Sky

Call me a sky enthusiast, sky lover or sky watcher. I would be guilty as charged. It gets me excited and lifts up my spirits: looking above at all the colors, textures and changes. Why do I love this mundane, daily sky so much that I had to sit down and write a post around it? Because it makes me think so small in the scheme of larger things. I can feel all my problems getting melted away when I look at the sky.

After Corona Outbreak and the lockdown the sky has been magically transformed into a canvas where clouds, sun, moon and stars they all paint a painting each and every day. Following are some pictures I have taken over a period of 3-4 months while being locked down inside Shiv Nadar University Campus.

Evening Sky 

I never had a chance to roam around inside the campus. Or enjoy the greenery and the scenery of this beautiful campus. The lockdown was a blessing in disguise for me where I explored every inch of this land. Saw every sunset from all different angles while riding my bicycle or taking a lone walk.

The Hostel Lawns

This campus also has a small lake where all kinds of lives they thrive. Watching the sunrises here and later in the evening going to other spot to watch the sunset, that has been a ritual these past few months.

The Famous SNU Lake

Academic Blocks

My companion in these crazy times that has helped me immensely in keeping my sanity intact and my spirits soaring. The reason why I venture out is my cycle if it would have not been there I would have missed out so many sunsets and sunrises. I am every bit thankful and indebted to this beauty.

My Precious

I will not bore you down with my incessant commentary. A picture speaks thousand words. I will let you enjoy these pictures. Hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed clicking them.

An Old Tree

From My Hostel Room Window

Looks Like An Oil Painting

Over The Horizon

The Dining Hall

The Ride

Love Birds

The Brilliance Of Nature

Another Brilliant Sunset Captured

Perspective

The Hostels of SNU

The Reflection

Good Night

Night Sky

   The End!

Dogs Vs Humans

I will be honest with you all. I have never been close to dogs or at least for the last 15 years. Nor have I ever been a dog lover. Certainly not the kinds that you encounter on Instagram or like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson kind. These creatures have thrown me out of my saddle while riding my bicycle many a times causing me physical injuries or that is what I have thought it to be. Because of which I had never been a fan of them, nor have I cared for their existence.

I have been locked down in the Shiv Nadar University for the last couple of months. There are a lot of clubs and communities in the University. This kind of diversity and awareness is something I really like about SNU. So there is also a community for dog lovers by the name Dogs of SNU. I am clearly a misfit here given my original disposition. But in the desperate times with lesser the number of students on campus I was given this responsibility of feeding the dogs of my cluster by Dogs of SNU. To be honest initially I thought what unnecessary irk I got down my throat and I was not very willing to do it initially. But then I thought what the heck, if I cannot help the poor creature in the time of need being available on the campus then who will. Keeping my prejudices related to dogs aside I agreed to take up the responsibility.

Now I am really thankful and grateful to Dogs of SNU for giving me this opportunity to serve these creatures who are epitome of faithfulness. This exercise has transformed me in many ways and changed the way I think. It changed me not just in my approach towards dogs; by being more empathetic towards them; but also in a way I started seeing other human beings. It also helped me a great deal in dealing with my break up.

It was never these dogs who threw me off my balance and bicycle I have come to realize now. It was my fear. As I started coming closer and closer to these beauties I have come to a realization that you better know and understand your fear rather than running away from them so that they don't throw you off your balance in life. But rather transform into love and compassion.

I had grown very acerbic and bitter towards others because of my breakup. As Buddha has rightly said and I quote "you are the first victim of your own anger". I would say it is true not just for anger, but for every negativity that you generate, you become the first victim of it. Being a Vipassana practitioner I knew this for a fact but when it comes to real life and situations the mind has its own ways. But I am really thankful to my practice and these dogs who have helped me see it.

The clouded compassion started shining again once the clouds of negativity started to clear. There is one more thing I have learnt about humans through these dogs that  when you get to know dogs better, you tend to develop a comfort zone around them and vice versa. Same is not true with humans. As and when you get to know humans better you need not develop the same comfort zone. It can also be that the comfort zone that you had before you have known the person in depth, gets transmogrified into a discomfort zone. With us humans ignorance is bliss. With dogs it is not.

Lastly I just want to thank Dogs of SNU for giving me this opportunity to come close to these beautiful creatures. They have really helped me in transforming my being. They helped me in being a better person, from being spiteful to being kind. Now they don't scare me anymore. All I have for them is love, compassion and an easy sense of friendliness. I still may not be a notarized natural dog lover, but I don't care for anyone's approval. I am happy with this change in my being.

“The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.” – Charles De Gaulle

The Reality Of Pain - 200 KM Brevet Ride

When you are into this game of long distance endurance building activities, you get to understand the concept of mind over matter first hand. Pain is that one illusion that gets shattered in these kinds of activities. Brevet format of cycling is one of them. Pain does not, will not and can never become pleasure; that is a myth. If that happens visit a psychiatrist because you are turning into a sadist. But what really happens is: you start seeing beyond pain. You go through the pain and see its impermanent nature. This experiential knowledge of impermanence is very crucial in reducing the hold of pain on your mind and thoughts. These uncomfortable zones they start turning into your comfort zones. As the saying goes “You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

"My Beauty"

There two things I love about endurance sports like cycling and running:

1) Their simplicity
2) The personal growth they offer in terms of these life learnings

Running is simpler than cycling, but I still prefer cycling over running because I personally like a little touch of complexity with a greater sense of simplicity.

This brevet was indeed one of my toughest because of the external factors like dust, heavy traffic whizzing past you like a storm blowing against a lighted match stick and the traffic that comes towards you from the opposite direction with full beam; blinding you for a few minutes. But one thing I felt comfortable with was the pain. There are 4 areas of pain when it comes to long distance cycling:

1) The palms; which are resting heavily on the handle bars supporting your entire upper body weight.
2) You buttocks; for obvious reasons.
3) Your legs from all those hours and hours of pedaling
4) Your back; because of the unusual riding posture.

On this brevet I had least trouble with the first two. Managed pretty well the 3rd one and had a little trouble with the fourth one because of change in my cycle’s geometry due to a change of my cycling tyres. I went from conventional MBT tyres to thinner hybrid ones.

The definition of Endurance is: “the fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way”. This is not absolute in real life application. When it comes to real life experience or application of endurance you vacillate between these moments of almost giving way to not giving way at all. This brevet I had so many moments where I was powerful and gave no way with a very few moments where I almost gave way. That is because I was otherwise feeling strong and powerful in life. After having a long struggling phase of low self-esteem and low self-worth I did managed to pull myself out of it in life. That is why they call it endurance testing rides. Sometimes these rides they build your endurance and make you feel powerful in life and sometimes life does that to your endurance rides.

"Something As Simple As A Glass Of Chai Can Be Highly Rejuvenating"

This would sound very strange, but it is pain, discomfort and unpleasantness that actually supplements your sensitivity and makes you grow more sensitive towards life and its aspects. It is not pain, discomfort and unpleasantness in absolute that does that magic. But it is the very process of you overcoming them and shedding their hold on you that actually does that. When you are being into a prolonged period of unpleasant or difficult process or situation; without giving way; you will observe that every other experience grows many folds. For example something as simple as a cool breeze on a sweaty and hot body, feels like a little more than refreshing: call it invigorating. Something as simple as a gulp of cold water down your dry and warm throat feels like a little more than a magic potion: call it elixir of life. And a song or tune in your ear sounds a little more than an anthem: call it the hymn of life. These are a few examples. Hope you get the picture clear, or do I need to state more?

"Even Something as Simple As A Sunset Seems So Magical"

In a way you start feeling grateful to these discomforts, unpleasant moments and all the pains. They help you see through them, if you are willing to look, and they help you grow through them if you are willing to observe.

“The sea's only gifts are harsh blows, and occasionally the chance to feel strong. Now I don't know much about the sea, but I do know that that's the way it is here. And I also know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong but to feel strong. To measure yourself at least once. To find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions. Facing the blind death stone alone, with nothing to help you but your hands and your own head.”
― Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild

Rear-view Mirror

 "My Third-Eye - Rear-View Mirror"

I have a small rear-view mirror mounted on my bi-cycle handle as I am very apprehensive when it comes to taking a turn or crossing a road while riding my bike. I bought the this piece of accessory keeping in mind its only utility, i.e. to look at the rear traffic while riding and crossing roads. But that is not the only purpose this piece of item has served for me. In my riding experience with it for last 1 year; since the time I bought it; has it not only served the purpose of an extra eye but has taken over this role of a third eye.

"The End Of Business Hours"

This eye has shown me countless number of sunsets setting at my back, numerous contours of sky, captured plethora of birds flying in its view and caught many trees as if they were all trying to get featured on this tiny reflective surface. You must be thinking why am I writing an entire post on such a trifling piece of item which has almost no value in the cycling sport. The answer to that question is: for me cycling is not just a sport but an aesthetic experience. It is like a double-edged sword. It helps me in being close to nature and at the same time helps me in keeping fit. And let me tell you, this one piece of attachment in the form of rear-view mirror has transformed this experience. From time to time looking at this rear-view mirror and the contents of nature coming in and going out has become a cardinal part of my everyday cycling routine.

"Here I am On The Road Again..." 

"A Perfect Combination: That Glorious Sun Amongst The Clouds"

Sometimes just by looking at these images on my rear-view mirror, I simply stop, absorb the sky, the clouds, the birds, sun, moon, and the nature, take a picture; if I feel like it; and move on. I will share some of the pictures I took because I was being stopped and told to do so by this magic mirror. Also on the surface of this reflector, every image changes every second, constantly reminding me of the value of impermanence. When I get cruising because of a tail-wind or downhill slope, it serves as a reminder for me that: this too shall pass and advises not to get carried away because the opposite situation is also in store and will come. Sometimes, when I am struggling with pain, storms, headwinds, or uphill climbs, this mirror with its changing imagery serves as a constant reminder that this too will change and helps me to get through those tough phases.   

"Cloudy: Sometimes Not So Clear and A Loner Bird"

बचपन के वो पर्दे

उन पर्दों को देख के वो बचपन याद आता है,


जब घर के उन कोनों में ये हवा से यूँ लहराते होते थे।

सुरक्षा और आश्रय के ये प्रतीक, 
जब घर में दौड़ते दौड़ते हम इनसे जान बूझ के टकराते थे।
अपनी लंबाई से हम इन्हें कभी नापा करते थे,
अपने चेहरे, माथे से और वेग से हम इन पर्दों से भी कभी लड़ाई करते थे।
कभी इन्हें अपना जिगरी दोस्त मान के दिल से गले लगाया करते थे,
और कभी कट्टर दुश्मन मान के मुक्के इनपे बरसाया करते थे।
पिताजी की डांट की गर्जन से जब पूरा घर थरथराता था,
हम तो बस इन्ही दीवार से लटके कुछ फ़ीट के कपड़ो को ही ढाल बना के खुद को सुरक्षित महसूस कराना जाना करते थे।
चाहे खेल हो आइस पाइस का, या फिर चंचलता में गोल गोल घूमने का,
हम तो बस इन्ही पर्दों के सहारे खुश होना जाना करते थे।
आज भी जब इनको हम हवा से यूँ लहराते देखा करते हैं,
तो कहीं ना कहीं वो मासूम सी भोली सुरक्षा और क्रीडा को याद करते खुदको पाया करते हैं।