Poona Darshan

Shaneerwada

I declared to myself that 2014 is a year of travelling for me, connecting with extended family members and friends living out of Hyderabad. Focusing to spend more time helping my daughter with her studies, learning to blog better, reducing my time on the face book and listening to my heart.

Tilak's measum

Poona has always been a favourite place to visit.  As I have some very special memories at this place. I loved visiting Poona, mainly because of relatives who loving, affectionate and caring. My earlier visits as child at Ghorpuri bazaar (where my uncle stayed), Ram wadi, Moses wadi is the entire place where my cousin was married and settled.

me &my daughter maria at the historic site

Relatives of Poona for me have always been popular in our family for their hospitality, welcoming nature and can making anyone feel at home. 

 I have not forgotten my visit to the MG Road, Fashion Street, Empress Garden and the cathedral during my stay.

I have even visited a theatre year ago in one of my holiday trips with my mum, my sisters and brothers. 

I remember relishing the doklas, Poha  and a variety of curries which my aunt made in Maharashtrian style.

Balgangadhar Tilak model at the measum

I was so happy when I got an opportunity to do a short Bible course in Poona for 6 months, and what a treat! I just enjoyed my stay, while every weekend I had my uncle coming and waiting for me to take me home and treat me like a queen.

Aghakhan palace

Now I revisited after many years with my husband and daughter and had a great time.  The first thing we did as a family was to connect with our relatives and it was a joy to meet and interact and spend time, catching up all that has happened in between the last few years that I lost contact. I also felt the absence of my cousin sister who died a year ago, and an aunt who passed away this year.

After which we spent time sightseeing, as my daughter was visiting this place for the first time.

I made sure that we go around, and it was quite an interesting. We took the Poona Darshan, which takes us around the city for one full day, showing all the important, historic and significant places at Poona.  

me, Dorothy & David at Aghakhan palace 

The Poona Darshan begins at 9 a.m in the morning from the bus station (moledina stand) and returns by 5p.m.  He covers 15 – 18 places in the day with a break for lunch in between.

The charges are Rs 300 per head, there is a guide in the bus who speaks Hindi and Marathi and checks on the time, as we move from place to place. 

The places we visited were as follows: Shaniwar wada, Aghakhan palace, Kelkar Measum, Rajiv Gandhi Zoo Park, Japanese garden, tribal measum, Parvathi Mandir, and few more significant places.

We had a great time and it was definitely a refreshing break from the routine: I am glad for this time of togetherness and am happy to have reconnected with pune, a city that I loved and still love for having created memories !!!

Tribal Measum at Pune

historic temple at pune

A Ride at the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park

At the Zoo

Beautiful Garden

Salman khan's movie Body Guard was shot here at this garden

Entrance of the Friendship Garden

colourful fishes at this garden ! a joy to the sight

“ Travel brings love and power back into your life “ Rumi

Happy Mother’s Day 2014 !

I have been thinking of my mom in the last two weeks, and attempting to do a post on mother’s day. I was not able to make it, as we scheduled a family trip to Vizag to attend a wedding and took opportunity to go for sightseeing. So I came back refreshed now to get connected and write a small post for my mom who has been my great support and strength for my life.

Me & My Mom at velankanni shrine, Tamil nadu

What I really love about my mother is that she was ever willing to explore – whether it’s trying a new recipe or watching a new movie, visiting a place, getting to know people.  She was very interested in meeting people, interacting with them, and sharing lighter moments, recalling old times stories, that kept her going and interested in life.

She was an amazing lady who never got tired of working in the kitchen, and loved to cook and serve.  My friends and relatives still talk about her special skill of getting the meals ready in no time, making snacks within few minutes and entertaining guests.

Every time I think of my mother, I am filled with gratitude for all that she was! And all that she did for the family…. Unfortunate that she left us early without wanting to cause any inconvenience to any of her children. She always said that she would like to leave peacefully, and never wanted to be bedridden, and so it was.

The final visit of my mom at my residence, myself pregnant & my daughter is seen here

She was very proud of me, and spoke of me with great pride with whoever came her way. Today she would have loved to hear the kind of work I am involved with, and would have marvelled looking at my daughter grown up …

Mother’s day always brings in beautiful moments of my life with my mother, and at the same time also gives me a lot of pain to believe that she is no more … I miss her the most when I am unwell, as those are the moments I feel her absence, for she was ever ready to serve – bringing hot cup of tea, with bread and ensuring that I have enough rest. 

The last time she visited me was, when I was pregnant with my second child, she came to wish for  my daughter's birthday on 7th September, 2003.  She looked so happy and assured me that all will be well and she will  stay with me in the hospital for my delivery. 

The next time I saw her was in the hospital, wherein I went to wish her for her birthday. The final good bye was on November 1st 2003. Since then everything is still so fresh to the mind, and I am grateful to God for bringing her in my life.

Thanks Amma! Remember you with love!  YOU are best! And there can never be another YOU!

May your soul rest in peace!

Happy mother’s Day to you dear Mothers! And to all my friends who are mothers!

  

A-Z Reflection Post!

Today I want to acknowledge and specially thank all of you for journeying along with me in the last 26 days! Thanks for your kind words of encouragement, affirmation and care.  I am blogging for the second time on A-Z blogging challenge.  

It was definitely empowering experience for me, than last time. Previous year I was so nervous and found difficult to manage and struggled somehow to complete the challenge with great joy. This year, my confidence level has increased. I chose to write short posts and focused more on inspirational quotes for 26 days.

 I collected the quotes in advance alphabetically, and few extra quotes for standby and listened to my heart every day as I kept posting. Where ever I felt to write more and add additional pics or even change the quote, I did and some post I just posted the quote.  The reason for this was to visit as many bloggers as possible within this time frame.

free images from Google.

I did make a few mistakes while posting, I pasted the link at the wrong place and within two or three days I understood the process.  I was happy to be part of this community. I liked the way some of our members encouraged everybody to show compassion to certain blogs which was not visited by any one – I was happy to visit them and learn a bit more about their blog. 

This year I felt the administration was well organized putting people in groups.  It was a good experience, as it brought one small group closer to one another.  Some days I could comment on every blog from my group, and at other times, I managed to make a few comment also from the other groups.

One of the biggest challenge I faced from my end, was the frequent power cuts that disturbed a lot while posting, and adding to that was the computer which was troubling me by automatic shut down, sometimes I would be in the middle of commenting, or posting or linking and when this happens I found very irritating and with patience handled this challenge.

I went out to the internet centre and posted whenever there was a problem at my place.  When I read about the other bloggers challenges on the main comment thread, I felt comforted that I was not alone and there are so many who are trying their best to post as on schedule.

I would also like to appreciate the group members for having linked my post in the appropriate place, during my absence – I could enjoy a break for four days and was still be connected because of this group.

I am also very thankful and grateful for my companions who regularly commented, encouraged, agreed, disagreed, inspired and shared their feelings. 

 It’s your gift to me, and I have become better because of you ! 

Thank you for bringing smile on my face with your comments

Thanks for sharing such wonderful posts; some of them were very stimulating

I loved reading the following blogs for this whole month:

Free images from Google.

• Shilpa’s blog http://shilpaagarg.com – like the way you developed your theme and inspired me., this time your focus was great, loved reading a few one was on domestic violence and the other one was Divorce….??  I found difficult to access your blog… this time .. my own computer issues..
• Meena for her beautiful pics and a variety of posts that always attracted me to read. http://meenasspace.blogspot.in/
• Sunila’s blog that gave so much information on Yoga and everything related to body, mind, spirit and of course the meaning of OM.  http://sunilavigauthor.blogspot.in
• Beloo”s blog that had so much of resourceful information of education and the challenges  in our country http://letbeautybeyourconstantideal.blogspot.in/2014/04/n-is-for-near-from-near-to-far-third.html
•  Stri’s was very different and I enjoyed the/Fiction – there was suspense, thrill, romance and happy ending – loving reading http://iamstri.wordpress.com
• Jayanth’s blog http://jayantathoughts.blogspot.in/2014/04/nature-save-nature.html raised a  lot simple and sensitive issues to think deeply and respond, be it for voting, youth, education, etc…
• Naba’s was very inspiring and  beautiful http://nabanita-blacknwhite.blogspot.in your expressions are simply superb, I enjoy visiting random thoughts…
• http://shellymona.wordpress.com/I loved your page “You are beautiful “  very well conveyed, your thoughts were inspiring…
• http://www.sheshachaturvedi.com for sharing your views on various aspects of life, stimulating us to think….
• http://proactiveindian.com/- I loved reading almost all the posts, as it was very well written, some of them I have not forgotten, especially the one who spoke on opening the gift in the presence of a giver, another one on professional work and its charges… there were other issues very relevant to our time, and it triggered a lot of response from within, thank you for sharing & commenting
• http://lawsofgravity.blogspot.in/  it was all on teaching, knitting and handling the students, some of them were very good -  and the way you handled your glass shows your maturity and perseverance.

I must thank Corinne and Vidya for facilitating and encouraging, I did not get time to read your posts.. hope to catch up !

Thanks to all of you, some of the names I may have left out, but please know that you have been a great source of inspiration and motivation for me to complete this challenge !

Free images from Google

Congrats to all of you ! who have been part of this challenge !Celebrate yourself !