Bheemeshwari Fishing Camp

                 On this December 07th we completed 4 years of marriage. We had been thinking for sometime to visit a forest lodge or camp and this was the perfect occasion for it. Closest one from Bangalore is the Bheemeshwari fishing camp which is just 100 kilometers away and also has day visit options.

                 Day started with us losing our way. We ended up reaching Galibore adventure camp instead of   Bheemeshwari camp. Since we had already pre booked at Bheemeshwari it was the worst drive retracing back to Bheemeshwari. Finally we realized that we had taken a wrong left towards Galibore since both the arrows seemed to be pointing to the same direction separated by only few degree's.  It was the first time that goggle maps had also deserted us, kept pointing to wrong turnings and kept making U turns. Finally we trusted our instincts rather than goggle and retraced our steps back.We ended up covering an extra 30 kms before reaching the camp site.

               The moment we parked the car were under monkey attack. My husband had warned me to get out and close the door. But I had little time to respond thus leaving a small opening in the back window. We had the camera, jackets, house keys everything in the car and were petrified that the monkey may run off with it. Thankfully enough it was interested only in a packet of namkeen and was off with it.

               There are lot of adventure activities include different kinds of rope walking, kayaking, coracle ride. It was earlier a fishing camp which has been converted to nature and adventure camp. Due to conservation to save the "giant Mahaseer"  fishing is no longer allowed here. We started with the Burma Loop.In order to get to the top we had to climb a rickety ladder. Although I completed the activity smoothly enough I realized that I was not getting any younger.      

Burma Looping

Zip Line

                    The camp is located on the banks of the river Cauvery and is covered with trees. The best part is that lot of places for people to sit and enjoy nature. There are ample hammocks, huge tree swings. Swings are something I relate to from my school memories. The spent long hours on the standing swings at school and these huge swings only took me back in time.
                   Lunch was served at 1:30 at the lunch hall. It is also covered with net from all sides to prevent from monkey attacks. Lunch was not five star but was a filling home cooked meal. Then came the best part of the trip. Just lying down on a hammock below a tree. Feeling the breeze of the river and listening to the hundred different birds sing. That was one of the best afternoon naps ever ! It made me forget our back breaking drive and absolutely everything. It just wish that I had a hammock and a tree. But I guess I am asking too much.

Falling off the hammock

             Nap had to be interrupted for the coracle ride. I believe I am a water baby and being close to or in water always makes me happy. A word of caution is that the Cauvery river also has crocodiles and swimming in it is not an option. Our boatman showed us a croc lazing on a rock. The whole experience was amazing. We could spot different birds : river lapwing, river terns,the Brahmi eagle hovering above, the Cormorant flying with a fish in the mouth. Watching birds in their natural habitat is a pleasure and a rare one in today's world.

Cauvery river

Pristine water and clear sky

Check out the crocodile resting on the rock

      We ended our trip with some tea and snacks at the Gol ghar.
Would I return to this place ? Yes whenever I miss my hammock and tree. Whenever city life has drained me out. Whenever I want to see the birds and hear them sing.

The Nosy Indian

              I remember reading the story of Pinocchio as a child. A wooden puppet who liked to fabricate stories and lies. However each time he did so his nose would grow a bit longer. I wish it was true in real life. Imagine if our noses grew an inch when we snooped in others affairs ? Wouldn't that be interesting ! Just imagining it is fun.

              I have started realizing that we Indian's have an insatiable desire to know what is going around in others life. A few years outside India I saw that people just lived their own lives. Didn't bother about what was happening to the next door neighbor or relative. In the west no one is interested whether  you are single, married, seeing someone or divorced. Even if they do they will be frank enough to come and ask it on your face. Whereas we ourselves thrive on whats going on in others life. Some of the perennial topics of discussion are "Marriage", "Divorce", "Children".

These are the timeless questions.
1) Shaadi kab karogi ?  (When is she getting married ?).
2) Are divorce ho gaya pakka kuch gadbad hoga ( They got divorced: something must not be right)
3) Babu nahi hai ? Kitne saal hue shaadi ke ( You don't have a kid ? How many years are you married ?)

              What is shockingly true is that all these questions come under the "Strictly Personal" category.
I know many friends who are "Happily Single". May be they just want to live their lives, maybe they are not ready to settle down just with anyone, waiting for the right guy seems OK.
               Often marriages are not just meant to be. When two people separate it is a big decision and often no one's business. I have seen people not sharing the news that they have separated. Keeping quiet seems better than being the topic of discussion among friends and relatives.
               The third question is the one which I often get to hear myself. When I decided to quit my job for personal reasons I heard that it had become the most talked about thing (behind my back). Why does she wan't to leave a job that is paying her a good salary. Is is pregnant ? Is it hard to believe that a girl can't quit her job without being pregnant ? Maybe the work environment had just sucked out all my creativity and personal life. After 8 years of working my ass off I think I deserved to take a break.
              I have known people who can't have kids being humiliated in public occasions by being asked the same question about motherhood. Ultimately they lie that they are married for 2 years instead of 5 just to avoid the question about kids.

What I would say to such people is that no one cares about your mindless banter so please ****ING "Mind Your Own Business" !

Are we abled enough for Inclusion ?

                The third of December is celebrated as world disability day around the world. Today's morning paper reserved an article in a corner of the Bangalore times asking - " How disable friendly is Bengaluru ?". The major coverage was given to some topic about a film star.
                 My question is somewhat different. Are we ready to for an inclusive environment  in our society ? From what we see around us the answer seems to  be no. If anyone has traveled outside India you will notice the disable friendly environment present there. Every hotel, parking lot, school, college, public building, toilets are have railings and ramps to help people with disabilities. I remember that even in a small place where you may only have two toilets, one will be disable friendly. In India the story is of complete apathy. The railings, ramps, toilets the infrastructure are completely missing.
                 Apart from the complete lack of infrastructure there is the huge social stigma which the child and the family have to face in India. The stares, the whispers, the gossips going around add to the misery of parents who already are have to deal with fate, medical expenses and what not. It's more often the close relatives who will whisper behind your back that your child is mad or dumb. For my niece who is autistic I have often heard the comments. Why don't you send her to a deaf and dumb school. Send her to play with other children she will become smarter. What they don't know or understand is that she is already smart, maybe smarter than the other kids. Only she behaves or responds differently.
                 In school I see autistic children who have been kept at home for more than 8 years. Parents try to hide them from society and in turn harm the child by not providing a earlier intervention or treatment. There are parents who are themselves apathetic to their child and have left them with the house help. When I go around malls, temples, parks I hardly see any differently abled children around. Is it because their number is insignificant ? Or is it because parents are forced to keep them inside just to avoid complaints and stares from society.
                Schools are coming up at every nook and corner of Bangalore. Education is now the next biggest business. How come we don't see any disabled children in these high profile schools ? Is is right to segregate a part of the society and send them to special schools and institutions. Is it ok for them to be kept locked in their homes just because they seem to think, behave or look different ? There are developed countries around the world like Denmark were special children are being integrated with the other children under the same school. This can be achieved by having special educators, shadow teachers and some laws and policies implemented at the center which will restrict schools from not accepting special children.
              What the special children and their families need is a empathy and not sympathy. By building a inclusive environment at educational institutions we are can make the future generation sensitive to the needs of others. Exclusion is unjust and it creates divides and more apathy.
Here are few things that we can do as individuals:
1) Try acknowledging the presence of the child with a hello
2) Invite them over for your child's birthday
3) Invite them over for play dates
Make them feel loved and  treat them as equals. In today's world of hurry bury. Lets not forget to be humans first.