15th August 2017…an early morning capture at Hampi…place still asleep from last night’s hangover when I heard many shouting at 12 am Jai Hind and Happy Independence Day under the influence of alcohol and feeling proud of being liberated and enjoying freedom at the cost of others…and then this scene just gave me a jolt…are we really free?…are we really independent? Does this lady have the independence of enjoying this independence day? Is she free from anxiety and fear if she decides not to work today? Can she chose to take an off today without an worry that her children will not starve due to her decision of not working at least for a day? Or celebrating Independence Day just limits itself to a few who can afford…??
Sitting by the window and looking at the endless vista dreaming to get lost among the beauty of woods trees river soil sand, this girl is announcing to the world that her time is about to come and the day is not far when she too will keep her feet on the rocky roads, snow filled trails, never ending
desert to see, to explore, to cherish the wonders of mother earth. (Pic taken in Phuentsholin, Bhutan)
Last wish of a chair: I am waiting for someone as lucky as I am so as to share a precious moment together and enjoy this beautiful morning where first few rays of the sun, call of the birds, whispering sound of the leaves creating a heaven on earth and for sometime I want to make a beautiful ‘us’…
Walk away quietly in any direction and taste the freedom of the mountaineer. Camp out among the grasses and gentians of glacial meadows, in craggy garden nooks full of nature’s darlings. Climb the mountains and get their good tidings, Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. As age comes on, one source of enjoyment after another is closed, but nature’s sources never fail”………John Muir
Standing “Nandi” at Sandipani Ashram, Ujjain where Lord Krishna along with his brother Balram and friend Sudama studied. This Nandi is unique and the only one such piece on earth. Legend goes like this – after getting the news that Lord Krishna came here for studies, Lord Shiva came to meet him and they hugged each other. This union of “Har” and “Hari” was a rare moment and all thirty three crore deities gave a standing ovation and did “Pushpanjali” from heaven. That time “Nandi” whom we always see in sitting posture also stood up and expressed his respect towards his union. While there is no point in challenging mythology and it stands at its own place, I just wonder how seamlessly such stories are passing through generations and today in spite of a world full of science and technology, such stories find their own place which denotes the existence of some supreme power somewhere beyond our mortal reach.
Yesterday in a guided tour to “Sanchi Stupa”, we witnessed an example of
harmony. Hindus like us were enlightened to Buddhism and the history of Sanchi and the workings of Ashoka & kings of various other dynasties like Mourya, Sunga, Gupta by a Muslim guide Md. Naseer Ahmed. What we fight for….why we fight…People like Md. Naseer and many others like him across religions are the real torch bearers of Peace and brotherhood and spreading the message “Unity in Diversity” and not our so called political tycoons….
While walking through the lane with bushes on either sides, Priyam heard the croak of frogs and was so excited that he moved closer to the bush to discover the source of the sound but could not and thus came my turn to explain him. And that opportunity took me back by 25-30 yrs to our Lumding house. With no electricity in that area, just the memory of studying in kerosene lamps or battery operated lights while listening to the monotonous croaking of frogs made me feel so warm today. I started explaining him how a frog creates that sound by air through its larynx. While telling him the stories of crying of fox in the woods at the end of the field in front of our house, I fell short of words as no word can explain those feelings. Getting a slap on the back of my head for not studying but staring at the wall and watching lizards catching their prey brought a sudden smile. Really miss those days….Jane kaha gaye wo din…..
Travelling is an addiction….such an addiction it is that you continue to be addicted throughout and try to explore more and more options & alternatives to get addicted since the same drug becomes ineffective after sometime. And on the way meet people whom you never knew but they become your lifelong mates. Talking to them for hours together, walking along with them from lower altitude to a higher altitude, facing the difficulties together and seeking help without any hesitation, sharing the intimate and private moments creates a lifelong bonding. More so when you travel alone but never feel lonely in such company of people. Listening to their travel stories inspires you to explore more, experiences from the experienced makes you feel confident and building relation with new people gives you a feeling of togetherness that you can create with the unknown. And believe me, the results are truly rewarding.
Few fail in the beginning itself, Few look for help from outside, Few in spite of ability do not take risk, And those who take risk & venture out without looking back have chances to win.
Path of life taking away to close buddies in different directions after they walked together for long. Hope they willmeet again (@ Punakha Dzong)
Was shot on the way to Thimphu….this picture reminds me of the fact that nothing is permanent; with time everything decays…in the picture all the leaves are falling as time of those came to an end and the old man is also waiting for his time to come. ..may be praying his last prayer before time takes him away…
Was shot in Havelock Island, Andaman. A lonely boat in spite of being deprived of a boatman continues to float and may be searching for its next direction on its own…something similar to our lives when we have to find our own way when no one is there to guide…
Awakening the Nature…was shot at Thimphu
Sitting on a pinnacle and welcoming the rising sun or resting on the seashore and looking at the disappearing sun and welcoming the darkness when the sky is filled with 
the birds returning home after a busy day and cacophony of their calls filling the air, enjoying the high tide gently touching your feet and silently eating away the last few meters of the shore, observing the old lady filling the last few drops of kerosene into the lamp with hope in her eyes for a brighter tomorrow are few instances one can never forget in his lifetime. Suddenly the whole atmosphere observes pin drop silence and you only hear the sound of sea water pounding on the rocky beach. In the darkness you see the Big Dipper questioning you the cause for such silence and you only say tranquility prevailed finally on earth and you look forward to a new dawn. A dawn where peace will prevail on earth, a dawn where human race will not fight with each other, a dawn where people will bow to their Great Creator forgetting cast creed
and religion; and you hear someone laughing at your back. You turn and see the half-moon silently coming out of the horizon and laughing at you and your weird dream. You ask him why he is laughing and he conveys his message through a few dogs fighting somewhere nearby disturbing the whole atmosphere. He asks you to wait for a while and then you hear some more dogs start barking hearing these dogs without any reason. You get your reply. Silently you get up and start walking to your cottage. Thinking. Thinking to start something wherein you can relive the wonders enjoyed in last few hours, revisit and relive the pages and chapters you stopped living since long and share these feelings through blogs, stories and images with some like-minded friends and thus came www.endlessvista.com into life.
A platform where any registered member can share his or her travel stories, travelogues, journeys and experiences and showcase to the world the beautiful vistas of earth…vistas which never ends and with everyone’s contribution, we look at the world and mother earth with a different eye – an eye which knows how to appreciate the beauty, an eye which knows how to love, an eye which knows how to dream.