One decade left; another is right at the door-step

The unusual silence at my office proclaimed something about the decade that was about to lie down in history. Our office was shut down for two weeks, owing to the severe economic recession in this last year of the decade 2000-09. The thinking forum at my office did what it does best - thought to save some money at the end of the decade. All the pressure-cookerized employees welcomed the break and set-off their sights to a holidaying bonanza of 16 days, culminating with the new year celebrationz and loosely followed by the monday blues to attend the office on the first day of year twenty-ten (20-10) !!

My holidays began on December 19...plan was to set off on a holy trail of meeting wifey's relatives from Greater Noida - Delhi - Meerut - Haridwar - Rishikesh - Mussoorie. For one thing was sure, my wife will be in a very good mood thruout the entourage and i can take the liberty of rejuvenating myself alongside the holy waters of Maa Ganges, the stony highway till my destination, the deity jhulas of Rishikesh and chilling-numby winters of hill queen Mussoorie. I don't know that whenever you start thinking about your in-laws for the coming week(s), your body does not respond too well to such a thinking process and so there was I, running fever in excess of 102F, on Sunday. My body though of resting long enough before throwing itself to the damaad's welcome ceremony. From Monday morning, my body and myself were at the helm of our newly-purchased bed, loving it more than ever in recent times. I forced my visit to the doctor, who recommended the normal dosage for viral fever. Now, the mood turned from holidaying to sombre as viral generally takes 4-5 days to cool down. Same statement (I don't know that whenever you start thinking about your in-laws for the coming week(s), your body does not respond too well to such a thinking process) now applied to my wife who caught viral fever thinking that she will be thronged by her in-laws as planned to spend the holidays at our new heavenly abode.

Things and time turn faster than we think and X-mas arrived. Both of us felt much better and healthy enuf to throng the local shopping mall and buy some X-mas gifts for our naughty kiddo. The mall greeted us with a shock - people in thousands were present, parking space occupancy was almost full, and people were clashing with each other, though unintentionally. I cursed the westernization of our Indian culture and companies like Archies/Hallmark, who have make X-mas more popular than Diwali n Dussehra. But for sure, this was not the case. The parking attendant told that all this rush was due to the release of the new Aamir Khan starrer 3 Idiots. Again, my mind spinned through time space that why people would spend money and time to see a movie about idiots when we are always surrounded by such idiots thruout our lives. May be, the reason would be that these three guys were accepting that they are Idiots !! (who won't accept if he gets so much money in return). Even i paid for three tickets for watching the same movie next day and guys, let me tell you that this film will be a runaway hit for times to come. Everyone in us long to become like Rannchhod Lal Shyamlal Chanchad (aka Punshuk Wangdu), the whiz-kid in the movie, who gets everything - Prof's daughter, best frenz and genius brain.

So, we relaxed in the X-mas weekend and our bodies started giving signals that we can take them to the wanderer's trip from Sunday onwards. Thus, after kissing my wife's maayka on Sunday, we reached Meruth (i don't know who the hell spelt it Meerut) to masi's place, stayed overnite and zoomed to Haridwar the very next day. My wife queered the hell out of me for a cup of tea (she likes tea more than me, for obvious reasons) and i obliged her (as if there was some other way) by stopping the car for a tea-break just outside her second masi's place in Haridwar (just FYI, it is one of the very few towns in India, which is spelt in English in the very same it is pronounced in Hindi). Haridwar literally means Door of God and truly speaking, i suddenly felt a calmness in my mind and body after reaching there. The very next day, we went to Rishikesh and Har ki Pauri in Haridwar, mistaking the route from Bhaniawala to Rishikesh, which was by far the best road as per its scenic beauty and serenity. When you drive alongside the holy Ganges, your body adds to your enthusiasm and you yourself lift your mood. I loved every bit and moment of driving. However, it was sad to see people using two-wheelers on Lakshman Jhula and greedy pandits hovering over your head at Har kee Pauri. The water at the latter place was so cold that the fingers went numb the moment water came in contact. I really salute people who took bath in Ganges in that chilling water. We witnessed the Holy Aarti there and found ourselves a bit near to God. Our little kiddo was somehow in a devilish mood and rightaway refused to wear any cap to cover her head. Even God was not willing to help us in that matter and she won in not wearing any head-stuff till the aarti ended (to be contd............).