Surya Namaskar.. Chandra Namaskar!!

Since it would happen only once in my lifetime, I had to see it- the total solar eclipse.
Did I see it? No! Was I disappointed? Not much!
You know why... because the moment itself was magical. Getting up at 4 am and reaching school by 5 am... Entering office at 5 am.. and for once, enjoying the yellow lights in my office which I otherwise detest.. watching children and teachers fresh and alert at 5:30 am... climbing a shaky ladder to go to the school terrace... watching a variety of birds flying in the early morning sky (I tell you.. you will not find too many worms around here.. there are too many early birds to catch them) and then the best moment of all.. see the day turn into night and back to day in 4 minutes flat!!!
All the other moments in that day will happen many times again but the light to darkness to light miracle... only once in a lifetime and priceless!!

Om suryaya namaha and om chandray namah!!!

A tourist in your own city...

I visited Borivali National Park this Sunday when I attended Rujuta's marathon group's Sunday session there. the last I had been here was when I was in Class 4 or something. I cant remember visiting it since then.
It is such a beautiful place that I was wondering that I spent 2 years in Mumbai and have not explored so many interesting places of this city.So, I have been planning this vacation in Mumbai when I will be a tourist in my own city. I am putting down here the places that I want to visit then:
1. Elephanta Caves
2. Asiatic Library
3. NCPA
4. Gallery of modern art
5. Nehru Science Center
6. Nehru Planetorium
7. Taraporewala Aquarium
8. National Park
9. Byculla Zoo
10. Aarey Milk Colony
11. Madh Island

Sunay's first day to school by van

This post was written on 1st July. Managed to publish it today.

Today is the day from which Sunay starts going to school by his school van. Although he is going to school since 2 weeks now (he is in Playgroup), so far, it was his “settling period” where he went to school accompanied by an adult from home. Vardan and I accompanied him for 2 days and then, it was his faithful maid Ruchita (uchi didi to Sunay) who would ferry him to school and back everyday.
Since today was his first day by van, we were excited about it and so was he. We made quite a ceremony of the whole thing. Vardan and I both stayed back at home and decided to go to work late so that we could see him leave. We clicked pictures and were at the apartment gate 10 minutes before time.
When his van came, there were 3-4 kids already in it. 1 kid had tear- stained cheeks. The van attendant settled Sunay in his van. Sunay then asked Ruchita to come sit in the van with him and she told him” ab mein tere saath nahi aaongi” . Sunay’s face fell and I think he would have cried if we would have lingered around longer. Thankfully, the van started and off he went.
All three of us – Vardan, Ruchi and I- had silent tears as we watched Sunay go away. On my way to school, I reflected on how we felt and I realised that this is his first foray in the outside world without his parents or caregivers by his side. There will be so many more times that he will go on his own- to school, to college, to university, to camps and Vardan and I will be left wondering when did our “shonka boy” grow up so fast!!! I keep telling Radhika that I will be one miserable mom when this happens. But I now know that I will be ok. After all, Kahlil Gibran has said “your children are not your children.. they are life’s longing for itself..”

Aah! Parenting is not an easy thing after all!!!