Weekend wasn't a weak end!!

This weekend we finally managed to act on our long planned desire to go out of town to view the fall colors. I suspect the motivating factor was my husband's new DSLR and his budding desire to become a landscape photographer. :)

The deciding factor came from the beautiful tree lined state highway leading to the CT Hindu temple. The trees are adorned with flaming reds, oranges, and yellows. I am surprised people can actually drive through that road without being distracted. I was!

So this weekend, we went hiking through the 1600 acre Sleeping Giant State Park, Hamden. Of course we trekked only 3.2 miles and that was the shortest and the easiest route! Aditi was a great sport and actually had fun gathering loads of acorn to feed squirrels back home.

As the name goes, the top of the hills look like a giant sleeping. The legend goes that Sleeping Giant is the story of Hobbomock, a giant who contained the spirit of the souls of the dead. Once in his temper tantrums, he diverted the Connecticut river far east, causing some devastation.

Keihtan, the creator God cast a spell on the giant so that he would never awaken again. Soon the earth and trees covered the slumbering Hobbomock, peace returned, and all is well. :)

This is per the native Quinnipec Americans, who lived here before the Europeans decided to make it their home.

Anyways the trek was beautiful, as the park is maintained with minimum interference from humans. The trees were shimmering with colorful foliage. The entrance brings back memories of kodaikanal. A picture can say thousand words so I will let the pics tell the rest of the story.

What will we change in the next decade?

This is going to be a rather long one! So read at your own peril…

I was thinking about the parallel between society and movies. How closely the two are related and have influenced each other throughout the decades!

My consciousness starts from the 80s. 80s India was conservative, and closed, socially, economically. Agriculture was the dominant industry and manufacturing in its teens. The movies are said to be a reflection of society. So in the 80s a lot of movies were a social commentary. For ex, some dealt with selfish children throwing out their parents for money. Some dealt with dowry, and others dealt with worker exploitations. The policy makers had put a thrust on rural development and education.

The change that 80s brought in was an awareness on various types of exploitations and to some extent an eradication of social evils like dowry.

The 90s brings to mind the various love stories involving inter-castes/class, inter-religion marriages. Remember QSQT, Dil. The biggest change was marginal freedom for lovers belonging to different castes and religion. Marginal because change seems to avoid India’s hinterlands.

However the 90s will be better remembered for the sweeping policy changes in India’s economy brought in by Dr Manmohan Singh. It opened up the economy, brought in MNCs, therefore foreign capital and a trickle of development in real estate. Manufacturing/services gained ground over agriculture as the rural development programs took effect. Rural youth migrated to the cities in search of better life and better salary. The impact was the expansion of the middle class and the birth of a powerful industry, IT / BPO. It put money in the hands of thousands and sent millions of people all over the world.

In the decade 2000-2010 I believe the biggest change was in Bollywood. Like competition in manufacturing in the 90s, competition arrived in Bollywood. The music industry was no longer the kingdom of a Lata Mangeshkar or Udit Narayan. Nor was it the domain of 3 or 4 music directors. Now every song was sung / directed by a different singer and a director. It has given an opportunity to countless singers from common background to rise to stardom. Although to a lesser extent, movie actors and actresses also came from simple & non-filmy backgrounds and smaller towns. Like SRK, Akshay Kumar or Mallika Sherawat, Priyanka Chopra.

As we are soon entering the next decade, I wonder where will the change be? What will be the impact? Already new age blood is making its presence felt in politics. To make the impact stronger, someone has to take charge. Dr Manmohan Singh is now at the helm, but do his colleagues have the vision to support him?

My wish list: Education. Education in India is old-form, archaic, and desperately needs change. The teachers are almost useless and the system crippling. Already a couple of Bollywood movies have depicted the useless education system. I hope it brings in the change that we desperately need. To create a new thrust for the economy, a new direction for the youth and perhaps a new industry. I wish!

Disclaimer -All my observations here relate to my knowledge and readings about India. I cannot presume to comment on any other country.

hmmm..the sweet smell of festivities….

Autumn is here…And the air is chilly, crisp and very sweet. It is that special time of year that makes its presence felt even in a warm place like Mumbai.

It is sweet because it carries the promise of festivities.. In India, the period of festivals begin! Navratri is here, and Bengali Durgo Pujo is right behind!!!! Laxmi Puja and Indian Christmas Diwali!!! Here's how we celebrated Ganesh Puja at home!

Have missed Durga Puja now for the past 2 years. It is celebrated here in the US but not on “tithi” days (days designated as per Hindu calendar), rather when the community hall is free. :) Not much fun driving for hours knowing that Pujo is actually already over.

I have never witnessed Pujo in Calcutta, something my husband assures me, is one of the things to do before you die. :) I can imagine its splendour based on what I have experienced, Ganpati festival in Mumbai. Absolutely love it…Still remember feeling goosebumps when you witness Lord Ganesh in all His glory leaving for heavenly abode. It used to bring tears in my eyes.

Now I miss those tears too…People are just as emotional in Bengal when Maa Durga returns home. There are several festivities within Pujo like sidoor khela (married women applying vermilion to Maa Durga and each other). Most memorable and perhaps the most important are Ashtami and Navami. (Bongs correct me if I am wrong). I write here from my childhood memories of trooping from Andheri E, to Santa Cruz pandal to Khar Ramkrishna Mission and finally ending at Shivaji Park, the largest pandal in Mumbai.

We used to leave home around 7 pm and come back home by the last train, in those days the 2 pm train from Churchgate. The whole night we would troop from one pandal to another, meeting up with our Bengali friends and relatives. Was super super fun!! The food too was a great incentive for us kids. Dad would jump on the chance of catching up with Bengali music and magazines….

The one in Malad (w) was started by my dad’s friends. I don’t know if it has continued still. Its been a decade since I have witnessed it. Aah nostalgia.

My heart burn: Aditi doesn’t know either of the two festivals. While she remembers Diwali, she hasn’t had the pleasure of witnessing either Ganesh or Durga Puja. Don’t know when I can make it happen. But want to…