Saturday, June 30, 2012

Peace is what I feel

After writing a few posts about journeys with music, I think I should just post here a poem which I had written during one of many such journeys.

Again; the mode of transport was a bus; I had earphones playing music in my ears. And here's how it went.



The world is on mute
The silence is so cute
There's a glass wall so strong
Made up of so many songs
This side if it; so tranquil
Peace is what I feel.

The sound waves know the code
to put my mind on standby mode
All I can see is Me
All I can be is Me
All my pain is healed
Peace is what I feel

The beat drives my mind
The words is what I mind
It doesn't matter what kind
Music is what I mind
It will Serve me till the next time I need
It will Save me till the next time I need
This drug is the deal
Peace is what I feel.

(C) Apurva J Oka.
      29-3-2012

Friday, June 29, 2012

आजची जमलेली भट्टी

काही परस्परांशी अजिबात संबंध नसलेल्या गोष्टी एकत्र येऊन एक विशिष्ट Enjoyable Situation तयार होते तेंव्हा त्याला भट्टी जमणं असं म्हणतात.

असं अनेकदा होतं तरीही ते होणं तसं दुर्मिळच. आज असंच काहीसं झालं. नेहमीचा Mode of Transport सोडून मी बेस्ट च्या बस ने घरी येत होतो. गर्दी तशी कमी होती. (म्हणजे सुटं सुटं उभं राहता येत होतं). आवडीप्रमाणे मी थेट पुढच्या टोकाला जाऊन चालकाच्या मागच्या जाळीला धरून; तिला चेहरा टेकवून; जेणे करून तो कसा गियर टाकतो, कसं जजमेंट घेतो हे न्याहाळता यावं; उभा राहिलो.


जेंव्हा जेंव्हा बसने एकटा जातो तेंव्हा नेहमीच; संधी मिळाली की मी ही जागा पकडतो. १० मिनिटं झाली तोच आणखी आवडीची जागा रिकामी झाली. पुढच्या दाराजवळ असते ती सिंगल सीट. अपंगांसाठी राखीव असते, पण तेंव्हा कुणीच नव्हतं बसलेलं. शिवाय, लेडीज सीट वर म्हातारे आजोबा बसलेले असतानाही तुसडेपणाने बोलून त्यांना उठवणा-या ‘लेडीज’ बघितल्यात मी; त्यामूळे कुणी स्वत:हून म्हटलं तरी मी ‘त्या’ सीट्स च्या वा-याला जात नाही. पण अपंगांच्या सीट वर बसताना तसा विचार आला नाही; आणि अपंग काय किंवा आणखी कुणी काय, गरजू व्यक्तीला तिने म्हणायच्या आधी सीट मोकळी करून देण्याचं सौजन्य कधीच विसरत नाही मी.

तर त्या सिंगल सीट वर बसलो. कानात गाणी चालूच होती. आता भट्टी अशी जमली की;
एक तर बेस्ट बसचा प्रवास,
दुसरं म्हणजे त्या बसचा बेफाम ड्रायव्हर, 
तिसरं म्हणजे ही EXCLUSIVE सिंगल सीट,  
आणि कानात एनिग्मा चं - सॅडनेस हे गाणं. त्यांचा तो सिग्नेचर बीट. .. ..

सगळ्याची एकत्रित कल्पना करून बघा जमलं तर !

माहोल जमला चायला एकदम ! रिपीट वर टाकलं गाणं. लास्ट स्टॉप कधी आला कळलंच नाही.

Friday, June 22, 2012

ड्रायव्हिंग चा ट्रान्स

गाडीचं दार उघडून गाडीत बसलो. ऑफिसची बॅग बाजूच्या सीट वर ठेवली. सीटबेल्ट लावला. गाडीला स्टार्टर दिला. स्टिरिओ वर मेटॅलिका चं - टर्न द पेज गाणं लावलं, व्हॉल्यूम जरा चढच ठेवला. सीट थोडी मागे कलती केली. मागे रेलून बसलो. डोकं हेडरेस्ट ला टेकून ठेवलेलं, डावा हात गियर वर, उजवा स्टिअरिंगच्या वरच्या भागाला धरून. आरसा सेट केला. गाडी सोसायटीमधून बाहेर काढली आणि काही अंतराने हायवे ला लागलो. स्पीड घेता घेताच काच खाली केली आणि हायवेच्या राईट लेन मधे स्थिरावलो.

सकाळच्या वेळी असते तशी हायवेला गाड्यांची किंचित गर्दी होती. पण मला तो रोड एखाद्या लांबलचक मोकळ्या रोड सारखा भासत होता. ७० च्या स्पीड ला गाडी लावून धरली होती. राईट लेन अजिबात सोडत नव्हतो. मागच्या पुढच्या बाजूच्या सगळ्या गाड्या अदृश्य भासत होत्या. असं वाटत होतं की अशा एखाद्या सुंदर मोकळ्या रोड वर मी एका स्थिर गतीने, खुल्या काचेतून आत शिरणारा वारा खात, शान मधे गाडी चालवतोय, आणि ड्रायव्हिंग नावाचा एक स्वर्गतुल्य अनुभव घेतोय.

स्टिरिओ वरच्या गाण्यांमुळे मी ऑलरेडी ट्रान्स मधे गेलेलो होतो. अ‍ॅम्प्लिफायर च्या ताकदीने दणाणणारा प्रत्येक बीट, माझी ही झिंग वाढवत होता. त्यामुळे आजूबाजूच्या बिल्डिंग्स च्या जागी मला डोंगर, समुद्र दिसत होते. सिग्नल म्हणजे व्ह्यू पॉईंट्स वाटत होते. माझी गाडी मला एखादी क्न्व्हर्टिबल गाडी भासत होती. रस्त्यातले काटकोनी ‘टर्न’ मला समुद्रालगतच्या रोडच्या लांबलचक आणि खिळवून ठेवणा-या वळणांसारखे वाटत होते...

अशी वळणं घेत गाडी एका जागी येऊन थांबली. का...  ते मी हळू हळू समजत होतो. ट्रान्स मधून बाहेर येत होतो. ऑफिस आलं होतं. कामाला जायचं होतं. काही मिनिटं तसाच गाडीत बसून राहिलो... आणि मग सावकाश गाडीतून उतरून ऑफिसकडे चालू लागलो. तरी चार पावलानंतर पट्ट्कन मागे वळून गाडीला एक डोळा मारल्यावाचून राहवलं नाही.

हे पहिल्यांदा होत नव्हतं. जेंव्हा जेंव्हा मी आमची गाडी चालवतो, तेंव्हा तेंव्हा कमी अधिक प्रमाणात हे असंच होतं. Because I am in my OWN world when I am driving.


Sunday, June 17, 2012

या वो जगह बता दे...

आजकल पार्किंग की बडी आफ़त हो गयी है. आदमी एक बार गाडी ले भी ले; पेट्रोल का भी इंतजाम कर ले; पर पार्किंग के लिए जगह ला पाना नामुमकिन के बराबर हो गया है. सड़कों पर आधी जगह तो 'नो पार्किंग' के बोर्ड लगे रहते है; और समझ-बूझ कर आप सही जगह गाडी लगा भी दो, तो आप यकीं से नहीं कह सकते की आपकी गाडी सलामत रहेगी. 'Towing' वाले जो घूमते रहते है. बंदा करे भी तो क्या करे?






यही कुछ हाल अगर अंदाज़ - ए - ग़ालिब में बयाँ करना हो, तो कुछ यूं कहा जाएगा ट्राफिक हवलदार यानी के 'मामा' से

‘’मामा’ पार्किंग करने दे बीच सडक पर
या वो जगह बता दे जहां टोविंग नही हो’

Saturday, June 16, 2012

The Thump is HERE !


Since last 3 days, I’ve been enjoying sitting in the driver seat of my car more than I have ever done. With the new amplifier fitted in, and the new set of component speakers, I now have in my car, the sound that I have ever dreamt of. In fact, I got the new stuff installed almost a couple of weeks ago, and it sounded definitely better than it did earlier. But, there was something missing in it. It was the local guy’s fault. The equipments were fine but like a horse not groomed well; or like a bullet without the gun. I went to a relatively more popular and more sophisticated car accessories store 3 days back and got the amplifier tuned. A 10 minute job, and the it sounded a 100 times better. 

I.. AM... LOVING IT ! Loving it so much. The beats now create a stunning thump...the mid's and the high's are clearer and sharper than ever. When I listen to Indian Classical, I feel as if the artiste is sitting right in front of me. When I listen to pop or Rn B or Reggae, or the like, I feel like I am in the middle of an earthquake. The car actually shakes! I am an audiophile. And so if it sounds great, I feel great. Everything else is not as important then.



Now I step in the car more frequently. In fact, I search for a reason now, to just get in the car, turn ON the stereo, turn UP the volume, and turn DOWN every single thought which spoiles my mind. 

Fire it up baby!

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Naneghat Trek

The summer had passed and we were all so eager for this next trek to Chavand, Naneghat, Jivdhan. As it always happens with trekking plans; there were numerous changes. The turnout ratio was low as expected. We were to be a group of 12 at one point of time and were actually a group of 6 in the end. Mode of transport too, changed. But it was then, ‘modes’ of transport. And it was FUN; I’ll come to that later.

So finally, we dropped Chavand; and decided to cover Naneghat and Jivdhan. We gathered at Thane Railway station for a short train ride to Kalyan; then a nice bus ride till the starting point of the Naneghat Trail. Any bus that goes to the Ahmednagar side, will take you to Vaishakhare, which is at 2 kms from this starting point. But we kind of impressed the bus driver, who agreed to give us a drop right up to this point.


It was a nice and easy walk for about 15 minutes  after which there was a diversion. We took the road that went to the right initially; walked for a few minutes, but only to find a steep ridge which looked not at all like the normal path. “Lets try the other way”, was the call of the clan. We headed back up to the junction, took the road that went to the left side and walked for quite some time; an hour almost if I’m not wrong. We climbed 2 steep ridges, reached a plateau from where we could see Naneghat on our right hand side and a BIG valley in between. We; umm; were Lost. I went ahead to see if we should continue in the direction or head back or whatever. There were a couple of phone calls; a couple of quick responses from some very helpful and reliable people. But what really gave me a sense of relief, were 2 old ladies who carried wood. I asked them how should we go to Naneghat and they gave a very vague yet convincing answer, “just this way” (indicating to the right). ‘Alright!’ was my reply even when I was not very sure how to proceed. Then I saw 4 men who seemed to be locals by the ease with which they walked around on the rocky terrain. I requested them to guide us to the main path that goes to Naneghat. I also gave a hint that we can pay you some money if you escort us. We later discovered that they were forest department officials who were there to count species of trees in the jungle. And then some storytelling, some nice and quick discussions on the move and we were treading the main and the right path.

We had already climbed and walked for 3 hrs by then. Our pace had slowed down; especially myself. I was struggling to keep up with the pace of the group. But somehow, in some way; after 5 hrs of looong trek; we reached the cave of Naneghat. Rainfall welcomed us when we had covered almost 90% of the distance. It was So.. Damn.. Pleasing.


There are 2 caves atop Naneghat. One cave which is the big one and which can accommodate 50 people comfortably; is now closed. It is locked and you are not allowed to stay in there. Then there is a smaller cave opposite the big cave, which can house 10 people. We moved in for our house for the night. Jackets off – T shirts off – and now we were in mood to just lie down; and relax. We had noted down a phone number on the way; which was of a person who runs a dhaba at Naneghat. We ordered tea and pohe. It was all that we needed at that time.


Soon did the skies turn orange-pink. We took some pictures here and there and were now talking and passing time. Pop! Comes a Frog on my lap and everybody is on their feet ! ‘Okay! I know what is coming!’, I said to myself. There were hundreds of frogs. They troubled us all through the night. I need not say more. I slept for just 2.5 hrs; that too in bits and pieces, because frogs would wake me up every 5 minutes. It was indeed one of the most terrible nights I have ever spent. Everyone else somehow managed to get their fair share of sleep in spite of the troubling creatures.


It was the next morning, and Jivdhan was scheduled. But eh, the plan was cancelled last night itself. It was collectively decided to drop Jivdhan and head back to Thane as everyone was really tired and not interested in any further trekking. But thrill was not over yet.



The BUMP:
The ride from Naneghat to Ghatghar:- A red hot Mahindra Sarpanch 525 DI tractor which made us feel even the smallest pebble on the road.
 
And The THUMP:
Ride from Junnar to Bankar Phata – A Mahindra Commander which is built to carry 9 people, was ‘stuffed’ with 15. The six of us a part of those 15. We sat in the jeep squeezing and stretching our muscles. But as soon as the engine roared... the two massive sub-woofers fitted under the middle row seat brought wide smiles on our faces. In spite of the most cramped condition that we were in, we couldn’t help singing and even dancing to the superb Bollywood remixes that the guy played.

The thump continued throughout the journey up to Shahad, where the jeep driver was a big fan of Lord Krishna Bhajans. They were melodious without a doubt. But the thump that we cherished was during the 14 km ride from Junnar to Bankar Phata. We had a last cup of tea at Shahad, and reached back to Thane by a jam packed local train. 


The 2nd trek of our group concluded with a lot of changes in the plans. But that is the beauty of travel in my opinion. It was a great trek. Be it losing the way, be it climbing in rain, be it the sunset at Naneghat, be it the insane photography, be it the bhakri and chicken that we had in the cave, or the frogs, or the scary speed of the wind, or the super rides, or the jokes we cracked or just everything; IT WAS ONE HELL OF A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE. I already can’t wait to wander with our group on our next trek.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

बाकी शून्य




केलेली किंवा ऐकलेली फोनवरची संभाषणं आठवा; किंवा प्रत्यक्ष झालेली बातचीत आठवा. त्यात वारंवार वापरलेले वाक्प्रचार किंवा शब्दप्रयोग आठवा. हाय, हॅलो, काय म्हणता, बाय या सगळ्यांपेक्षाही अधिक वेळा वापरला जाणारा शब्द म्हणजे ‘बाकी’.

एक विषय आणि दुसरा विषय यांच्यातला दुवा म्हणजे ‘आणि बाकी?’. चार वाक्य झाल्यावर सवयीप्रमाणे टाकलेला एक प्रश्न म्हणजे, ‘बाकी?’. कुणी फार कंटाळवाणं बोलत असेल तर त्याला ब्रेक लावणारा प्रश्न म्हणजे ‘मग बाकी?’ काहीजणांसाठी तर फोन केल्यापासूनच एखाद्या मंत्राप्रमाणे जपायचा शब्द म्हणजे ‘बाकी?’

खरं सांगावं तर मला असं कुणी विचारलं की मला बाकी काहीच सुचत नाही. म्हणजे, ‘काय बोलणार?’ असं होतं. म्हणजे कंटाळाच येतो म्हणा ना. मग मजेत का होईना, म्हणावंसं वाटतं, ‘बाकी शून्य !’

Amidst the Alpine Beauty (Part 3)

And the last lot of pictures.


 Whitewash; Everywhere


 The famous Chapel Bridge
 Lion (Pig?) Monument


 Flowers; again.
Flowers were seen outside of almost every window