Sarita Vaidya - Spreading the Light of Education in Slums

"She transformed a community on her own, singlehandedly. Despite the fact that she had to walk as much as 6KM everyday to reach her slum-school. Six years and she is still willing to work as hard as possible to spread the light of education in the lives of a forgotten  section of our glorious society."

Meet our real-life hero (sic) Sarita Vaidya, a slum-teacher who taught slum kids for six long years and helped a community understand the value of education in life. And she is still going strong. 

She started her journey on a December day when a social activist contacted her to be part of this noble cause. Sarita's husband had undergone a surgery and they were fighting a long 'land-battle' in the court where nobody but the lawyer(s) win. 

She had to support her husband, her son, and her daughter. Despite all this she said yes. She agreed to be a part of the campaign because she had seen little kids in her neighborhood growing up to be roadside-romeos because they didn't study. Many students would drop out of the school after a couple of sessions. She had to personally visit their houses, pull them out of the house, and then make them sit through her study sessions. On top of that drunkards wouldn't spare her. She was often mistreated and teased by the drunkards. But she marched on. 

When she started in 2006, problems and a shabby classroom was all she had. Add to it alcoholic fathers and cacophonous mothers. Even kids weren't interested to be inside the classroom but you can't blame them. 

Her first challenge was to convince parents to send their kids to the classroom. What started with 2 kids soon became phenomenal success. Not only kids but their parents too joined in.

Imagine a classroom where kids and parents are studying together. Sounds cool doesn't it?

But if you have to manage such a classroom on your own, it isn't easy. 

Sarita called for volunteers, many people joined in and then left too. But she fought her long battle alone. She has helped many kids complete their school education. Few of them even joined college and graduated successfully. 

In her own words, " I expect more people to step up and take education as their career. We all complaint about the education system claiming to know its problems. If we keep mum and do not show the path then things will remain the same forever. If one has faced the problem and knows the right way to fix it, then the best way is to step up and provide a solution."

Dedication and hard work are synonyms with Sarita. When I met her and conducted an interview with her for a regional newspaper, she was busy with her kids. Her classroom was shabby, there was more kids than the space in the room.

But the room was glowing with the light of faith and belief. Her kids were the happiest school-going kids I had ever seen.

Living up-to a challenge is something we all can learn from Sarita. She has indeed relished the challenge of life.

This post is my seventh entry for Cinthol’s Relishing the Challenge Campaign. 

The Bus Painter who was awarded Padam Shri

“I used to paint buses. I started at an early age. And then I fell in love with colors. I never thought that I would win an award someday, let alone a Padam Shri.”

Meet the PadamShri  Awardee from Himachal Pradesh, Mr. Vijay Sharma from Chamba.

I met Mr Vijay in the year 2012 while I was trekking in the Chamba Himalayas. I was just glancing through a newspaper cutting and there I saw his photograph. The newspaper cutting read , “First Himachal Artist to get a PadamShri Award.”

That's how I got to know him and eventually meet him. 

I interviewed him for a Regional newspaper in the same year. [Read here]

His father served as a driver with the State Transport department. He used to often take his son along on his long drives across the state. A young Vijay was once spotted by a Senior Officer writing on the route boards during one of these journeys. He told his father that your son is God Gifted. He knows playing with colors. You must motivate him to carry on his colorful little tricks.

Who would have thought back then that this guy would win the prestigious Padam Shri award one day?

He never had any formal education. He dropped out of school to bear the burden of his family. His professional life started as a clerk in the State Transport Department. He slogged halfheartedly in the department but soon he realized that it was going nowhere. He couldn’t leave the job because he had a family to support.

He continued his painting work in his little workshop back home with a hope to find out a way one day. And as they say, “Fortune favors the brave.” His fortunes too changed when a Young IAS Officer spotted his paintings. He immediately asked him to drop everything else and focus on his paintings only. A special post of an Artist was created for young Vijay in the ‘Bhuri Singh Museum in Chamba’.

Padam Shri Vijay Sharma at Chamba Museum

Now life looked bit colorful but the struggle was far from over. His real challenge had just begun.

Without a formal education, establishing yourself in the world of art, that too without a Godfather is not easy. 

But Vijay was in love with colors. He marched on and soon he was living a dream life. He attended many International Arts and Culture Workshops abroad that made him an Internationally Renowned artist.

Today he trains people not only from India but from across the globe. Last time I paid him a visit, he was training a young foreigner girl who had been his trainee for more than a year now.

Mr. Vijay Sharma is an exemplary personality who made his way to the top from ground level. Even today when he can indulge in commercial activities he has dedicated himself for the promotion of Chamba Arts and Crafts across the world.

“I love colors and stories one could tell using them. I want to paint more than to be a painter.” said Mr. Vijay to me.

In House Workshop of Mr. Vijay in Chamba 

Mr. Vijay has relished every challenge that life has thrown at him. He is indeed a real life inspiration for me.

What I understood from his story is that one must stick to his dreams and then there’s no need to bother about anything else, no matter what the world says.

What did you learn?

This post is my sixth entry for Cinthol’s Relishing the Challenge Campaign. 

Rise of the Garbage Girl | A Real Life Story

We know about Steve Jobs. How he started a company and later got kicked out of it just to come back a couple of years later to perform even bigger role. It all sounds like a dream, Bollywood Style. But it did happen. 

And another similar incidence happened in the hills as well. I was lucky to witness this one.

Jodie Underhill, popularly known as the Garbage Girl started cleaning up the streets of Dharamshala during her visit to India in the year 2009. She liked the place but not the garbage spilled all around it. Rather than cribbing about it, she took up the job of cleaning the streets. She started out as a One Woman Army; motivating kids about the importance of garbage management. Soon she was joined by like minded people; some foreigners and few Indians.

I got to know about Jodie in 2011 when I met her during one of my trekking expeditions in the Himalayas. I wrote an article about her in and also interviewed her for a leading regional newspaper. [Read Here]

She started out her NGO called Mountain Cleaners and continued her good work with part-timers, volunteers, and full-timers, as and when they came to her. Her NGO even participated with the Kings XI Punjab in the IPL Dharamshala matches. Soon her NGO was a popular brand. Volunteers started pouring in. Even funds were not a problem anymore unlike the first few years when she was really struggling to get funds.

She even got few people onboard to expand the NGO, which meant expanding the scope of work and spreading the awareness to a larger audience.

Now this is what you call a dream come true. Don’t you?

But then I did mention Steve Jobs in the beginning of this post. The new board members managed to oust her in no time. After she had given all her youth to Mountain Cleaners, she was no more a part of it. But Jodie wasn’t going down easily. Halfheartedly she left India with a promise to come back.

You can read the gut wrenching piece she wrote when she left Mountain Cleaners. [ Read Here]

Why and when, she didn’t know. But deep inside she knew that India wouldn’t let her go. Not like this at least. After working for a while in Clean Up Britain in England,  the Universe conspired again and she got a call back to work in India again. Not with Mountain Cleaners but with Waste Warriors in Dehradun.

She founded Waste Warriors to start afresh. To keep India clean and green. She picked right from where she had left. No regrets, and no surrenders.

If life is all about Relishing the Challenge, then nobody knows it better than Jodie Underhill. 

Many volunteers who had worked with her in the past joined her in her new endeavor. Here she is back in India, starting from the scratch again. Getting off the ground for a startup is always difficult. And many people relinquish their dreams in the initial phase mostly.

But not the types of Jodie Underhill. They surely know the art of fighting.

Jodie Underhill is an inspiration.

This post is my fifth entry for Cinthol’s Relishing the Challenge Campaign. 

Relishing the Pakistani Challenge

The Challenge: Traveling solo to Pakistan, Crossing Border On Foot

How is it like in Pakistan? Do they bomb each other all the times? Do they all look like Taliban? Is it safe for Indians? Did you meet Hina Rabbani Khar?

That’s what people asked me when I came back from my visit to Pakistan in November 2012. Before that they asked, “Why are you going? Where are you going? Don’t talk to people there. Keep our eyes and ears open.”

And when I told my parents that I had decided to hitchhike from Attari to Lahore (29 KM), they were flabbergasted. Now with so many questions thrown at me from all the directions, even I started to doubt my decision.

Walking across the border alone, does that sound a sane idea? I knew this was once in a lifetime opportunity for me. And the best way to see Pakistan and its culture was to travel like an ordinary fellow. Indo-Pak trains and buses are luxury affairs. Escorted by security personnel with stoppage only at two points made no sense to me.

The decision had been made. I was ready to Relish the Challenge of traveling solo to Pakistan and feel alive and awesome about it. But the question remained how to do it.

As I was going for a Youth Conference, getting a VISA was not difficult for me. However, crossing on foot surely was. I asked other delegates of the conference to come along with me. Nobody wanted to cross on foot. Moreover, they also advised against the idea of walking alone in Pakistan.

There is an old saying: “If you do travel conventionally, you will miss most of the fun.” And I did not want to miss any fun. Not one bit. On foot permission was granted and after seeking the blessings of Baba Nanak at the Golden Temple I embarked on a journey of lifetime.

Those 29 Kilometers from Attari to Lahore reminded me of Amrita Pritam’s poems and Manto’s stories. Bhagat Singh’s war cry against British Empire kept ringing in my head. This land once was a part of the Great Indian civilization.

And Pakistan is not all about bombs and guns. It is also about M2-Motorway, one of the finest highways I have ever seen in my life. Delhi – Chandigarh Highway is 250 Kilometers and it is covered in 4-5 Hours. The Lahore – Islamabad M2 Motorway is 358KM and it takes 4:30 Hours flat to cover this distance. Pakistani food, culture, and even their driving habits resemble ours. It’s hard to tell the difference between Lahore and Old Delhi.

Islamabad – Rawalpindi reminds you of Secunderabad – Hyderabad. People love riding on pavements and scaring the hell out of the pedestrians. Bribing and faking American accent is common on both the sides.

And If I may add, visiting Pakistan once is not enough. There are so many aspects of a Pakistani society that are yet unknown to younger generations across the border. Nankana Sahib, Hinglaj Shakti Peeth, Shaheedi – Jor Mela; the list is endless.

I did Relish the Challenge of visiting Pakistan on my own. Crossing on foot made me popular at the conference too. Now again, I am waiting for my opportunity to visit Pakistan. Probably, the disturbed region of Balochistan (Hinglaj Shakti Peeth).

Hitchhiking in Pakistan. My first Lift!

All this reminds of Anurag Kashyap, the modern age dynamic director of Hindi Film Industry. Once when questioned about his struggles and challenges he graciously replied, “The challenge lies within. When you have realized that you don’t have to do things for others but for yourself, struggles soon disappear and you start relishing every challenge that lie throws at you.”

Come April and I hope to walk in the mud volcanoes of Balochistan.

What will you do?

P.S. I did not meet Hina Rabbani Khar as I was busy doing something far better. I stayed at the border for a night, on their side.  

This post is my fourth entry for Cinthol’s Relishing the Challenge Campaign.

The Washed Out Bridge Challenge

The Challenge: Manually lifting a Royal Enfield across a washed out bridge at Pangi Valley

Himachal Pradesh is a hilly state and there are many regions in Himachal that can (arguably) be called the remotest in the country. One such region is the Pangi Valley in Chamba district of the state. Now the travel bug that bit me in 2009 took me to the Pangi Valley in 2012. There are three road approaches to this valley; Sach Approach (200KM), Kishtwar Approach (500KM), and the Keylong-Rohtang Approach (300KM). Sach approach is the most difficult one but the shortest one.

The Challenge

We had gone to the Sach Pass in 2011 but couldn’t go beyond it because of extreme weather and unfaithful roads. In 2012, we decided to hit the Rohtang approach via Manali. After fighting hard against the weather and bad roads, we managed to reach Killar, the headquarters of the Pangi Valley.

However, there was a minor problem. The bridge that served as the lifeline of this road had gone away last night. Flash floods had wiped the road away. Although BRO and GREF was employed there but it wasn’t possible to go with a motorcycle across the bridge.

At the first sight, we decided to let go and cancel the trip. But then there is something special about the Himalayas and its people. They live in the harshest conditions and that makes them strong, mentally and physically. There were Pangwal laborers (natives of Pangi valley are called Pangwals) who assessed the situation on their own, inquired about the weight of the motorcycle, and concluded that it would take 5-6 men and 20 minutes to get to the other side.

We were in a state of shock. All I could see was a gorge beneath. But optimism of those Pangwals made us hopeful.

Optimism, you see is contagious. And in the Himalayas, pessimism never survives long. Now was the time to accept the challenge and relish it. The GREF Major deployed at the site gave us free hand. “Use my men and my equipment. You are the in-charge now”, said he. Within moments strategy was put in place. And the strategy was simple, “Don’t look down. Keep Pushing.”

Amidst all this tension I managed to turn on my camera on video recording mode. A couple of Pangwals volunteered to hold the camera for us. Now the real mission started. The first hurdle was a huge rock angling towards us as if asking us not to mess with it. The second hurdle was to get down the slippery slope while balancing the weight of the motorcycle. 180KG of steel is not an easy thing to handle, especially when its engine is turned off.  The third hurdle was to push the bike towards the road.

The Pangwals did a fantabulous job. They said 20 minutes but the job was over well within 15 minutes. The job was done. The expedition was still alive. The feeling was awesome. And we did relish the challenge.

We could have turned back and that would have been a safe option. But accepting a new challenge head-on is what life is all about. And when you are willing to walk an extra mile, even the Universe conspires with you.

This post is my third entry for Cinthol’s Relishing the Challenge Campaign. 

Relishing the Challenge in the Himalayas

The Challenge: How to enjoy trekking in the Himalayas after losing track and walking in the wrong direction for 13 Kilometers.

“This is Rahul from Creativeland Asia. I would like to talk to you regarding another Cinthol Campaign. Is it the right time to talk?” Rahul spoke in his graceful voice over phone.

I looked around. It was about to rain. Me and my friend were en-route a mountain pass, 3500 meters above the sea level. We had lost our way.

“Yeah Rahul. This is a good time to talk”, said I.

Then Rahul went on with his stories. How Alive is Awesome Campaign was a huge success. Why did they choose Virat as their brand ambassador for ‘Relishing the Challenge Campaign’. I listened but could not understand a thing.

It’s not easy to concentrate when you have lost your way in the Himalayas. Especially when you realize that you have walked 13 kilometers in a wrong direction. Did I mention that we were 13000 feet above the Mean Sea Level?

We were en route Waru Pass (14000 feet) that connects Chamba to Palampur region. Both these destinations are popular tourist spots but not much is known about this mountain pass. Nobody but the shepherds use this pass. Every year scores of shepherds cross this pass during summers. Their cattle graze in the Himalayas while the shepherds play flute and talk to the mountains.

It all sounds fancy but it isn’t.

Before We Lost Our Way!

We lost our way because there were no trail marks. After walking aimlessly for 5 hours we couldn’t figure our way out. But then there is saying in the Himalayas, “When you are lost, follow the shit.” Sheep shit to be precise.

Shepherds camp at several places before settling finally at the grasslands. If you find no grasslands then follow the shit. It always leads to a better place. And this is a Golden Rule in the Himalayas.

We walked down a steep slope and spotted a Power House. It looked close but it actually wasn’t. 

And this is second rule of the Himalayas. “The mountains and the clouds always appear close. Never underestimate the distance. Never overestimate yourself.” We made the mistake of underestimating and overestimating simultaneously. We walked another 5 KM dragging our feet. Finally we camped at the Power House.

And then we were told that Power House Station was the point where from the trek actually starts. And the Power House was connected to the main road. So effectively, we had covered only 6KM after walking for more than 15KM. Soon it started raining adding more to our misery. We couldn’t complete the trek. Or rather, we couldn’t even start the trek.

When We Completely Lost It!

And then comes into picture the third rule of the Himalayas. You have to be patient with the Himalayas. These mountains have been waiting since times immemorial for someone to scale them. They can wait for another summer. We have to incorporate that quality in our lives. Relishing the Challenge of trekking in the Himalayas is an ‘Alive and Awesome’ experience. But you have got to be patient.

You have to believe in yourself. You have to believe in the Himalayas.

We couldn’t complete the trek but we visited another interesting place dating back to the Mahabharat Times. Temples submerged in the Pong Dam. These temples remain drowned underwater for more than 10 months in a year. Only for two months these temples come out.

Probably missing the trek was meant to be. The Himalayas will wait for us. The temples will soon go down. And they wouldn't be visible after a week, at the most two weeks. 

A lesson well learnt!

What We Relished!

This post is my second entry for Cinthol’s Relishing the Challenge Campaign. 

Morbe Dam fun with Kids | Alive is Awesome

This is my eleventh post for the Alive Is Awesome Blogging Campaign.

Mumbai!

The word itself is magic. It rings bells in my head and takes me to a dream world. Around Mumbai one gets to see life, dams, water reservoirs, jungles, colors, music, everything!

I visited Mumbai back in 2009 after I quit my job. Until then, I used to believe that Himachal only is the best place to stay close to nature.

Find useful info about Himachal @ The OK Travel

I was wrong. Mumbai proved me wrong. Maharashtra proved me wrong. Dapoli and Morbe Dam proved me wrong.

Dapoli is a silent beach, unlike Goa on the Konkan Coastal line. And Morbe Dam is juts a One Hour Ride from Vashi/Navi Mumbai.

Sunset at Daploi Beach | Eternal Silence

Me and my twin brother rode his Royal Enfield and after enjoying a brisk ride landed near the dam. There was a small reservoir near the dam. Close to it a group of local kids was playing.

Their game reminded us of our childhood days and we asked them to let us play with them. 

Language is no barrier when it comes to music and love.

They couldn't speak Hindi and we didn't understand Marathi yet it was one of the funniest and most enjoyable game of our lives. The game of 'Chor-Sipahi'. It was moist and soon one of the kids started pushing my brother towards the water reservoir.

And soon they all were jumping over my brother's head in the water. I couldn't join the but it was fun shooting them with the camera.

It wasn't an adventure bath or something. 

Neither it was something extraordinary we did. It was just a fun moment 'lived' with few innocent kids that took us both to our childhood days. 

The Fun Begins

Look at these pictures and you will get to know what I am talking about.

The Return of Innocence! :) 

Brotherhood!

 Return of Innocence

 That's Me - Capturing Life in MegaBytes!

Childhood is Alive. Childhood is Awesome. Nostalgia is bad and I don't like living in the past. And as far Morbe Dam fun is concerned, I am glad I 'lived' it to the fullest. 

It was an Alive is Awesome experience, shouting, jumping, and dancing in joy with kids, who couldn't speak our language, yet everything was understood and well said.

P.S. He is indeed my 'twin brother' although we don't even look like brothers

Why Traveling makes me feel Alive Is Awesome

This is my tenth post for the Alive Is Awesome Blogging Campaign.

I quit my job in 2009, just nine months after I had joined a well paying corporate job in one of the best cities of the country. I came back to my small yet happy state, Himachal Pradesh. Gradually, I started exploring all those places I had always wanted to see but could not see for no apparent reasons.

I bathed in filthy water, enjoyed sand bath in the middle of the silt ocean, and enjoyed walking over the snow covered mountain passes. Cinthol's Alive Is Awesome Blogging Campaign not only gave me a reason to express my untold stories but it also made me realize that traveling is an integral part of my life.

And why my life, travelling and getting to know new places is something everyone should know. Its during these journeys only, human beings get to know their real selves. Its only during these journeys, in the wilderness, on the top of a mountain, or in the middle of an ocean, human beings start respecting their lives even more and the spirit of Alive Is Awesome comes to the fore.

I have jumped in the furious waters of River Beas just to see how it feels.

I have jumped in water covered with algae not because it was too hot but because I wanted to make the best of that moment.

Traveling made me believe that although my weight is just 58 Kgs, I can handle a 200KG motorbike very well. The odometer reading on my bike says 40,000 kilometers, which is a proof of the same.

Traveling enables me to see the better side of life. I once bathed at a place where they used to burn the dead. There is not much difference between the dead and the living ones, except for the choice to live.

Traveling gives me the reason to love. While one travels, one gets to meet people for very short spans and the best one can do in that short span is to spread the love. On the larger scale, our lives are also very short, the best we can do is to spread the love.

Traveling gives me the reason to live in the moment. When you start living moments, life automatically becomes peaceful and beautiful.

Traveling teaches me to expect the unexpected, say thanks to the Universe for whatever is being given and move on. Once I was stuck in heavy snowfall and I almost fell down a 100 meter cliff. That day I realized, If I had died, I would have died an unhappy man.

In short, travelling is the best way to educate yourself. Alive Is Awesome is just not a phrase, it is something more than that and travelling, I am 100% sure, is the best way to experience this.

And In the end, as Mohammed once said, "Don' tell me how educated you are, tell me how much have you traveled."

To be Alive, and to feel Awesome,  jump in the streams, swim against them, and may be one day you will figure out what 'your' life is all about.

Bathing in the Dhauladhar Lakes | Alive is Awesome

This is my Ninth blog Post for Alive is Awesome Blogging Campaign.

The Himalayas are awe inspiring.

You stand in front of a Himalayan Peak and then think of an incident when you were angry at someone.

If you are not delusional or intoxicated, there are only two words that will come to your mind, "Thanks and Sorry."

Close to the sky in the Dhauladhar Ranges of Himachal Pradesh, there are ten lakes in the vicinity of each other.

I always wanted to bathe in those lakes.

Why?

Call for story time :)

As a school kid, I was a great fan of Punjab Kesari (North India's Leading Hindi Daily). On the last page, they would show foreigners jumping in frozen lakes for fun and adventure. I always asked my father If we have similar lakes in Himachal. He said yes, in the Dhauladhar Ranges. I decided to jump in one of those lakes one day. 

This happened in 1999, when I was 14 years old. 

Several years have passed since then. I even lived in Dharamsala for two years where from those lakes were just a matter of few hours, yet I couldn't go.  

Lakes of Dhauladhar

Alive is Awesome videos, pics, and my own stories from the past have now motivated me to embark on a journey of a lifetime, to accomplish a childhood dream. I still remember those foreigners jumping with joy on those last pages of that newspaper.

These lakes are all above 3000 meters from the sea level. The water freezes in the night time. There is no camping base either. One has to hide under the rocks and sheds, bivouacking remains the only option to stay alive.

Still I want to do it?
Yes, because the Himalayas never fail you. Whenever they call, you must go.

I have done many treks in my life but this Lake Trek is something I have always dreamed of. 13 years is a very long period, childhood dreams often get evaporated with time. But this one stayed with me and now because I have experienced the Alive is Awesome joy, its high time that I embark on this journey.

One has to climb three different mountain passes to reach these lakes. Even the names of these lakes are mysterious. Naag Dal (King Cobra Lake), Laam Dal, Chanderkup Lake (Moon Shaped Well Lake) and so on.

Here are some pictures of those lakes.

Lama Dal, Dhaualdhar Ranges

Nag Dal

My Friend Rijul. The Lucky Chap!

P.S. Thank you Cinthol for this amazing opportunity and Rijul for all these photographs.

Cool New Cinthol | Alive is Awesome

This is my Eighth blog post for Alive is Awesome Blogging Campaign


Yesterday, I received my Godrej Cinthol gift hamper for Alive is Awesome campaign and after looking at the red package after a long time, all old memories came to the fore at once.

The new packaging and fragrance of the soap as well as the deodorant are awesome. Because currently I live in Shimla, bathing is a huge task, and moreover I am not a great fan of bathing everyday in winters, yet it was the wonderful fragrance of the soaps, that made me jump in the bathroom, twice.

I opened both the blue and red packages. One for the morning and one for the evening. And unlike other 'celebrity soaps' of India, this soap is actually Grade 1, TFM>76%. which speaks about the quality of Cinthol. 

More about TFM in this post later.

And as far as the rejuvenated old look is concerned, the red package reminds me of my old age Superhero, Vinod Khanna. A job well done by Cinthol, I must say.

Old Cinthol Ad: Image Source

Let me tell you something more about Godrej and Cinthol in this post.


Godrej Cinthol is our brand. It is true-blue Indian. Indian not just because it is manufactured in India by an Indian Company but the connection is far more interesting.

There lies a story behind the Godrej Conglomerate, which shows true Indian colors, the bright and radiant color of our culture and tradition.

Godrej takes me ten years back, when I was still studying in the school. My father used to tell us story of one Ardeshir Godrej, who died ten years before my father was born. Ours too is a family of businessmen and my father used to tell this story to me and my twin brother on numerous occasions.

"Ardeshir wanted to establish a company and he did not approach his father for the loan. He approached a family friend and asked him to give him the loan. His reason for not asking his father for a loan was simple. He wanted loan, not a gift. 23 years later, when the decisive moment came, he refused to accept inheritance. His father died in 1918 and as expected, Ardeshir did not accept the inheritance at all. His father was one of the richest men of India."

Pretty unconventional stuff that guy did. Later he took Godrej to new heights and made it on of the best brands of not only India but the world.

Probably, he was the guy who invented the word Alive is Awesome, even if he didn't say it, I am sure he meant the same.

My father concluded by saying, " Saying no to 'unearned money' is a very difficult job. Its probably one of the toughest jobs you might have to undertake.  Make sure you remember Ardeshir when that moment comes."

That was good ten years ago when I was 16 years old. The story is still afresh, and the lesson clearly understood. Again in my college, you know those revolutionary years, I was too fond of Godrej brand, because it was our brand, the Indian Identity!

Then I got to know another major factor about soaps and their quality, the TFM factor.

"Total Fatty Matter (TFM) is one of the most important characteristics describing the quality of soap and it is always specified in commercial transactions. Soap with TFM 75% minimum is referred to as Grade 1, anything below that is Grade 2 and not suitable for bathing. "

I conducted a short research and figured out that every other soap that was endorsed by Bollywood Bigwigs was Second Grade Toilet Soap.

Godrej Cinthol's TFM was 76% and above, which meant it was the only Grade 1 soap available in the market at an affordable price.

Nothing has changed since then. Even today Godrej soap's fall in the Grade 1 category whereas other soaps, which you see your Bollywood legends using on screen are Grade 2. 

There is one soap that claims to protect you from harmful bacteria, its TFM is 65%, go figure!

And, in the end I would like to say, Godrej is Awesome :)

New Cinthol, Good Old Feel

Alive is Awesome | Thank you Cinthol

The Submerged Temple Bath | Alive is Awesome

This is my seventh blog post for Alive is Awesome Blogging Campaign

Himachal Pradesh and for that matter India is a land of 'lost' temples. We are busy erecting scarecrows (Statues in Noida, anybody?) but our state has no time to preserve the lost, architectural masterpieces of our country.

Read More at other submerged temples of Himachal Pradesh Loop-Whole

One such site is in Himachal Pradesh, district Bilaspur. It is believed that Pandavas' during the Mahabharat stayed in the Himalayas during the Vanvaas/Agyatvaas. And during their stay in the forests, they spent most of their time in 'Our Side' of the Himalayas.

On the famous Manali-Leh Highway, near Bilaspur, in the middle of the Great Gobind Sagar Lake, there are few temples submerged in the water. During the rainy season, you will not get to see those temples because they are fully immersed in the water during that period. However, if you happen to cross that region in winters, you might see the roof of the temples popping out of the water. The lake is covered with silt and it appears that those temples are trying to break free but the silt is not allowing them to do so.

Me and my friend happened to visit that site long ago. Our main intention was to see the inside of those temples but because the ground was swampy, we could only see it from a distance.

Now with nothing left to do, we decided to roam around. The silt-ground was wide open and we were the kings of that region. We ran here and there and as we reached near the banks, we could spot water deep enough for swimming.

Now, silt is just useless. You can't use it for any industrial process or whatever, however, when you throw silt on your body, it feels nice.

It feels soft, and it doesn't feel unclean at all. Sand hurts, silt doesn't.

Jumping here and there, we removed our clothes and soon it was nothing less than a crazy show.

Two naked guys jumping around like seagulls, throwing sand over each other, making weird noises.

We were easily spotted by people from the road and I can't  even imagine what did they think about us.

Alive is Awesome Jump

As we jumped around like monkeys, an old well-dressed man appeared from nowhere. He was coming towards us and we were wondering about his mode of appearance. He greeted us and because we were already in an awkward situation (half naked), we decided to make it even more awkward  We asked him to record a video for us.

Hesitantly, he took our camera and started recording the video.

The Weird yet Alive Video: Discretion Advised ;)

The video lasts only for few seconds and I bet it could be one of the weirdest videos you would have seen in your entire life. Even today, when I look at this video I can't stop laughing.

And now when I look at this video, it reminds me of only one saying, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

I am glad that we danced in the sand like mad animals. I am glad that we enjoyed that 'moment' because life is all about moments we live fully.

I am glad that we did that because being 'Alive is Awesome'

Sand Bath at the Banks of Beas | Alive is Awesome

This is my sixth blog post for Alive is Awesome Blogging Campaign

River Beas is one of the largest rivers of the country and fortunately it originates in Himachal Pradesh. It originates from the Beas Kund near Manali (Rohtang Pass).

It traverses hundred of kilometer before reaching a small village in some remote corner of the state. The remoteness can be guessed from the fact that even till date people use boats to travel from one bank to another. The river bed is hardly 50 meters yet there is no bridge. 

The Beas runs very deep and silent at that place, as deep as fifty feet at some points. On a summer afternoon, we decided to break the silence of the Beas and take a bath.

The Beas View @ Amtar

The Beas View at Amtar

As soon as we reached there, we were hypnotized by the scenery. The water was bluish green and it actually looked like a painting. A boat was moving across and it appeared that God had deliberately left that boat on that lonely stretch. 

After looking at that scenery for few moments, we took off our clothes and jumped into the water. The water was damn cold and we decided to relax on the sandy banks of the Beas. Soon one of us started splashing sand all over and within a matter of seconds all hell broke loose. 

Everyone was jumping in the sand, throwing sand over one's body and it literally turned to a mud slinging event. Our undies were filled to the brim with sand and the next best thing to do was to jump in the water and clean ourselves up. The moment was surely alive and awesome.

Even the mules grazing by were looking at us with a bemused look at their faces. 

However, sand was sticky and even after rubbing our backs and legs with stones, we actually did that. we ended up picking sand from each other's back. 

That feeling could truly be called Alive and Awesome.

The boat ride that followed was one of the best rides I have taken in my life. River Beas was silent, deep, as if it wanted us to understand something.

May be the essence of life, "Run Silent, Run Deep."

Alive is Awesome :)

Swim 'Filthy' Green | Alive is Awesome

This is my fifth blog post for Alive is Awesome Blogging Campaign

Summers in Himachal could be fatal. This statement might look false to some of you but believe me whenever they talk about Global Warming, I somehow feel that all the 'warmth' of the world is coming to Himchal Pradesh.

Don't believe me?
Well, most of the people from outside Himachal know Himachal as Shimla, Kullu, Manali, Dalhousie, Kasauli, and Rohtang. However, even in these areas temperature has shot up substantially in the last couple of years.

Rohatng's snow doesn't last more than a month after it is officially opened. It takes just 20-30 days to melt snow walls as high as 30 feet.

Shimla never was meant to use fans. People while constructing their houses never left any scope of installing a fan. And today, every household either has a table fan or planning to have one.

The times have changed. The planes of Himachal see temperature going as high as 45 degrees.

We, the unfortunate ones, living in one of those planes could not bear the heat one day. The mercury was touching 45 degrees and it was that time of the year when even the rivers, rivulets run out of water. And ours was a place deprived of swimming pools.

However, for every man made problem, there is a man made solution. Now because Global Warming is a man made problem, so is heat generated by it. So, we decided to find a solution for it. Roaming here and there, we found out that there is a water pool nearby. However, how safe it was to swim in it was not known.

We reached at the spot and water was deep green in color. Now because we have known only two colors of water, one clean blue that belongs to oceans and rivers, and other green water, which is a common feature in our side of the country.

Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, all have green tinge to their water, when they are not full of silt.

Wild Swimming Pool - In the Jungle!

Now because the color was green, we assumed that it was deep and clean. And without giving a second thought, we jumped into the water. Soon we realized that it was cool and filthy at the same time.

The heat was gone and so was the excitement. It was damn filthy and it kept entering our mouths. Just then, me and my friend decided to take a plunge in the filthiness and started jumping around. The algae and other 'essential ingredients' started flying around and soon it was all a filth show.

Everyone was happy to the core and never before I felt happy after being splattered with algae and other 'green elements'.

Alive and Awesome

Sadho Re!

Alive is Awesome - Friendship Personified

Green Jump

:)

 It was indeed an Alive is Awesome Bathing moment for all of us.

After being playful in that green filthy water, we cleaned ourselves up with hot summer tap water.

The feeling remains alive in our hearts, till date.

Green Filthy 'Awesome' Jump

I would give anything to be drenched in the same filth again because being Alive is Awesome.

P.S. A very special thanks to JP and Akash Deep