One Living Life: August 2016

Wednesday 31 August 2016

And, I'm still standing there...



The sun is just about to set and the fiery glow reflects on the river, seemingly giving an infinite ray of hope. Your eyes start dreaming, as if they want to freeze the moment. Deep inside, you know that you have started falling for her. You just want to be beside her forever. But then, a little bit of chaos drifts you from your dreams and your mind shakes you up. You wake up to realize, that the time spent has been too short. How could you fall for her in such a short time? Time doesn't stop and while your mind nudges your heartfelt moments, the sun gradually moves towards the horizon. Its hue gets more charming and deeper. The blue and red clouds adore the monsoon skies clearly, while the river paints a trembling reflection of the same: a stark resemblance of the clear mind and the faintly painted heart that desires to preserve every bit of her memory. You know that just after sometime, nothing of this would be there and its the sadness that creeps within you.

Monday 29 August 2016

The Monsoon Ride | Video Transcript

This blog below is basically the Video Transcript:
 (Scroll down below for the Youtube Videos)

It was August and it was in between heavy rains. The monsoons were at its peak. So, I was a little bit skeptical whether to ride my Motorcycle or drive to Digha. Finally, I decided to take my motorcycle when the weather turned out to be a little bit less cloudy the day before the trip began.

Digha, Mandarmani and the beaches around were already visited 3 times before this trip in this same year. So, being excited about a new destination was never in my mind. The fun was to be found through the ride to the destination. Initially, I was planning to skip the trip but during this particular journey, I needed some peace since I was already fighting myself to get over something that had thrown me Topsy-turvy. I am in general a carefree person, but times come when you are toppled over like nothing. This monsoon ride was a shot at bringing life back to normal.

তুমি বন্দিনী

বন্দিনী তুমি সীতা অশোক কাননে,
রাধা রূপে বন্দী ছিলে শ্যামের  চরণে।
সাধ তব মেটে নাই সেবিয়া সে কমললোচন
তাই বিষ্ণুপ্রিয়া হয়ে বিষ্ণুকেই করেছ বরণ।
কিন্তু নিঠুর হরি গৃহকোণে বন্দি করি
মেতেছিল নাম সংকীর্তনে।
হয়ে প্রিয়া যশোধরা ছিল রূপে মনোহরা
তোমার তপস্যা তবু হয় নি সফল।
কুমার সিদ্ধার্থ  হায় তোমাকে ছাড়িয়া যায়
সুকোমল বক্ষে জ্বালি বিরহ অনল।
পাষাণে ঝরিত অস্রু তোমার ক্রন্দনে,
তবু তুমি ধরা দিতে যুগে যুগে প্রেমের বন্ধনে।

 - সবিতা পাল

Tuesday 23 August 2016

The Dream Ride | Draft Plan | Kolkata to Ladakh on Motorcycle 2017

Please follow this post for the Final Plan


Dunno, if I will ever be able to execute this. But, this is the initial draft plan.

Yes it is big. It is a dream to realize.

There will be major roadblocks and many uncertainties for sure. For now, it is just an imagination, a dream which I want to materialize.

Riding a motorcycle across around 7000 kms in 23 days is definitely a mammoth plan in itself but it is not impossible. If your passion for riding is strong enough and if your roadblocks are clear, it can be done without any hiccups.

There have been motorcycle rides from Kolkata to Ladakh to Kolkata in the past. Rolling Wheels has such an episode published in Youtube.
There are also numerous others who have completed such journeys over such distances successfully in the past. Mumbai to Ladakh (e.g. Mumbaiker Nikhil), Bangalore to Ladakh, Hyderabad to Ladakh and many more.

Initial Roadblocks:
1. Convincing Family
2. Leave for a 15 working days (23 tour days)

Things considered while planning:
1. Every weekend is consumed to minimize the number of working days.
2. In 23 days: 2 days constitute light riding/more rest and 3 days of full rest in between

Improvements that can be done to Plan:
1. We can easily minimize 23 days to less number of days keeping the same travel route and plan
2. Please suggest. Please comment.