from this exercise was Organisational Skills. Even today, everything has to be in perfect order for me. I can notice slightest thing offbeat. This does get on others’ nerves at times but works wonders for me as regards multitasking and running my household efficiently.

During Ganpati Festival it is always your voice that makes itself heard above everyone else while singing ‘Aartis’ (Devotional Songs). It is so high pitched and clear. I was always impressed that my dad sang so well that everyone invited him to sing. I used to try and match you but no matter how hard I tried I could never measure upto you. In the long run though it definitely helped me gain a good sound quality. Today, my loud and clear voice makes me a better orator and I can speak more confidently on stage.

Discussions that you held with mom, colleagues, relatives made me figure that you valued honesty and integrity above everything else. That instilled in me a sense of pride so that I can hold my head high. Dad, there are so many episodes that they can make up a whole book but for now these ones present perfectly what I have to convey. What gift can I give you when you have given me a treasurebox full of sound morals to last a lifetime. The perfectionist in me, I totally owe you.

Love You Dad. HAPPY 60^th BIRTHDAY!

MAY 18th 2011

May 18th, holds a special significance for me. Exactly ten years earlier I set foot on the American soil with a wildly beating heart. I was all alone in my flight journey anxiously anticipating the whole new world awaiting me.

My marriage was a rather hurried affair in a traditional Indian arranged style, so as a couple, me and my husband barely had enough time to spend with each other before he had to leave back to New York for work. So when I came to USA, I had to confront a completely new environment within an alien culture solely trusting my husband whom I immensely liked but still didn’t really know well. In the subsequent years though, his support alone proved to be the biggest asset in every endeavour I made.

My first impression of NY was very grim. While driving from JFK airpot to Staten Island I was shocked to see dull colored apartment buildings on the way. Accustomed to seeing colors everywhere in India, all I could think was, if this is America, what is the big deal? Those early days were very hard when silence of the surroundings drove me crazy. I used to crave for the buzz of the neighbourhood, the attention of people, the usual chitchat of market vendors and the lack of these things often pushed me on the verge of frustration. 

Eventually though, the same silence that I used to hate started evoking a sense of peace in me that I never knew I had. I started listening to the pitter patter of raindrops on rooftop, the rustling of leaves on a windy day, the tinkling of faraway windchimes. Most of all, the quite spells taught me to contemplate, it gave me a clarity of thought. The buildings here may be dull colored but they never look gruesome once they are old and they have no horrid-looking cement marks to patch up leakages.

An important part of my American stay has been my status as a H4 (dependant spouse) visa holder due to which I wasn’t able to work. In those vast free moments, I got opportunities to explore my hobbies. I tried my luck at everything I could lay hands on. Artificial jewellery making, cooking, interior decoration, gardening, photography, painting, scrapbooking. But the most important and the treasured one I rediscovered is Writing, the one I had a flair for since school days but never really pursued.

In spite of all this, several times depression hit me with full force knowing that in India I would have had a hard core career-oriented job. There were times in the past when going back to India seemed to be the topmost priority. Despite this, we chose to stay in USA because something always held us back. Probably even without our knowledge we had started assimilating this culture into our own, it no more felt alien. We liked the discipline, the cleanliness, the pollution-controlled environment, the easy access to nature here. During  these ten years we travelled a lot and the unpredictable beauty of this diverse land left us mesmerised.

There’s a saying, ‘Do in Rome as the Romans do’ but  amazingly in USA,  the free country that it is , this does not apply. Rather the population here is really versatile in accepting the immigrant culture. I have always celebrated our major festivals with full glory and never felt a shade of gloom during these days. I have fallen in love with the country I have explored in the last decade.

India beckons from time to time with its colorful sights n’sounds and I give in to temptation. After all, my very own morals and values find their  firm roots in the rich brown Indian soil.

Today, India resides in my heart as ‘Back Home’ but USA has made a special place for itself as my ‘New Home’.