release

early morning



We entered the mystic whiteness and as it surrounded us, it washed us clean. A feeling of orgasmic exhilaration was the only sense I was aware of. Faint forms formed and dissolved all around us with a gaussian smoothness. We were floating through a dream. Gliding through this surreal fastness, we passed random groups of people clustered together in total ecstasy and trying desperately to completely live the moment as if in fear of loosing it. Screaming and gyrating and running around insanely.

And then we glided out of that sacred cloud and into reality. A 20 minute emotional orgasm.


I think I am very lucky. It all started the earlier day. I needed to get out - leave all the frustration and confusion behind. I got the chance. We started late. The night was wet and we chased the rain. Dinner was at a sidy joint near the Kalyan fata. One quarter of a querter of rum and some biryani and we headed on. The night was silent. The rain driving all but the most unfortunate (or adventurous) to their beds. As we silently passed through village and town, the temperature dropped and do did the unrest.

We were headed for a small tribal village with a waterfall. About 20 minutes from the village heavy rain came down to drench us and remove the last of the dryness from my soul. The cold water splashing on the face, awakening, refreshing... It the beam of the headlamp I could see a sliding road with thick green on both sides and the thick rain all over.

We found the tribals, Vitthal and family, awake when we got it at about 0330hrs. Dry clothes. We settled down in a room with a door. The door led to a small gotha. There were 2 calves and several hens there ... and lots of firewood. Sleep wouldnt come as there was some invisible thing moving on our faces. And all over the body. Tickling. Vitthal & co just giggled and said it was a new kind of matchhar & that they had'nt slept for the last two days. They turned out to be almost-microscopic white thingies which crawled all over us...

So we went out to watch the dawn break.

Watching the day break is an amazing experience. And more so for us as we hardly witness it. You can feel the energy flowing into the body as the world magically lights up around you.

Breakfast was several things. First "aalu paan" and uddid flour steamed together. Then rice bhakri's & uddid pithla with fried green chillies and zunka and some fried papad.

We went to take in the falls. This place is special for me, I fell in love here.

We were on our way up malshez ghat. That wonderful road with the mountains visible so near and in such majesty.

One of the bigger falls was being blown up from midway back into the clouds by the strong winds. We could see the water going back to the clouds ... reverse rain... We headed further on ... towards the top and through the tunnel. Then on to Khireshwar. We had some nice tea and wadas and bhaji's out here. The shack was small ... deep ... with a low roof so that the wind wouldnt blow the rain inside. There were some senior villagers sitting cozily here .. with their tila's and gandhi topis .. very different from the tribals at the bottom of the ghats ...

We headed back.

Instead of taking the road via Murbad and Kalyan, we went from the inside and got out at Shahpur. Maybe I was called there :) ...

At the Bhivandi fata we got a scare as a large mob of crazed people was stopping cars and bikes. There was some stuff burning on the edge and spewing off thick smoke. My balls were in my forehead when we passed through them.. almost touching them and their sticks...

She was always with me. I guess I have become comfortable with the image of her I have in me. I know it is unrelated to anything real and I accept it as it is, I guess ... Life finds a way. Always.




p.s.
The above text may seem disconnected. It is. Some of it was written before the blasts. Some later. I have no more mood to write about my happy trip.

update 2020:
Sometime in the last couple of years, Vitthal, our friendly host was killed in a hit and run case on the inner country roads. He was pillion on a bike and a Scorpio belonging to local politician mowed them down. He died. He was the only bread earner for his family. How utterly sad. :( I shall never forget his innocent smile and warm hospitality.




cows in a cowshed. she would have loved it.



watching cows as they do what they do



the dawn breaking



off to graze



young paddy fields



Vitthal, our tribal host (photo by Vasu)



Vitthal's children & gang (photo by Vasu)



the home



the waterfall where I fell in love



malshez ghat



malshez ghat tunnel



further on...


note : all photos taken with the Sony Erricson w800i cellphone camera.


If you can so far, you may enjoy these too:
The Old Fool and the Hot Road
Aimlessly to Matheran

We finally launched.

We finally launched., originally uploaded by quasi's mobile.

Check us out at www.cleartrip.com at your own risk. :-) feedback appreciated.

Captain Hrush @ ClearTrip.

Captain Hrush @ ClearTrip., originally uploaded by quasi's mobile.

Hard at work.

rain is here

early morning over the Bandra flyover


The low dark clouds come over the ocean... bringing the pure waters to pour over our parched souls, washing away the stench. They have a ominous sublime quality about them.

The monsoons of Mumbai have a special place in my heart. I feel excessively romantic. :) I love the wet shiny streets. The dusk. The dawn (if I happen to wake up). The wet trees. The dripping drops. The clean colours. The green hills. The swirling clouds. The rolling grass with pools of dark shiny water. The grey horizon. ...


I think she feels this way too ... (but I am so far gone now, I dont know myself, let alone anyone else ... hehe)

funny

back seat view when I ride the bike.

What a funny time. And what a funny life.

Vasu is upset because I cannot give him time and because I am not punctual.
My boss is upset because I told him I am not coming on Monday-Tuesaday. In spite of me working on Sunday tomorrow and being in office for every Saturday for the past few months. He pushed me away and asked me to "just go".
My family is upset because I havent gone home after 21st. And I haven't met my parents for over a month.
My colleagues think I am too harsh and cannot control the tone of my voice and I that I crib a lot. Though I daresay I ever crib seriously.
Sanjeev hates my guts I am sure.

"Whatever"

Very funny indeed... because this is a crib :)

onward

In Kherwadi


In a cramped up space live multitudes of lives, scurrying about happily,accepting their surroundings and their lives with a positivity worth noticing. I guess you dont have to be rich to be happy. Neither poor. All life forms must be equivalent. Equivalence of all life....


Last Sunday I did my first motion shooting. The cinematography angle is set. I was supposed to shoot today, but unexpected weather and other circumstances have postponed the shoot into the future. We had gone to the Kherwadi zopadpatti to do a location recci. The cramped up spaces, the tiny rooms, the simple lives. Satisfaction indeed lies in the mind.

I have spent some very happy times at a cousins' house which is a tiny 2 rooms. There used to be no TV or fridge. We have got drunk on cheap brandy in water with penuts stolen from his mom's kitchen and been very happy. We used to collect 10 bucks put fuel in an old moped we had borrowed and ride around till it gave out -- then push it home. We have spent hours under the shade of some large trees in the local park, out of the way of all, just relaxing and watching the ammunition factory down below the hill and across. Those guys used to test the munitions (or destroy old ones) and we used to wait for the puffs ... and the delayed sound. It is surprising what one remembers.

Life used to be simpler then. Silently observe. My relatives never were able to decide if I was very smart or mentally retarded. But they always called me smart to keep my mom happy. :)

Captain Hrush @ Cleartrip

Captain Hrush @ Cleartrip, originally uploaded by quasi's mobile.

Hard at work...

Wanted!

Wanted!, originally uploaded by quasi's mobile.

Wanted!

Road to Matheran (II)

Barred


I finally managed to get the roll from the Matheran trip developed. The Dynax 5 with the 50 (or 90) give a different perspective to the scene. I hope you can feel the laziness and utter comfort of the space we were in. The people, the state of mind, the place, the climate - it all came together, and we did'nt want to leave ...



































All photos by quasi with a Minolta Dynax 5 and 50mm or 90mm

My life.

My life., originally uploaded by quasi's mobile.

I got wet in the rain yesterday night. I was elated.

Silhouettes

A new decade of life begins. I hope I treat this one with more respect.

Surprisingly events may have turned out to be such that the skeletons may finally be locked up in metal boxes and the keys lost. They wont die. I cannot kill them. I have no choice. I am tired beyond what I thought not possible. Why do we even break our heads onto walls? Just because the ego does not allow that we just walk away and respect the wall? Or is it our preconditioning that to give up is to be weak? That it is better to break the head then to go take the easy way out? Why is the easy way not good? Is it about the wall or the head or about what lies beyond? I hope it is not about the wall. Nor about the head. I really hope it was about what lay beyond. I hope there was a higher, bigger reason. I hope I did not dilute the reasons because I could not break the walls.

It is exceedingly scary to see laid bare your vulnerabilities and needs. Especially needs. How much we depend on our surroundings to get on with life. How fickle is the balance of it all.




morning at kanheri


I was cake'ed 3 times.


stock for the night


I was touched by the number of people who turned up for my birthday or wished me. A few totally unexpected. We had a rocking party. I wish she could have been there with us. But that was not possible. I have managed to make the situation so uncomfortable for her and all around me that that was possible. It is not possible to explain how much it hurts to hurt someone you love...

I hope I am forgiven.

Road to Matheran

Road to Matheran


60 European cents, 1 American dollar and some random foreign currency change. This is all we had when we left the stall at the Karjat fata.

This trip reminded me of our road trip last may. It was planned but with spontaneous adventures strewn all over. The night before me and Raju reached home at 0130hrs. Sleep was achieved at 0400hrs (approx.). We had to meetup with Sanket and Harsh near Sanpada stn. at 0730hrs. I sent him an sms to postpone the rendezvous timing to 0830hrs. We were in Airoli when they reached. It was decided that we meet in Panvel. They were waiting for us at hotel Shiv Shambhoo. :) After a longish break (in which we got a spark plug for Harsh), we started. Customary break at Chowk and the Neral fata.

The road to Matheran has been relaid. The going was good. We reached, parked the bikes and entered the forested fortress of peace. Keeping a strict eye open for all possible chicks we reached the market. It was lunch time so we decided to eat. Shabbir Bhai's biryani was to be tried. It was excellent. After a glass of chass we started for the school. Here we got some cool water and tea. Then headed for Harsh's place. On the way we had acquired some spirituality. Contemplation was always with us being first priority (above food).

We reached and then all rested, the walk in the hot May sun being tiring. Sunset and we headed for the spot. They all loved it. We decided we will go eat come back and then get spiritual. Shabbir bhai was again sampled. This time roti and chicken. Again some chass was demanded but was not found to be available. We got back.

Some excellent time was spent with Sanky singing, Chota on the guitar ... and huge amounts of talk. What I love about these trips is the amount of talk involved. Uninhibited talk. Loads of it. We decided to head for the spot. I had borrowed Harsh's old defunct air gun, and we went crazy with it. Then laid on the yellow grass and felt peace. We reached back and slept after 0300hrs (I think).

Next morning we were slated to leave at 0600hrs. We got up approx at 1100hrs. :) After a lazy time we packed up and headed for the market. On the way had breakfast and saw monkey's having sex in the background. It was proposed that we stay another day - It was difficult to leave the peace. The cash scene was desperate. After a few to-fro arguments we headed towards echo point. Lunch was skipped in favour of contemplation. Such is life. Such is philosophy.

After a lazy and utterly nice afternoon we decided that we will go and get dinner out of the poor Peon of the school. We did just that. Harsh went and asked if we could get dinner. He said yes. He and his wife cooked for us, set up the table for us under the stars and laid it out. While this was happening we had some excellent music from the musical duo. The lights went out and all we had was a lantern. There was rice, there was phodni-che-waran, there was batata-bhaji, there was wanga-batata bhaji and then there was papad. It was one of the best meals we have had in a while... We blessed the providers from the heart. Under the stars.

We headed back. Decided we will go visit the spot. This time we more silent, thoughtful, more at peace.

We slept early 0000hrs (approx). Morning was fantastic. We managed to get up by 0530hrs. There was fog outside. Fog. In May. It was chilly. It was exceedingly fresh. We packed up and headed back. Decided we had no money so would get the tea out of the poor Peon. We did just that. :)

Back on the road, the breakfast scene was tense. We had managed to scavenge all the change from Harsh's house and all our pockets. It totalled Rs.42 in loose change (8 50p coins included) and a Rs.5 note. At Karjat naka, we very seriously inquired the price of the wada-pow and the cutting chai at the hotel. We very happily ate 2 wada-pow's (Rs.4 each) and 1 cutting chai (Rs.2) each. Rs.7 were left. After a serious debate and vote it was decided to go for one more cutting chai each. We then asked the hotel feller if it was ok that we had Rs.1 less. He agreed. He had been looking shocked all along...

All we had left were 60 European cents, 1 American dollar and some random foreign currency change.





Harsh's old house.



seksy me



the monkey hunter



tree



Am I free now, O moon?



Vellurious, of the Guitar



the monkey hunter with dal rice (no monkeys found)



Sanky, of the Gazals



Come early morning ...



fog



jungle in the morning



road turns back again


all photos with a SE w800i cell phone camera