Lahore

Though not into much of reading business, I bought and read my first book in years. Yes, you read it right :-). I have read a book and it doesn't stop here , I wrote a review for it too. The title was something which was moving and got me interested. The book is "Lahore" by Pran Neville. I read it because it reminded me of the Lahore which my grandpa used to tell about. It reminded me of the kite flying I used to love passionately, it reminded me of the open culture I had inherited and above all it reminded me of now cherised days with my grandpa. It also reminded me of a Milestone on the Ferozepur road, which I used to notice on the way from home (Ludhiana) to college (Moga), which still says "Lahore 110 miles"(approx). And finally read it because it seemed to be much more than a book.

Below is the review.


Believed to be founded between 6th and 16th century B.C, the city of Lahore is amongst one of the oldest cities in the human civilization. Pran Neville’s book on Lahore talks about the times when Lahore was called the Paris of East. Though the history de-scribes British Raj in India as one of plunder and destruction, the book talks about British era as Lahore’s days of glory. The book is a memoir and an emotional tribute by the author to the city of his birth.

It starts with an introduction giving glimpses of the glorious past of Lahore. Then it moves into the life and streets of the walled city. It adores bazaars, educational institutions, kothas, and marvels of British and Mughal architecture that decorated the city. The sections on daily lives of Lahoris (as Lahore’s inhabitants lovingly called themselves), anecdotes on romances, affairs, games, singers, wrestlers etc provides the reader a look into rich and open culture of Lahore. The book also focuses on social dilemmas and exceptions to them that existed in those days. There’s a separate section devoted to the Lahoris’ famous penchant for good food and good clothing. It also focuses on the secular nature of the city in which Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims lived together in harmony. There is a full chapter devoted to Kite flying, the passion that still binds Lahoris and brings back reminiscences of grandeur of old days. The writings are full of nostalgia. It is a treat for those with a taste for history and can bring tears to those who have been uprooted from their homelands.

It is laden with the famous anecdotes, idioms and songs in Punjabi and Urdu (also ex-plained in English) of the bygone era. The journey into the heart of Lahore through author’s words makes one realize the truth of the famous saying “One who hasn’t seen Lahore hasn’t been born yet”. Towards the end of book, the author writes about the visit to his Mecca after 5 decades of wait.

His emotional journey into the past, throws open many implicit questions, the biggest being “Was partition a required sacrifice to give for our Independence?”. The author’s memoir echoes the pain and longing to see their roots by displaced millions on both sides of border and the agony of being called “Refugees” in the land, which they chose to be their country. A poet has rightly summed up this pain in the following words:

Koi Ajmer Sharif nu tarse,
Koi tarse Nankaane nu.

(The lines mean, “Some long for their Ajmer Sharif and some for their Nankana”. Ajmer Sharif is a holy place for Muslims located in India and Nanakana Sahib is holy place for Sikhs located in Pakistan.).

The only weakness for the book might be its overly simplistic language throughout, which can also be its strong point for many.

The power of ONE

It was Saturday. But had to go to a doc; somehow managed to get up on a beautiful rainy day and drove through to the doc's clinic. Reached there in an hour, though clinic was at 5 mins bike ride from home. Had to wait on the way as it started raining heavily. And by the time I reached, I could see around 20 people lined up waiting for the doctor. And to top it all, I hadn't booked an appointment. The receptionist asked me to visit on Monday. Had to apply a jack, I have become used to. This time it was another doc’s reference. And as always it worked. The receptionist asked me to wait, as she would try to adjust me with one of the patients.

The entire environment in the lobby was gloomy. Everybody looked damn dumb and serious there. There were people from different backgrounds. A lady with a bob cut was looking down upon the others as if she had seen some dirty aliens while the traditional people sitting there seemed to be cursing her for tarnishing their culture.

Amidst this gloomy lobby, out a sudden a lady came there with her child. The child was a beautiful baby boy with a smile as rare and as true as you can get. His eyes conveyed his happiness to be in this world. The curiosity in his eyes seemed to be wondering at the expressions of the patients sitting there, what they had lost that he isn’t aware of. He was so lively and sweet that, everyone was attracted towards him. Suddenly everybody was interested in the child's movements and expressions. The other children sitting there too came to play with him. One child had suddenly livened up a dull place. Seemed like a situation out of a book, but this was happening in front of my eyes. Reminded me of a coke ad "Dikhte hain hum alag alag par andar se hain hum same same....".

As the child left, the situation was back to normal or should I say back to abnormal. But one strange child had touched everybody's life and given them a moment of joy.

Maujaan..(during the Trip Spree)

These days some of the burden of work seems to have been taken off and we can be seen roaming/racing around Mangalore. Since 2 of our roomies are leaving we planned to visit whatever places are left unexplored in and around Mangalore. Planned to rest this weekend, so taking time to write about our experiences in the past 2 months.
For the past 2 months, we have been visiting a lot of places. Can call it a trip spree. Have been to Hassan, Bekal Fort, Piligula and Manipal.
Hassan
Had a plan for a bike ride to Goa, but it started raining when we got up in the morning. As 3-4 hrs were wasted decided to go to Hassan for a coffee (though had tea and some snacks too). It’s around 180 kms from here ☺. But journey nowadays seems to be more important than the destinations. The journey was awesome, tiresome; but in the end the feeling was like “tripti” for the soul.

Started towards Hassan through a bad highway road and came back through a worser one. But encountered a dream track, which stretched to around 30-40 kms from Hassan to back home. It looked like a racing track with greenery all around. Looked like scenes out of a fairy tale. But the journey after that stretch was one laden with blind curves, amidst huge mountains with thick vegetation and dark clouds. The nature looked beautiful and dangerous at the same time. The NH-13 highway road stretch looked like a god-forsaken road though the scenes around conveyed the opposite. The most tiresome journey every encountered but the most fulfilling too.

Bekal Fort
The next trip was to the Bekal fort, a place we had been planning to visit for the past 2 years but missed it somehow everytime. This one was another picturesque journey; though this time around, the destination was even more beautiful. Bekal fort seemed to be a place ideal for shooting desktop wallpaper material. The vast blue Arabian sea, a railway track running parallel to it, a fortress guarding the land and out of the world beaches with a backdrop of natural vegetation was a rare sight to watch. Mother Nature seemed to have settled here. We couldn’t stop enjoying. The wallpapers are still gracing my desktop.

Pilikula
The next one was to Pilikula zoo. One of it’s kind; this zoo has it all. Ranging from dangerous snakes to beautiful deer; to the ever so ROYAL tiger. It has a variety of snakes, from pythons to cobra to green colored poisonous snakes. Looking at the cobra, one gets to know why is it called the KING. It was huge (around 10 meters long), jet black with graceful yet quick movements; another example of dangerous beauty. On the other hand, the tiger showed what Royal means. Its royal walk was the one, which made our trip. The tiger is easily one of the natures’ most beautiful creations I have every witnessed. Couldn’t stop looking at it. Unfortunately, couldn't capture these in the camera as it was raining heavily that day.

Manipal
The following week we marched to Manipal, my second trip there. There’s something about Manipal; it’s a masterstroke by T.M.A Pai. A beautiful city crowded with youngsters (one can find the youngsters from all over India as well as abroad here). Wonderful infrastructures (out of India, if not out of the world infrastructure), hilly mountains, cool climate and youthful energy; this place has it all. We moved towards the end-point. I always used to think of end-point as the seashore, though it turned out to be Manipal’s end point. Another picturesque venue, apart from beautiful gals jogging there, there was ample beauty to get lost into. It has lush green stadiums, felt like sleeping in the middle of the cricket pitch. The river flowing downward was a sight to behold.

The bike
There’s been one thing common in all these recent bike trips, the bike. It’s Thunderbird but it’s not mine ☺. This bike carries that Royal heritage Enfield bikes are famous for. Easily the best cruiser bike the country, it spoils you as you can drive with one gear up or down without any effect on the engine. The power, the balance, the elegance, the beauty and the speed it has all. It’s one of the reasons, journeys seem to better than the destination.

Waiting for the Harley to come to India. Would love to own and compare a Harley against the ever so ROYAL Enfield.