New Cravings…

It’s the New Year and I had cravings to do something new with my blog. Yeah, it was more or like the food cravings that I would tend to usually have.

I couldn’t resist getting ‘Empowering Roots’ registered on WordPress with its own name.

So Yes, that’s exactly what I have done.

www.deepsm25.wordpress.com has been replaced with a new address of www.empoweringroots.wordpress.com Yayy!!!

I will be removing this blog completely out by end of Jan and everything now will be under the link of www.empoweringroots.wordpress.com.

So all of my faithful followers and readers please go ahead and update your blog roll, reader’s link to the new address.

It’s the New Year, and a New Road to walk on…who knows where it leads us to. 🙂

Have a Blessed 2010 once again folks. See you at my new address!!!!

In Hiding!!!

So it’s been another decade since I posted up my thoughts. Since October it has just been crazy with some of my dearest friends getting married and that also back to back. Getting my clothes in order for their wedding has been another affair with my designer.

So just when I thought, I will have a laid back time, with a book, coffee and movies with friends – there comes along another stream of news of those who are getting fixed to run around the pyre for the next year.

Sometimes it just feels like people are ‘seriously’ in a hurry to get into the domesticity of life and they apparently seems to have a ‘this is the right time’ verbatim running across their lips every time this subject comes up!!

Considering now I am becoming the next target for a lot of eyes, wherever I go – it kinda makes me get into a burkha which has a “Do Not Touch Me” sign outside. Geesh!! It freaks me out when I see people eyeing me out of curiosity in weddings …you can so make out from their eye brows, the red New York Stock Exchange ticker that is running in their head – “is she hooked, or is she single”? “Which Caste would she belong to”? Blah Blah!!!

I would say that my experience to spot ‘hunter aunties’ in these social events has gone up. So now I am able to fend to my safety in the right nick of time. I have been successful in holding up on a guys hand right in the nick of time then turning around and give them my most broadest grin ever. The happiness just gleams from my face, when I see them giving their disappointed smile, blessing me for what I have.

I have noticed, these species apparently are not scarce and are definitely not close to extinction either. The hunter aunties have still not been able to scare me the way my friends do. I get emails with subject lines stating “You are so Next” with an accompanying body text that say “Your Days are numbered“. Lord have mercy!! Please don’t make this the last day that I live my life on!

The fact, is that its not freaky…but conversation sure turns out to be a script from Ramsay Brothers…I may have my reservations about the ‘time being right’, its also about the ‘right person for you’ that suits your personality.

So there I wish all you guys, a blessed beginning to 2010 and may all of you singles find those ‘hunter aunties’ everywhere you go!!

Happy 2010 folks!!! until I re-surface again….

The Update On Sony Woes…

Sorry again folks, I am writing and updating this after a really long time. I have been traveling a lot lately which has led to my blog being ignored. I may be a little slow, but I will keep posting about the latest and exciting happenings of all my trips so far.

Coming back to the original topic for this post. Just to update and in continuation from my previous post of  “NEVER EVER BUY SONY!!”, its again taken them this long to come to a conclusion that the panel of my defective LCD cannot be replaced and it may just take them another 3 months to ship it if they decide to go that way.

So FINALLY, they have put in a requisition to replace the set with a new one – a new model all together which was just recently launched and near about the original cost of the LCD that we had bought earlier. The happy news also is that they have also advised us to return back the original part payment that we had made for the repairs of the defective LCD panel.

However, the twist has come where they have suggested that they will not be providing any guarantee on the new set..which seems to be a really odd one. If its a new set, I would really expect it to come with its warranty card. So now again the fight continues…

Is it important for every good news to be accompanied with a bad one after it?   They are going to being delivering the set today and we have just being on the phone, to ensure that the guarantee card comes along with the box and not minus it.

Geesh!!! Pray for once, that it all goes in the favor of the consumer.

NEVER EVER BUY SONY!!

So as promised, I am back with updates on what’s been really happening. Starting with first things first.

The past months have been really busy and hectic. My Sony Bravia LCD conked off, just a week after its year’s warranty expired. It has now been nearly over 2 months, but Sony has really done quite nothing about it. The visit to the service center and the numerous calls had put in perspective that the entire panel in the machine was defective and it would needed to be replaced. It was promised that the panel would take two weeks to come from Singapore.

Every time, we would be the ones to call and follow up and they just giving those lame updates of it getting resolved within the next “three days” every time. The were replacing the planning at a cost of 20 grand that also without any warranty or guarantee. I mean, isn’t Sony supposed to be this prestigious brand promoting good consumer products and service?

We went ahead and paid the part amount to get the panel replaced. It took them over a month to replace the faulty panel, that also after those numerous phone calls and emails. Finally, the panel was replaced and the TV delivered to us, only to realize after two days, that there still seems to be this perpendicular red line running right in the center of the screen. We did a stop payment on the second half of the cheque immediately. When the Service Center realized this, this head of the service center calls us up and screams right on top of his voice as to how could we do that. I sternly told him, that he needs to mild his tone down and this isn’t the way, a representative of such an esteemed organization would speak to its customers. His tone just went even more harsh and he was nearly screeching and threatening over the phone that he would not send his mechanic till the full amount is paid.

This provoked me to send a really nice email to the Head and them apologizing for his behavior – but till date the situation is unresolved. Now it seems the panel has to be replaced again and this time from Delhi and it has already been nearly three weeks since we were told that.

I can’t believe my experience with Sony turned out to be so crappy! I used to be a fan of Sony Products but not anymore. With time and my experience I have realized that it is just their brand name that they are taking full advantage of with nothing but Vacuum in reality. I was really looking to buy a Sony SLR, but my plans have long changed.

I will NEVER EVER Buy a SONY again; we can understand if the product at times can turn out to be faulty but there can JUST NOT BE ANY EXCUSE for not giving that customer service and comfort to any customers; especially those who have been made to go through this ordeal.

The Slow Down…

So a lot of people are wondering, why I have not been blogging off late. Well, there has been loads that has been happening at this point in time which has completely taken the time of my hands.

There has been work challenges, along with personal ones – and there is that perfect blend of having good times and sharing the bad ones with people whom you love. There is a breeze of sunshine and rain altogether at one time.

I miss reading up on all of your blogs guys and miss responding to those comments. I absolutely intend continuing my rendezvous with this part of my world. I have some amazing adventures lined up in the next coming months and will be on for posting about those.

Till such time, do keep me posted with all the happenings in all of your lives and I will surely be in touch and respond.

It’s not Adios….but its Cya soon for now!!!

Special Times…Special Gurls…A Special Place…

Certain people take certain places in our lives. Each place will be special in its own way. The place your mom would have in your life, would be different than the place you would have for your dad. Its just different. None would be better than the other but it would be special in its own way. In the same way I have a special place for my girl friends (no offense meant to my guy pals as I do luv them as much. My child hood best friend is a guy whom I have grown up with & whom I dearly adore, but this one is just for that section in my life which has its own place) So this one is going to be for all my girl friends.

*** Disclaimer***: The below has been completely penned down based on my distinct memory of few instances 🙂 which is sharper than a Swiss knife – Pun Intended. So, there may be some things less or more that some of you may remember better than me.

Starting to list down all the things that I should have openly expresses gratitude for and I never did; either because I decided to be merely stupid to have not seen it OR even maybe seen, and realized it but never appreciated it OR just worse, been a complete coward for not having been able to express it loudly and now penning it all down.

I say; finally I think, I am putting my blog to some good genuine use. 🙂

So what is that can be the first thing on my list…Oh! I know! What it is:

Food: My penchant and love for good food is something, that has always been acknowledged and taken care of. If I am over at their place (SRP), or I am out with them. For some reason they have very gracefully put up with my fussiness with food which has usually followed my mood swings {TSB, SS}. To clarify, I wouldn’t be that moody with anything, as I would be with food. How wonderful it is to have such gal pals around you, who without you having to express anything will know, what I would prefer eating (US, TSB).  Again, I have to openly acknowledge and appreciate the times for having to put up with my absolute impulsive food craving for something specific {TSB, SS}.  How annoying can it be for those around you – if for non stop 15 minutes, you would have cribbed and nearly chewed their brains out, that you were hungry and right when the food will be served to you – you will just eat a bite and remark “I am not hungry anymore”. Yes, I can be worse than a pregnant lady when it would come to food mood swings.

**TOUCHWOOD** I consider myself very lucky. Whenever, I have had made that one phone call to anyone of these girls…they have not only put up with this kind of a strong mood swing, but have either accompanied me to the specific joint (SS, TSB, BB) OR have come home to pick me up to take me there (BB) OR even BEST, have specially made me that exact dish (SRP, TSB, US) and have had me over to their place and treated me no less than a queen {SRP, TSB, SS, US, CR, NAP, ASD, DS}.  Gosh! I luvv them so much.

Birthdays: You got to be kidding me on this one! I literally had to fight with myself if, I should be putting this one right on top; before food. But, my food brattishness was even bigger than this. If there is anyone in this GOD DAMN world, who would have really looked forward for getting old…its surely ME! Why?

Well, the reason were these gurls!! I mean, seriously!! My birthdays, along with it being special and they making it special in their own way, were also VERY ADVENTUROUS! Those were the days, when my birthdays were dreaded by all of their parents!!

LOL, as it poured cats and dogs on that day! Every single 16th of June, was the day, when God – The Almighty had decided that he would make it challenging for all of us to get together by bringing in hail storms, wind and flood! But we defied all those odds. We not only met, laughed and celebrated that day, but continued laughing over it much after, till today. Take me very seriously on this, this happened every 16th of June, every single damn year during those days. And now, that I don’t have all of them near me (read- geographically), it bloody doesn’t even pour a single drop on 16th! Guess, it was them!!

It always was celebrations galore in this group as we were two of us born on the same day (NAP). It was/is strange feeling. If she wished me “Happy Birthday”, the response would be “Wish you the Same”. It was like wishing someone one “Happy Diwali” and the response promptly would come as “Same to you”. 😛

The adventures went to an extent that we nearly either had to change our routes to get to our celebration place, or change the place itself or had fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers (SRP) coming to pick up a gang of 8-9 girls in one car in the heavy downpour.

The highlights of 16th June as I remember them:

Cakes were made for my birthday (TSB) and brownies & chocolates delivered to me personally (TSB, SRP), not to mention the hand made really beautiful cards with really amazing lines personally hand printed on it (SRP, SP1)

Going that extra mile to have jackets customized to suit my tastes and personal attention being put to it to suit my personality (AA).

Taking days off from work to go perfume shopping for me; knowing that it will take them the entire day to just get the ‘right fragrance’ (AA, AR, MN).

Sorry CR, for upsetting you when we were to land up near your place to celebrate my birthday and we couldn’t due to the heavy down pour. I am sorry that it really hurt you and you felt really down; all  of it right on top of the high fever that you were already going through.

Last but not the least…The laughter! We have laughed and laughed and cheered and smiled enough to let everyone to look up and take notice of our presence.

Plans: Most of these girls love an organized, well planned outings. I somehow have never fitted in that square. I have usually loved making impulsive and last minute plans, which probably have either resulted them changing the structure of their already planned day for me or them having to canceling/postponing some of their plans (CR, SS, US, AA, ASD, TSB, ML, AR, DS) – Don’t blame me for the last part, you got to admit, my plans have been more exciting than the regular chores 🙂 Oh! not to forget mentioning that they also give random surprises by landing up at my door unannounced at wrong times {talk about being organized) when I am in my ‘oiled hair’ state. {I just hate having anyone to see me, when my hair is all oiled – don’t ask me why! I find it completely embarrassing} And they find it absolutely amusing seeing my embarrassment which I just don’t find it funny at all! Huh! (SS, TSB).

Traveling: Not in one bit least, we would have felt embarrassed in creating the most nosiest scenes in restaurants celebrating Valentines day or was it sitting right on top of the Double Decker BEST bus; making the conductor  literally pleading us to go slow on our noise levels (NAP, CR, US, SRP).  Ensuring always that there is enough change for the bus (SB) without me having to worry about getting any. The travelling part at times entitles you to carry loads of stuff like rough scribbled papers, maps etc – I have never bothered trying to keep it safe or in a place where it can be easily found, but ain’t I lucky to have people who have done that, irrespective of me having to say a word or having to worry about me losing my stuff (SB, TSB, SS – yellows in tow :P)

Shopping: Oh! How can I forget? I am no more allowed to buy the funky whacky one liner T-shirts (that I still find so cool)! (ML) Am I complaining? No! Not at all! As I love what they like on me as well (ML, TSB).  My sincere confession – I just love kicking up some storm with them on this, most of it has been; ‘Just for the Heck’ of it  – without any valid reason (SN, ML, TSB).  I am serious! Hopefully they have realized it by now. And this is something that I am proud of myself, as probably this is the only ‘ONE’ point that I would have acknowledged during our shopping sprees having openly expressed and appreciated what they have picked for me (ML, TSB, AA, SS).  The instances of just going on an impulsive shopping spree based on realization of a sudden requirements (SS, SP, SC) or having to sit and rack your brain over my outfits (PS, SN) is not an easy task for anyone to manage. You need some grit and style factor with me on that and my girls have it all. 🙂

Movies: I think, right from the time I have known all these girls; I have seen more FLOPS & pathetic movies than any of the sensible ones. Am I complaining NOW? No! But I have done my fair share of teasing them, for having taken me to some god forsaken movies. Like I said above, I have done most of my cribbing (read- not all of it) based on ‘Just for the Heck’ of it  – without any valid reason. How about, hearing one more on this one:

Our lady (SS) goes to the theatre and instead of booking tickets for movie ‘A’, she comes back home,  without realizing that the guy at the counter has given her tickets meant for movie ‘B’.   The next day at the theatre, the Pandora’s box opens and we assure her that we were ok watching any movie BUT our relentless girl just can’t control those unstoppable tears – on “how can she not check what was given to her”. The wastage of tissues on this event made ‘ME’ cry.   I am rest assured and can confidently sign on a stamp paper stating she wouldn’t even cry so much on her ‘vidai’ (an Indian tradition where the bride is bid adieu after marriage)

In all sincerity and honesty, I now admit here – that more than the movie, spending time, being with them and having them around me was more important in all aspects and at all of those times  (BB, TSB, SS, CR, ASD, US, AA, DS, SRP, ML) – take this now, as my last confession 😉 and doesn’t mean I am going for another FLOP show.

Conversations: Jesus LORD! Again, there was a fight on this one, for its priority order and for obvious reasons. Like I preach, there is no relationship without loads and loads of conversations behind it and with your girl friends, the conversations can just be so priceless. Their personalities trigger a variety of topics and discussions. So I have my exclusive types of conversations with my exclusive girls:

1.         The Brain and Mind Stimulating Conversations/Arguments: – Something that would have tickled my brain to an extent to actually make it think and get race power energy to the thoughts. Something that made me change aspects and gave me new perspectives and arenas to explore (AA, AR, CR).

2.         The Love Preaching Conversations: – The ‘Love Guru’ kind of stuff. Where nothing else is discussed but lovers, failures over shitty people, on why the heart hurts so much always and OMG!! the most important distinctive feature that would be discussed at the end of it (painful really) would be “when will you (read – I) think, about getting into a relationship” UFF!! (SS, TSB, SL, CF, ML, SB, US, AR, AA, BB, SP, SD, SP1) It so much better and easier discussing just them, and not me.

3.         The Hard Core Philosophy:- This one would be my all time favorite topic of discussion. Anything to do with philosophy which lands up having to put my analytical and logical skills to use. A conversation that pricks enough to make you change for the better. A conversation which the world may not agree to because of either the cultural and traditional tags attached to it or simply put – a great deal of narrow mindedness. Having a conversation that entitles you to break these social barriers for ones happiness …oooo makes me all excited (SC, CR, AR, SS, TSB, ML, SB, SP).

4.         Heart to Heart Talk:- That kind of a conversation, which would have had them or me just pour our hearts out. It never mattered what the topic of discussion was; if the topic made sense or not.  These conversations made me learn the “Art of Listening”, which I can say with pride that now I finally carry it in abundance (AA, SS, TSB, CR, US, ML, SL, NAP, DS, SP, SC, MN, SD, SC, SP1).

5.         The Gossip Corner: If its not gossip, it just cannot be anything else. Being just plainly ‘bitchy’ about someone who must have caused a great deal of harm and removing that stress out can really help at times. The girl to girl gossip corner talks can sometimes be very healthy for the heart and the mind (ML, TSB, SS, CR, SP, NAP, PS, SL, MN, AA, SD).

6.         Absolute Nonsense: – (ASD, PS) This one just had to be an exclusive one. I don’t think, I would have ever spoken ‘this kind and level’ of a nonsense, crap, and just senseless conversations with anyone else. These conversations are fun as one thing leads to another. It’s like your mind would be jumping from one topic to another irrespective of any link. The never ending laughter and giggling like school girls will be the main highlights along with words that just don’t make any sense or have any logic attached to it.

7.         Partners in Crime: The devilish instincts of just planning something against about someone you would just hate or love; the never ending ‘drinking shots’ competition or being upto some naughty pranks. The conclusion at the end of it all would be – “your issue would have been resolved” and you would have also had fun at the end of it as well. The thoughts and activities that get materialized during these conversations would outstretch ones creativity beyond the realms that one could have ever imagined (AA, AR, MN, SN, PS, SD).

Health: Straight out from a movie “In sickness and in health” – friends are those who have seen it all. It just makes me nauseas, if I have to even ‘think’ of visiting any doctor or enter a hospital. Hue and Cry would be made on my carelessness for not taking my medicines on time, when I fell sick (TSB, SRP, CR, SS, ML) and nearly emotionally black mailing me to ensure that I go and see a doctor (AA, MN) Every phone call would have driven me nuts…when they kept a tab on what I ate right after I recovered (TSB, SRP, SS, SP1) to where and what I was doing. After a really bad scary allergy on my health thanks to a fried prawn chip that I accidentally ate; on this certain vacation; before I had my hand out to grab a chip; the chips were eaten by them just to test it; if it was prawns or not! (TSB, SS)  They just simply cared and still do way too much! 🙂

Hair Cut – I do carry a complete obsession with my hair. It has to be right and just right. The hair stylist has to be someone whom I can trust and I am confident about. Its a huge risk with some one like me…don’t think I will ever be so possessive about my husband as much as I am about my hair. Even after knowing my high maintenance attitude with my hair, these girls seem to be more possessive about my hair than me. (TSB, ML – the deadly combination of a yellow and a blue. Save me lord! :P) Ensuring that, I not only grow it – 6 months my hair was under constant surveillance on its length (ML) but also taken a risk (knowing very well, that I can throw a big racket, if something had to go wrong with my hair) and being confident to take me to a hair stylist (TSB).   Someone; I would have never tried before. It has also been ensured at times, that the hair stylist has been delivered to me, right at my door step with clear cut instructions as to how my hair has to be cut/trimmed/styled (ML).

You got to to take my word – my girls are just awesome of the lot that anyone would ever have!

Now for the fun part, if at the end of every expression-full line, you were wondering what are those codes that are mentioned in the bracket – well, they are the Abbreviations of names – of those wonderful girls in my life. It has been placed right after the described instance as I have remembered. Ha ha ha. So maybe, if they are reading this, they would land up reading this post once again, just to again check where all their names have been highlighted. Fun, isn’t it?

KA – How I wish you were a gurl!! Except, for the hair cut part, you have done it all; along with leaving notes on my pillows 😛

The Key (in no particular order):

Code	Name
AA	Anjana Advani
AR	Anjali Raisinghani
ASD	Ami Shah Doshi
BB	Bijal Batavia
CF	Charmaine Fernandes
CR	Charu Raghvan
DS	Dhruti Shah
ML	Mili Lalwani
MN	Mona Nandwani
NAP	Nandita Alla Patury
PS	Payeil Sanghvi
SB	Seema Bhavsar
SC	Shital Chedda
SD	Smita D’Souza
SL	Shruti Lakhotia
SN	Shivani Narang
SP	Smita Pillai
SP1	Suchitra Poojari
SRP	Suprabha Roongta Poddar
SS	Shibani Shenoy
TSB	Tanuja Sharma Baldota
US	Umi Shah
KA	Kumar Advani

When people ask me how is it possible for me to always choose to look at sunny side of life; after reading all of the above, don’t you think I have made a sensible choice. Why will I pay attention to things that are wrong; when I have so many things which are just so perfectly right in my life?

PS: This post took nearly three weeks to take the shape that it has. I had my bouts of breaks to ensure I am in the state to do complete justice to this post and have enough space to be able to go back in time to recollect some of those finer points. This has just been the 2nd post so far, where after penning & editing it – I felt completely satisfied as a writer. Blogging finally put to some really and really good use. Thanks Sheece, I owe you one for getting me off my lazy bums to get these results.

Here I Come Again…

I am slowly and steadily walking back into the human space. I am slowly feeling back to being really smartly normal.

I finally am coming to a realization that I want to go back being and living the wild life that I just love living.

It’s that impulse and its that rush that really drives me. Its that adrenaline of last minute excitement that I thrive on.

I breed my thoughts and my every breath over the adventure that life has always had in store for me.

One excitement would be just ending and the other one would have automatically starting to have its space in my life. The last couple of months for some reason came to really quite stand still and maybe because I was just feeling bored, I quite didn’t have that blood rushing into my head.  All right! Lets be honest for once, we all know the reasons for our strange behavior.

We all from within ourselves understand what are we behaving the way we are – as we completely read our own feelings within ourselves. yes, Maybe we are unable to express them in a way that others would understand them – so by and large, just end up saying “I don’t know, why I am feeling this way” Or “May be its just one of those mood swings and it will pass”; when thoroughly, right from the top, to the bottom of your heart you would have all those reasons lined up and you clearly able to read them to know your reasons.

So yes, I knew why I was feeling the way I was and probably just didn’t have the energy left in me to fight that out. But now that’s all that in the past…I just love my life back. It’s like living and drinking again.

Ooops did I say drinking! Ah Well! The occasional night outs after a long hard drawn days at work just adds more to the wilderness. The real and distinctive spice to those night outs have actually been the last minute impulsive plans that have been materialized. So, maybe for me, it was not the ‘drinking’ aspect, it was more to do with the impromptu plans that added to my excitement.

Such is life. At times, we would be heard complaining “Oh Lord, too much is going on, all at once”. And when the Almighty says “Amen” and slows it down a little bit. We start our complaint ramblings once again “Just nothing exciting is happening”.

I think, I have enjoyed both the sides of the world. When I was going slow, yes, I was driving to come back to me, but now when I am sensibly looking back, I think it was much needed. It was much needed to understand – It’s just One Life, One Life Time.

Searching…

All right, it’s been over a week that I have been back from my most amazing vacation in Miami, Florida and I just seemed to have lost my mojo to write.

I don’t know where all my inspirations and thoughts have just vanished that suddenly I feel like I have nothing to say about. 

It feels like, I have already said what I wanted to and the system is completely shut at this time. 

I do have my fleeting moments of trying to pen something down, but it seems my motivation has been taken away. 

I want to write and I am sure, I have loads within me that I can get out, but maybe here are some blockages some where. 

I am Looking…
I am Searching…

Melghat Tiger Reserve – An Eye Opener.

I am back!!! The Melghat trip that I mentioned about in my previous blog was an eye opener of sorts. I have never felt so wasted in my life. There are so many issues that prevail and exist in this world which we are completely ignorant about or rather I have been ignorant about. It’s so easy to get caught up in ones own personal life and come to a conclusion that ones own personal issues are the world’s biggest and the most difficult of all to deal with. This trip made me realize that the days I would actually feel low are so trivial in comparison to the issues that villagers living in these conditions would face.

The Satpuda Foundation along with Nature Conservation Society of Amravati run various initiatives to help in the cause of socio-economic development. These organizations are tied up with my workplace and we have committed to assist them in any way that we can. This was the first batch of volunteers that were selected to undertake a Bio-Diversity Impact Study in the absolute core jungles of Melghat. Here, no common man is allowed to tread or visit as a tourist. Our organization along with the Satpuda Foundation and the Nature Conservation Society of Amravati had to get a special permission to allow this group of 20 volunteers to tread and walk these jungles to collect bio samples and signs of existent diversity of the habitat existent there. I must mention, that nearly 60 employees from my office sent in their interest to participate in this study, however only 12 of them were selected and I was the lucky one amongst them.

This first batch of 20 volunteers were assigned to study two modules. The first module was a study of Tigers and Mammals and the second was of Spiders. We had the assistance of some really amazing Zoology and Botany students from Amravati University, Professor and Head of the Department of Amravati University, Head of the Melghat Forest Department along with his capable team of forest officers and an an absolute indispensable group of volunteers from the Satpuda Foundation itself. Even though my trip started on a really dampening note when my train departed nearly three hours late from CST and the wait early in the morning was really annoying, I had nothing to complain as I also connected with this wonderful lady with whom I really had some really interesting conversations with onboard. A new friend and the train ride with my fellow volunteers and my first meeting with the other volunteers on reaching Melghat lifted my spirits in no time.

The first day in Melghat started with Mr. Kishore Rithe – Head of Satpuda Foundation welcoming and introducing us to his team along with showing us the only abode of resting our heads – the six tents that was shared by nearly 15-20 of us. They introduced us to the entire background of the developmental work that they undertake through various presentations and speakers that they had invited. After a really down to earth lunch, we were taken for a nice tour around Harisal – the place where we were camping.

The first itself was an interesting day to begin with. The Harisal Resource Center of Satpuda Foundation generates its own electricity from their own bio diesel plant which is run by Mahua Seeds. Trust me, that first day itself increased my knowledge three fold. We were shown the Plant Nursery where they grow nearly all the basic greens and also generate the fertilizers for the soil. Everything is so self sufficient in this place. Everything that is grown is either consumed or probably sold in the markets. There is no waste from any of the processes of cultivation that is undertaken here.

At home, I bet none of us would go to sleep without ensuring our main doors are securely locked. We sleep in a safe and secure environment. We are so used to knowing at the back of our mind that inside the four walls of our house there can’t be any threat to us. My very first experience in staying right in the middle of the core jungle, inside a tent whose entrance and exit can just be tied with a mere rope with a very dim lantern hanging outside of it was again a thoughtful process for the very first night. The sounds of the barking dogs in the night, alerting that there was a predator lurking around, the calls of the barking deer along with the shivering cold getting added like an ice cream topping to the eeriness of the silent wild … Oh Wow! Surely made me lose my sleep the first night completely.

{To Be Continued – Sorry folks, have been really caught up after the trip. More coming soon}

Living Wild…

I have been selected to go to Melghat Tiger Reserve which is located on southern offshoot of the Satpura Hill Range in Central India, called Gavilgarh hill in the Indian state of Maharashtra for this entire week for my organization. I am going there as a part of Melghat Bio Diversity Impact Study where we will be volunteering to help the villagers to reduce their dependency on sharing the natural resources with the Tiger.

Melghat area was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1974. The northeastern boundary of the Reserve is marked by the Tapti river. Melghat is the prime bio-diversity repository of the state.

Protection and habitat management are the main inputs here. Issues related to high degree of man-animal conflict are tackled on a priority basis. The Reserve area has been divided into three zones for management purposes and to strike a balance between bio-diversity conservation and ecologically sustainable community development.

During monsoon, special protection squads carry out foot patrolling to curb the hunting of sambar and wild boar by the local people. Similar squads are established during the summer for fire protection works. Injuries and killing of human beings by tiger, leopard and sloth bears is another conflict.

Some of the species that are usually spotted there are the Tigers, leopards, sloth bear, wild dog, jackal, sambar, gaur, barking deer, nilgai, chital, chausingha, ratel, flying squirrel, wild boar, langur, Rhesus monkey, porcupine, pangolin, mouse deer, python, otter, caracal, blacknaped hare. More than 700 naturalised plant species have been enlisted in the Flora of Melghat. These species belong to about 400 genera representing as many as 97 families.

The activities that we are to undertake are to study bio diversity signs such as wild herbivore sightings, pellets and spoor; signs of tiger and other carnivores; tree and grasses and bird life. It seems that there are some 365 types of species aka reptiles that live and breed in those jungles.

This is going to be so much fun, as this is going to be my first wild life adventure. They have advised us to carry lot of warm clothes as the temperature drops down to 8 degrees and we will be living in tents. Now, for me this surely is an experience of a life time. Never done it and doing any thing first time has its own sets of anxiousness and a level of excitement as well. I am looking forward for that eerie silence of the night, the alertness of walking through the jungles, the rush to spot a wild animal ooooo just can’t wait.

Adios till next week.