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A sneak peek of Austria: stepping into dreamland (End part)!

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I had heard of Mozart earlier, mostly through his works. An odd symphony tune would come up as an inspiration for a Bollywood song, or would be used as a background score. I had also heard of Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart, in Austria. So, the temptation was there to explore the artist through his works and to try to touch his roots through the city, where he had taken his very first breath. As per schedule, me and my nephew started for Salzburg from Villach in a train. I had mentioned earlier - the trains in Austria ran on time and were clean, neat and in order. Much like the trains of Netherlands. The movie through the train-windows that I had been enjoying for the past few days continued further. Some breathtakingly picturesque views from the train onlooking the ridges and mountains kept our eyes and hearts busy. Those small buildings in between! How do the inmates keep their focus on their chores! If I were there, I would have done nothing but gaze the surroundings. It was a ho...
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A sneak peek of Austria: stepping into dreamland (Part 2)!

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[Continued from part 1] "Morning shows the day!" - we know of this saying. Often in travels I have seen this statement come true. There is a certain charm that a fresh, new day brings and when I am out of house, I feel this much more. Sometimes the freshness stays on, sometimes I need to make an effort to keep it that way. Nevertheless, a tune for the entire day is set by how the sun wakes up, or the rain drizzles or the snow-cover paints its colour or the strong wind blows through the soul. The next morning started meeting my nephew. My father would say - the younger generation is per default more knowledgeable, more reflective and more skilful than you are. I have believed in his statement. This is one of the reasons I feel at ease with my juniors. In this case I was in the company of an intellectual, erudite mind who had travelled far in life to come to continue his inquest in one of the most prestigious research firms in Austria. The breakfast was a schooling session for ...
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Where Coffee Meets Sophistication, Confectionary Meets Artistry

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We all have multiple lives. We juggle between being a parent, a partner, a professional, a sibling, or maybe just being an occasional creative person. While it is true also in my case, I can add a couple of things more to this list - that of being a traveller and a student. When I travel, I focus on people, places, history, landscape, food, drinks, dress, tradition etc. and I often look for a place where I can get most of these together. It may sound a bit strange, but I have always had a belief that a good coffee shop is a place where you can expect many of these to be present at a time.  People who love to relax and meet others come to drink a cup of coffee. If the shop is decorated enough, one will find a glimpse of the town and its landscape through some paintings on its walls. Some shops have local tradition mixed in the menu - a cake or baked sweet item which was founded years ago at the same place where the shop is now housed. Staffanstorp is a small town in between Malmö an...
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Presenting Naushad : Part 8

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The research continues  6.  Pi ke ghar aaj pyari... ( Mother India )  This is one of the finest songs sung by the great Shamshad Begum. A brilliant, heart-wrenching " Bidaai " (a ritual when a newly-wed girl leaves her parents' place) song composed by Naushad and offered to Shamshad who gave it her everything. " Roye babulji unki kaliyan chali " (translation : the father cries as his flower is taken away from him) brings tears to the eyes of any sensitive listener. The tune of the antara (middle verses of a song), together with the poignant words, create an atmosphere of everlasting nostalgic feeling. This feeling stays on within the hearts of all listeners. Some words can also be written about the director of the movie - the great Mehboob Khan. Mother India is still one of the most creative and real masterpieces of cinema made in India. If one sees the movie even today, every frame of it is real. The music is equally real. Naushad, in an interview stated, Mehb...
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Presenting Naushad : Part 7

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Deep dive into the world of Naushad! The Naushad phenomenon would not be complete if I do not mention about the following songs; these are the ones that have been my personal favourites : 1.  Mera pyar bhi tu hai... ( Saathi )  I chose this song only because of the tremendous sweetness that it imparts on the ears of its listeners. I think Mukesh and Suman Kalyanpur did a sparkling job. Based on Raga Pilu (sometimes called Misra Pilu), the song depicts happiness and love. Here Naushad-sahab is very cautious about the fact that the notes encircle within a relatively limited periphery or range so that Mukesh's voice is aptly suited. It is noteworthy to mention that Lata Mangeshkar had once stated in an interview that Mukesh never really liked high-pitched vocals and preferred serenity over loud expressions. Naushad's melody offers just that kind of liberty to Mukesh to usher and Suman Kalyanpur too provides the same gentleness and smoothness that the song required. On the screen...
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A sneak peek of Austria: stepping into dreamland (Part 1)!

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What is essential in life is to be happy. With all aspects taken care of – money, status, friends, fame, to name a few – life still needs that one thing, and that is happiness. The famous author R.K.Narayan, in his renowned story collection “ Malgudi Days ” mentioned time and again the importance of this aspect; the simple fact – that happiness is a choice, and we must consciously want to make that choice at every stage of life. One of the choices I make to get myself instantly happy is to travel. Not far and wide, but close-by. It is rather important for me to be on my budget, stay on my terms and to be on my own mercy to enjoy a travel. As the famous Frank Sinatra once sang, “ I travelled each and every highway/And more, much more than this/I did it my way ”, you must find your own way that suits you. Perhaps, someone wants to indeed go the far. That is perfectly fine. I came to know of a couple in Europe who had spent most of their romantic life motorbiking through large parts...
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The last travel chapter from 2020….

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The pandemic was teaching us new things every day. Economic crisis was seen before, job losses were not that rare in the Western World. Even massive population getting sick due to an unknown wave of infection was recorded before in human history. I think the corona pandemic taught mankind a very cruel lesson which was by and large new – how to live alone! My first trip to Germany went smooth, I had got an apartment to share. I received a lot of help from my new company and my manager – many things which could have gone wrong were falling in its place. The only thing that was bothering me – and I am sure many of us – was the continuously growing mistrust in social life and the increasing seclusion and loneliness. Aloneness is very different from loneliness – the former one you choose on your own will, and it can be fulfilling and needed at times. But loneliness is pathetic, it is bitter, and it is a curse. We are humans and not animals. We have developed trust for thousands of years. ...
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