Rumbling Reflections

Writing a farewell piece is always a difficult task,especially if it is about someone who is close to one's heart. We never want the person to stop and their memories flood our psyche. But,there is nothing permanent in this life and that is the reality. For someone who grew up on Sachin Tendulkar's exploits on the cricket field, it is definitely a hard pill to swallow. In my childhood,I looked at cricket just as a sport where a batsman hits a ball delivered by a bowler and other guys known as fielders chase the ball and throw it back. It was that simple,until one fine day,I watched a little baby faced boy hitting bowlers twice his height to all parts of the ground. It was something remarkable,and my view of cricket started evolving from there. The aggression I saw in his batting,the delightful strokes on display and his demeanour attracted me to the game of cricket and it has grown ever since then. Sachin embodied a new emerging face of India,which was...

It’s said that all good things must come to an end and this is true even for our lives. But the fact of the matter is that one hardly accepts it the way it should be. There is always a feeling that makes it very difficult to accept the reality soon enough. A legend Rahul Dravid recently announced his retirement from all forms of the game of cricket recently and it was a hard pill for many to digest. Though he had retired earlier from international cricket,there was still a glimmer of hope for his fans in the form of the IPL and Champions league. But, since that hope too ended now,it is time to bring out the pens and offer our tributes for this giant of the game. The name Dravid evokes a sense of sheer respect, and it is not just for his remarkable statistics, but also for his   demeanour on and off the field. He epitomised hard work,perseverance,sincerity,selflessness,dignity, and a charm which can be associated with very few sportsmen. This man is worth more than mere stat...

John Keats had written “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”. India is a magnificent country with many places of beauty and one such delectable place nestled in the charming God’s own country Kerala is Munnar, the popular hill station in the imposing western ghats. The drive from Marayoor sandalwood forest reserve, 45 kms away from Munnar is nothing short of splendid with mist covered peaks and greenery all around. The air gets cooler as one drives up the narrow road and the captivating scenery gradually changes to tea plantations, which fills the heart with glee. It is never known when time flies away as the heavenly surroundings enrapture our attention. The salubrious climate of Munnar extends a warm welcome to the tourists and there is no dearth of accommodation as there are so many hotels and resorts dotting the sides of the road. To begin with, there is the Blossom hydel park in the centre of the city. It is a lovely garden with a good view of the hills and tea plan...

       It’s only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves - in finding themselves. Sometimes in life, one needs to deviate from the oft trodden path and take a different route, which gives life a different perspective and presents a new dimension. As the popular saying goes, “ Variety is the spice of life”. Doing different things spices up, what could otherwise be a bland life. It breaks the monotony and rigours of everyday life. This is one such account of my adventurous trip to Wayanad ,Kerala.          It was late march of 2011. Summer was peaking and the merciless sun was leaving no stone unturned to tire out the hapless people with the scorching heat. Just 5 minutes of standing out under the hot sun was enough to bring beads of sweat over the forehead! Such excruciatingly hot weather makes the usual goings on of everyday life a burden and leaves one feeling like a spent force at the end of the day. There was a ye...