Skip to main content

Thoughts on Travel

I've just spent over a month in Shillong and also visited Guwahati and Calcutta for the first time. There's so much to explore in India!

Which brings to me my next thought. For the past couple of years or so, I've harbored thoughts of doing a backpacking trip across Europe. Due to various reasons, this has not happened. Now, I'm glad that it hasn't.

There's so much to explore in India! My stay in Shillong was a completely new experience for me. The terrain, the weather, the culture, the cuisine. It was all so different from what I was used. It was exciting to be there and I long to visit the other states in the Northeast.

Anyone who has ever met me will know that I'm not much of a nationalist. And my case for travelling across India isn't macho chest beating. It just seems foolish to me that while there are so many different landscapes, cultures and people here in India, someone should go to Europe (or any other place) to see such sights. I saw landscapes that were staggeringly similar to the famed Norwegian fjords right here in Meghalaya. I saw pastured mountains and factories of smoke. I was in a society that follows matrilineage as a system. I'm sure many more such experiences are just waiting to happen.

A Euro Trip, I realise is a romantic idea. Its one of things you want to do, even though you don't really have an interest in it (is that perhaps a reason why I've kept it on hold for two years?). A trip across India is perhaps something I want to do more. In the Northeast, I particularly want to visit Nagaland, Arunachal and Sikkim. A trip to Rajasthan is something I've wanted to do. Ladakh, Himachal, Kashmir.. so much to see, so little time!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dastoor

As one might have observed from my recent posts, I have been listening to or reading a lot of poems from poets in Pakistan. I promise that my intention behind this is not to receive that treasured 'anti-national' tag. One poet that I have developed a special liking is Habib Jalib. A compatriot of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, who has received more global fame, Jalib was an avowed champion of the people. He was a staunch opponent of Ayub Khan and Zia-ul-Haq, both army generals who overthrew the elected Pakistani government. However, he also spoke out against state oppression. It is reflective of the sad state of affairs that India is in today that most of Jalib's poems seem to be very contextual. I have already posted one of his poem's, "Zulmat ko Zia" in a previous post. (http://amritkosaraju.blogspot.in/2016/02/zulmat-ko-zia.html) Another of Jalib's famous poems is called "Dastoor", which can be translated as constitution. Here it goes... Dastoor

Zulmat ko Zia

I have always had a fascination with the Urdu language. Having lived in Hyderabad my entire life, I have found this language to be very beautiful and having a natural poetic sound to it, the way Italian supposedly has. Due to this fascination, I have taken a liking to songs, ghazals and qawwalis that are sung in Urdu. Naturally, I have come across numerous Pakistani artists. One such artist is Habib Jalib, the "poet of the people". One of my favourite poems of Jalib is "Zulmat ko Zia". When Zia ul Haq seized power via a coup, Jalib wrote this poem. The word "Zia" in Urdu means light. Using this, Jalib writes, "How can I call this darkness as light?" Over the past month or so, due to obvious reasons, this poem has become even more dear to me. I shall post the lyrics and translation of the poem. Pakistani band "Laal" adapted the poem into the form of a song. I shall also post a link to the song. Lyrics "Haq baat

Kuch Ishq Kiya, Kuch Kaam Kiya

The following is a poem by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. I don't really know why (maybe it's my sweet spot for Urdu), but I like it very much. Kuch Ishq Kiya, Kuch Kaam Kiya Woh log bahut khush kismat thay Jo ishq ko kaam samajhte thay Ya kaam se aashiqui karte thay Hum jeete’ji masroof rahe Kuchh ishq kiya, kuchh kaam kiya Kaam ishq ke aa’re aata raha Aur ishq se kaam ulajhta raha Phir aakhir tang aakar ham ne Dono'n ko adhoora chhor diya Translation: Fortunate were those people Who thought of love as their work Or were in love with their work I was busy my whole life I loved a little and worked a little Work came in the way of love And love interfered with work Finally, fed up I left both incomplete