Religion and me

My folks got me into a convent Christian school for my junior school studies, and hence before they could properly get Hinduism ingrained me, I was introduced to Jesus! :) Now, my folks are reverent to Indian Hindu gods and do their chants and prayers and ceremonies without fail etc. etc. but they are not obstinate with that at all... thankfully! So, though they encouraged me to know Hinduism, they didn't thrust rituals.... That let me free-float with what I thought should be my sort of god! ..... The initial days were a bit scary for my mom, I know. I would learn all Christian hymns and sing 'em out in front of Hindu gods such as lord Ganesha, goddess Saraswati, goddess Parvati :D and well a zillion more gods... I would be corrected by an 'almost' panicky mom but I am pleased to inform that she would more or less burst out laughing rather than cringing in non-acceptance!

With this leeway, I grew up observing and making notes on various religions and conclude towards my potentially final deity to follow ...... goes without saying, I am nowhere close to that! :)

Religion I would say got summed up in a quote I read which goes went more or less like this : Prayer may not cure a problem but it heals the soul. ( I am very sure I messed it up - the quote i.e. - but it was something like that).

Well, here is what I think about it : 

Religion is just something which holds us together and channelizes positive energy throughout our body, mind and soul! - Short but simple... only it seems nobody understands it, or tries to decipher the meaning. For this purpose we invent figurines, images etc. for the masses to comprehend it. But it is just not that now, is it?! People stick to the outer commodity, the story invented to make-believe the idols - The concept itself, not the meaning in it.... I am very sure, majority of the Hindu's in general haven't read the Vedas, nor have the Muslims read the Quran, nor have any Sikh read the whole Guru-Granth, neither the Christians read the whole Bible ............ So, how did they really make opinions on everything? - Answer: From hearsay and complete lack of brain usage!  - I am mentioning the majority, exceptions ARE there, and if they are, they would have already understood what my premise is!

But the ONE thing I think religions achieve to do (even if not understood in its entirety) is to get people focused. It is known, that concentration improves when we think on a single track. It also soothes our frayed nerves to know that apart from out own efforts, there are external forces helping us in our cause! - Now, that is a comforting thought! 

There was a time in Mumbai ( when I was working in that city in India) when I accompanied a dear friend and also my flat-mate to Church ( This was not my first time, my junior school had a chapel and I along with my sister have visited Churches in gen - no bias, just reverence in faith in gen and loads of curiosity). What I really enjoyed in the sermon ( majority of which was simple preaching) is the act of showing at least one acknowledgement to the person standing on left and right they do somewhere in the end of the sermon. That was really nice - its an act of acknowledging someone else with a positive move! 

I have also visited a "Gurudwara" which is a place of worship of the Sikh's in India. What I love about their culture is the fact that they worship  a book - not a person or an idol or something which is just a fable for all its worth. They revere a Book which tells them what is right and wrong!! I agree with it as well...

Buddhism is immensely attractive to me... but I should confess, I don't know much about it. But from the looks of it, simple meditation sounds a 1000 times better than anything else.

I conclude this by my eternal feeling of window-shopping for my sort of god... I'd rather watch from a distance than get in half-heartedly. Coz faith for me is just not disturbing a single other soul, its about protecting my interest without harming anybody else. Its also just simple believing in ME!... 

I also wonder, how would my personal concept of faith help me if someone tried to harm my loved ones or something very wrong befalls me. I guess the answer would be somewhere in the lines of being proactive and helping where I can positively, of holding myself together and being a force to stem the negative. Sounds too big aye?! :) I guess being smart and not stupid is a part and parcel of believing in oneself. I also should confess, the concept of revenge is something I am yet to sort completely in my head. Sitting passively is not in my book, but neither is simply harming someone who harmed me. I donno, I still have to think more on it ...

(PS: I know i acknowledged far few religions and gods in this post. But its just what came to my mind at this moment. I am sure, if I sit around and think about it, i will come up with more of them). - Again, hope none of it offends anybody :) Peace!

My splendid Easter holidays :) - Part 1

I have never thought much about Easter, considering i am not a Christian and hence for me it holds hardly/no significance (with all due respects and no offense to religious folks) except it used to be sometimes an off day from work... (sometimes = hardly/don't remember :D). In India, i did not get these offs considering how stock market companies mostly adhere to national holidays only and more often than not skip even those! So here in South Africa, where the obvious religion seems to be Christianity, Easter is a big thing and is sandwiched between "Family Day" and "Freedom Day" and "Labour Day" and many such happy happy holidays :P. One of the 2 long weekends and offs here in SA, we ( I and my husband) decided we ought to put em to good exploratory use, And we DID !! :D ... 

We explored the beautiful province of Mpumalanga ( name that means "East" or literally "the land where the sun rises" in Zulu, Xhosa and Swazi), situated towards the east of Gauteng ( thats where i live) and took approximately 4 hours drive to Nelspruit, which is the capital of Mpumalanga. In Nelspruit, we know of this lovely B&B ( Bed and Breakfast) place called 'Bavaria Guest House' and its very friendly and helpful hosts Roger and Louise Higham; where we decided to stay in. Roger is quite knowledgeable of sights to see and places to visit along with timings etc. He also provides maps and routes ( as perhaps many B&B in the area do). But he is a courteous person and takes personal interest in the needs of his guests which is quite nice to experience! ( By the way, i feel the whole B&B concept is a very smart business idea for people who have lavish housing and have numerous rooms; on a daily charge of Rand 500 per room per night with breakfast, it is a very very smart concept indeed if someone has say 6 rooms and is an ideal touristy location!!) 

View from our room - Bavaria Guest house, Nelspruit

Anywho, we spent day 1 lazing in the guest house considering we reached late evening and were tad sore from the drive. Our whole purpose of visiting the province had been to check out "The Panorama route" which is pretty breathtaking as the word goes. On day 2 though there were low clouds and mist, so checking out the view couldn't have happened. Hence, upon Rogers' reco we visted the Nelspruit Botanical Gardens. I imagined the place to have loads of well lined bushes, trees, grass and flowers etc with tags and names that i had tried memorizing in some Bio-chem lecture in college ( its an impossible task i think). Pleasantly it was anything but boring! It had water-falls and pathways made of wooden logs that i felt was out of a jungle movie! So lush green, typical rainforest, plush and Beeeooooteeefooool!!! :D Loved it.... Check out the pics, i had to select sparingly and still it is quite much!!

I think this post of mine would need a part- 2 ....

"Three Men in a Boat, to say nothing of the dog" by Jerome K Jerome

I must have re-read it at least 50 times (not an exaggeration... if i DID end up counting it would cross 50 for sure), it's one of the most hilarious stuff ever! For the unassuming, its the story of three men i.e. George, Harris and the author - along with the authors dog 'montmorency' down the river Thames, on which they decide and plan out a boat trip for some "relaxation" - which of course, its anything but!

If you ever feel incredibly down and out or caught up in really mundane routine and can do with a good laugh, you absolutely must have a go at reading this! 

"Test Pilot" by Neville Duke

Flying and flight is a heart-warming subject to me! I dug this novel out from Melville, 7th Lane (in Johannesburg CBD area) where you find these nice old and new book stores, one of which also sells used books at heavy discounts!! I mean where else can i find a Bernard Shaw at 13 Rand?!!! I mean i had to chuckle at that while buying it, and asked the shop-owner to "be rest assured" for seeing me come and buy again and again!!

Anyways, back to "Test Pilot" ....  it's an autobiography of a person who is a superb pilot and a great pioneer who tested the Hawker aircraft and broke sound barriers ( Mach levels) several times!! :) He had also played active role in testing many other new and modified supersonic fighters and dedicated his entire life to it!

He comes across as a reserved but jovial person heavily dedicated to his tasks, and an innate need to be in the pulse of things - rather than enjoying various accolades that came his way. I loved his potrayed persona!

The only thing that perhaps is a little weird, is the way the writer narrates everything - there is something very cold and impersonal about it. ( Atleast i felt so!) ... and he doesn't seem to be very overtly bothered about his parents and sister, neither they about him - although in all probability they might have been, but nothing of that emotional angle has been mentioned much.... I mean, the reason i even mentioned that kind of lack of feeling is because - if i were to imagine myself in his shoes... my mom and dad... along with my sis would have been breathing down my neck and asking me to "Be safe" a zillion times, until i am thoroughly bugged with their concerns! 

But what an awesomely informative read!!!... :) ( sigh!)

Hang-gliding in Johannesburg!

Flying and my first wee lill' introduction to it!! :D One fine day, i.e. 20th Feb 2011 to be exact, sufficient amounts of pestering paid-off ( :D ) and my husband surprised me with this wonderful activity that we did on a nice and sunny Sunday morning! ( For his sake, i should mention he loves adventure sports as well, ......thankfully!)

He had apparently spoken to a guy named Shaun ( surely it wasn't Sean but perhaps Shawn hmm...) from "Aviators' Paradise", this small flying club near the Magaliesberg mountain range - just about 40 minutes drive from Midrand - and arranged for us to do the glide when the weather was perfectly good for it. 

So it was the day we did, all happy and jumpy we reached the place  - this small stretch of tar visible just off the main road which had massive wild grass growing both sides of it. And drove past it at least twice as we couldn't locate any gliders or hangars .... and yea couldn't even see people! But eventually we did .... 2-3 fliers waved us in and finally we reached the place- 8:45 am when the first hang-glider was getting ready!

Shaun ( in black Tee) helping one of the first hang-gliders of the day

In this type of gliding, one does not jump-off a hill or a mountain. Rather a micro-light pulls the hang-glide off a runway and the glide starts to float behind the micro-light. Here, the micro-light keeps pulling till it has given sufficient height to the glide so that the latter can make use of the thermals and glide by the glider's maneuvering alone.

The micro-light at Aviator's Paradise

Well, the truth is, even if i would like to believe that i am a non-sensitive macho "i can handle all" kind of femme... i am well aware of the fact that i feel dizzy going up mountains and slight sensations of vertigo is something i have been noticing since the last few years, sadly. So deliberately we kept our tummies empty considering it was an early morning thing and surely we knew we would have our brunch say 10.00 am-ish??!

I got all ready wanting to hang-glide first and got hooked into the glide....

Me getting zipped-up into the gear

Literally "Hanging-around" and checking for any snags while doing so!

So, we moved to the runway to have a final check on the weather and conditions etc.

That's how you get set for a tandem...

But well, there was a slight wind from the east blowing - and Shaun said it was not good to have any kind of wind at all - as it kills the thermals ( using thermals you can reach amazing heights!) and more importantly the angle of raise for the glider wasn't good with wind and he didn't want to take chances with newbies gliding with him! So we waited.... and waited some more... sigh! Around 9:30 am everybody decided that it would be better to have breakfast and return by 10:45 or 11:am and then take the decision of flying or not.

The people at the club told us of this amazing pancakes' place which serves about the best in the area; considering Shaun mentioned that it was O.K. to eat and we were famished, we drove out to have an awesome breakfast.

Awesome place that!

And like idiots, we lost control and ate some yummilicious pancakes :D

cream, cinnamon and apple pancake

Banana, caramel pancake with ice-cream filling

Here's a funny pic on the menu card:

So, with a full tummy off we went, back to Aviator's Paradise and waited for the fliers to get back as well. And with the sun beating down on us, it was declared to be just the 'purrrfect' time to take-off and make the most of the thermals. I got hooked back again with the glider and held onto dear life (by clutching onto Shaun again), then off we went ..... :D

:D thats meeeeeeeeee!!!! ( and Shaun, of course)

The feeling as we took off was AWESOME!!! As later Shaun put it, he hadn't seen 1st timers able to enjoy so much thermal as we did! ( only coz we came back after the mornings' failed attempt maybe; many people don't actually return perhaps they run out of patience?!). Shaun maneuvered the glide round and round like a gyrating motion ( something i was not ready for)... and i could feel my internals starting to give me weird feeling ( thank you, stupid yummy pancake!)

470 meters... 500 meters.... 650 meters... read the altimeter stuck to the glide on our right-hand side! We reached about 850 meters and i could see the whole city, the near-by farm areas, the club, the roads,a dam, a small river and it was an awesome experience. Slowly.... and surely i started feeling puke-ish ( :/)... that damn pancake!!!! And even though i have to mention it grudgingly ... i HAD to ask Shaun to start descending... i just wasn't feeling O.K. anymore!! And when we were down around 600 meters again ... O disgust of ALL disgusts... i PUKED .....right from the sky.... eeeeesh ( i was soo sorrry :/).... :D i can only hope there was nobody on the road or area right under us :P..... i was sooo soooo soooo embarrassed!!!!

well, i am not going to describe that more than i have... my only 'moral-of-the-story' for anybody who thinks this worth reading - DONT EAT much or AT ALL!!! It kills the pleasure of the whole experience for sure!

Anyway, after getting down fine and cleaning up and all.. it was the turn of my dearest hubby to take-off.. :)

Murali bucklin' up!

My husband also loved the take-off and felt queasy later at greater heights ( again, thanks to that breakfast) but didn't puke like i did! 

Oh yea, some details before i forget mentioning them - It costed us 1000 Rand per head for this. You also have to sign some papers for the club ( which essentially mentions that you don't have any heart problems and generally in good medical health and any mishap is basically your own mistake and you can't sue the club! :D) 

All in all, it was one of the best things i have done till date!!!