Thu 29 Sep 2005
Driving round the bends in Himachal
Posted by Ajay Jaiman under Travel , Photogrpahy(edit this)
1 Comment
Middle-age has its symptoms. In my case, I sense an old flame flaring up. My passion for travel, especially to the mountains, is getting a fresh supply of oxygen with each passing year. Every experience leaves me craving for more: a more exotic and a more adventurous fix. Best of all, instead of threatening my marital life, mountains help us spend time together away from the constantly ringing phones, endless homework, and the relentless tube.For about 15 years, my passion has been simmering on low burn: I was embroiled in gynecologists and pediatricians (not to mention the associated bills), annual reviews and bank balances (or lack thereof). But as the children started growing up, and the bank stopped sounding like a reminder of inadequacies, I tentatively cranked up the fire. It started with a weekend visit to Kasauli (twice). Next, it was Shimla (thrice). Then, we moved further afield, to Ranikhet (once). Finally, we managed Manali (thrice). The family had caught the mountain bug but we soon discovered that we could, at best, visit a hill-station twice before getting jaded. We had to find something more ‘far-out’, more remote, more challenging or just more unknown.
Last winter we decided that we were ‘done’ with Manali. We had spent two summer vacations and one winter vacation there. We had become too familiar with the town, the mountains, and the painted rocks in the river bed (in spite of the court ban) and even the menu cards of the restaurants, which incidentally never change. When you become too familiar with a place you do not quite feel like a traveler any more. To be a traveler is to be an outsider. We had to move on from Manali. (more…)
Mon 8 Aug 2005
Educating the rural children
Posted by Ajay Jaiman under Culture , Comment , Society , Education(edit this)
1 Comment
Who will teach the teachers to see the hunger for learning in these bright sparks?
“I am not sure, what is it that I want to do when I grow up… I don’t know… maybe I’ll get a job of some sort… or may be I will drive the camel cart, like my father… I am not sure at all, but I am not thinking about it…” As his voice died out, 10-year-old Ratan turned his spectacularly bright eyes to the ground. It hurt to hear the despair in his voice. I guess I’d be equally worried if he had said that he wanted to grow up and be an astronaut. But that would have been a worry mixed with hope rather than despair. Ratan lives in a small village called Sankhda, about 80 kilometers from the small touristy town of Jaisalmer, in Rajasthan. Here, people have lived for generations with very little water, surrounded as they are with sand dunes, and miles of barren land punctuated by occasional patches of fields irrigated by ground water.Later, at night, I lay outside my tent staring at the stars for a long time. It was a spectacular sight. There is hardly any light pollution in this part of the world to ‘dim’ the brightness of the stars. The celestial bright sparks kept reminding me of all the bright sparks I had seen in the eyes of children earlier in the day. Sure, I saw many a dull eye too, but Ratan or Devi or Kavita … these were unusual bright sparks — perhaps more like the shooting stars that I invariably see when I spend time gazing at the starlit sky. (more…)
“I am not sure, what is it that I want to do when I grow up… I don’t know… maybe I’ll get a job of some sort… or may be I will drive the camel cart, like my father… I am not sure at all, but I am not thinking about it…” As his voice died out, 10-year-old Ratan turned his spectacularly bright eyes to the ground. It hurt to hear the despair in his voice. I guess I’d be equally worried if he had said that he wanted to grow up and be an astronaut. But that would have been a worry mixed with hope rather than despair. Ratan lives in a small village called Sankhda, about 80 kilometers from the small touristy town of Jaisalmer, in Rajasthan. Here, people have lived for generations with very little water, surrounded as they are with sand dunes, and miles of barren land punctuated by occasional patches of fields irrigated by ground water.Later, at night, I lay outside my tent staring at the stars for a long time. It was a spectacular sight. There is hardly any light pollution in this part of the world to ‘dim’ the brightness of the stars. The celestial bright sparks kept reminding me of all the bright sparks I had seen in the eyes of children earlier in the day. Sure, I saw many a dull eye too, but Ratan or Devi or Kavita … these were unusual bright sparks — perhaps more like the shooting stars that I invariably see when I spend time gazing at the starlit sky. (more…)
Hi Ajay
Your description of your excursion to Kinnaur was marvellous. By the way do you have any link with Alwar?
Guys enjoyed your writing, especially Arti’s martial art piece. And Ajay I totally empathize with the need to do something more extreme than just “visiting” a hill station
Thanks, Namita. I think some of us get lucky and find the difference between being a tourist and a traveler.