The train from 2014 end to 2015 start for us. ~ From a Nomad's diary

Packing and moving to a new place, once in every two years is fun and no fun. Of course, I know not at this moment, which one is more. But there is a certain amount of pressure and anxiety for a fauji wife when the next sojourn starts. And needless to say that, with a toddler who leaves no stone unturned in executing the chaos theory while packing. Well, all is well that ends well and we managed it pretty better than the last time. A nomadic life is fun of sorts!! At least, I can say that for now J

And that said, I am going to miss a lot about the place that has seen me in my best and worst times, Mhow!! If the year 2013 was challenging for me, year 2014 was no less as known to a few chosen people (people close to me shall know). No wonder, I can confidently proclaim my sense of maturity that has been borne out of an acceptance and resilience for situations I did not have much control on. And the big tree in front of my home at Mhow taught me a thing or two about life.

• Good times and bad times are a part of life. Neither of them are permanent.
• There will be a change, good or bad, whether or not you like it. And change is what keeps life going..

As I look back, the two years of my stay in the mofussil Mhow earned me great friends, admirers and a lot of unsaid respect from people I never knew. Considering I am gradual when it comes to socializing, I am elated to have made good friends who were also my neighbors. The fact that I could converse with them about anything and everything under the Sun, over cups of chai, biscuits and namkeen, makes me feel so emotional that I find it a little hard to digest that I shall be meeting new people again. Of course, change comes at a time least expected. Norm of nature, isn’t it?

 

As we were driving down towards our next destination, I suddenly felt like a veteran nomad. My navigation skills were apparently better than before, as I was keenly observing the villages and the milestones that popped more often. (My husband and I are more of ground learners as we do not follow gprs but a simple google map taken down on a paper .) As we took a few intermittent breaks like a scrumptious breakfast at Indore’s India Coffee House and a cuppa tea later at a road side stall on the state highway, we were well fueled up for the rest of the journey. 

There is a lot one can learn when driving down from one place to the other. The small changes like changing of the landscape, the attire of men and women and the weather that turned from cold to colder suddenly were conspicuous. There was a visible difference in the way vehicles such as tempos waddled around, brimming with people who were clinging to the vehicle in any which way. Besides, one could see the amount of shebang the drivers loved to incorporate in their vehicles. Those dangling braids and a lot of glam decorations explain how much the men love their vehicles (after their lugahis….of course).

The other apparent changes were the color of the soil that changed from a rustic brown to a desert red  with the beautiful zig zag roads with abrupt turns swarming with heavily made up trucks. And then, after a 6 hour drive we stopped by for tea again. We cooled the car tires with some water and by 7 in the evening, we reached our destination that was waiting to welcome the crazy trio!!

And before the new place gets us busier, we got a short break before joining the new unit. As of now, we are basking in the warmth of my hometown Bharuch that has quite unfolded beautifully. A town that was nowhere to be heard of in the past, now sports a Dominoes, A Subway, An INOX and ADLABS, A Big Bazaar and an upcoming mall with a CCDay, is surely going big! Well, effects of vibrant Gujarat perhaps!! That said, we made a short trip to Nashik and Mumbai to catch up with relatives we had not met in a long time and, that was surely therapeutic although the train journeys that frequent was physically exhausting. And it was this time, I saw Mumbai in a different light despite the fact I had visited it umpteen times since childhood. Perhaps, as a child I lacked the perspective. Having grown up in an alternative environment, I felt claustrophobic in the city as a child. However this time, I was intoxicated by the rabidly busy pulse of the city. Sitting on Marine Drive with hubby and child took me to a different world for a while. The overwhelmingly mystic waves of the Arabic Sea overpowered the seamless cacophony around us.  The trance sustained for a while until it was broken by a garam chana vendor passing by. While enjoying hot garam chana and bhel, we took a walk by the Queen’s necklace as it continued to mesmerize us with its beautifully lights that lit up the promenade. The Majestic Taj with its British styled architecture still stood masjestic post 26/11. And finally at 10:30 in the night, we had a lovely dinner at Girgaon chowpaty with family friends!! We also spotted a few Kongming lanterns that lit up the sky. The sight is surely unforgettable!

One of the other places we visited was Bandra (Bandstand as they call). Enjoyed the corn by the sea while the promenade continued to brim with people waiting to catch a glimpse of King Khan at his residence - Mannat! Also, rode over the Worli Sea Link which counts as an unforgettable experience. The next day, we headed back to Bharuch but not before breakfasting comfortably at Cafe Mondegar (An Iranian joint at Colaba Causeway). As we left for the station, the memories from my Mumbai diaries shall stay as fresh as ever). The city sure has a charm of its own that has continued to baffle many as to how this city continues to flourish despite its seamlessly growing cosmopolitan population. Of course, it is no surprise that is India’s New York!! (Not forgetting to mention, we also visited Nehru's Science Center and Planetarium at Worli)

And now, as the new year has already rolled in, what be the new year resolution? I dread making resolutions as I not only do not follow them but tend to do everything that I might have sworn not to. So let the resolutions be a surprise!! (Now that includes, for me as well!!)

And for all out there,

Let this year bring more peace, good will and tolerance.

Let this year bring more sanity, maturity and wisdom.

Let this year be one that starts on a good note.

Amen to that!!

And signing off for now.....

P.S: Watched three movies this year…..PK, Ugly and Tevar. Reviews coming soon….