Travels and thoughts

My first initiation into Pink Floyd music was at Utsav College Festival at BMSCE, way back in the 80s. I was walking along the festive atmosphere in the college campus when the sound of what was playing perked up my interest. A few friendly inquiries revealed that 'Time' was the song playing and to the consternation of Arnab, my to be music provider for some successive years to come, it was my first hearing! From that moment, I was slowly but surely initiated to good, timeless music. With a job, marriage and moving to new destinations, the frequency of listening to such music reduced until Sanchit grew up exhibiting enormous interest in all kinds of music.  During his teens, we had great conversations on the timeless nature of music and heard quite a bit either at home or on long drives.  He was very open to hear music from another era. And so it was that I began to listen once again to PF, Cale, Doors, Led Zeppelin etc.  Once he moved out of home to...

There is a saying in Hindi.... भगवान की इच्छा के आगे मनुष्य दुर्बल है After a month long vacation with Shruthi in May 2018, I did not have any plans to visit Philly for the next couple of months. And then Sanchit Ram announced his plans to move to his new home in Cincinnati. Shruthi immediately and spontaneously volunteered to travel over the weekend to help him set it up. Fate intervened to create c ircumstances to prompt my travel in early July 2018 again to USA. Initially I was a bit hassled at the thought of another 14 hour travel within a span of one month and this constant itinerant gypsy streak that was developing in me. Yet the thought of meeting Shruthi and Sanchitram at the end of the trip was enough to act as motivation for the journey. I reached NY and Sanchit Ram enjoying his brief break prior to starting full fledged work was there to receive me. Both of us traveled to Philadelphia using the subways and Amtrak. Shruthi's home is a haven to our family. Her warmth...

It was a misty morning, damp and humid with a slight summer drizzle in Innsbruck, Austria. After a superb dinner at L’osteria, an Italian eatery strongly recommended by our receptionist, we had a refreshing sleep and were up by 0530 hours. The constant intake of beer and wine induced by the relaxed atmosphere and beautiful environs, was taking its toll on the waist. Plagued by a guilt feeling, we decided that a mountainous hiking trail was what the doctor ordered to start our day. The mountains beckoned to us from the window of our hotel room. Armed with a jacket, just in case the Dubai residents suddenly felt cold, we set off towards what the local Austrians call the jump, thinking that would be fairly exacting trek.  Guided by instinct and a nose for the slightly adventurous, we crossed the underpass at Tivoli, past the Olympic stadium towards what seemed some residential quarters. The quarters past a corn field were pretty ordinary with no architectural stand out as...

The hills are alive with the sound of music.... The words of this song resonated with me from childhood. I watched Sound of music at Rex theatre Bangalore in the year 1977. I was just about 10 years old and the movie and the songs left an impact on me. The Von Tropp family. Maria with her musical talents, the city of Salzburg, the fountains, rolling and gentle hills which would blend with the clouds, every bit of the movie was enriched in my mind and heart. We had a Murphy LP player at home . we would look forward to the weekends, it would be a ritual to listen to the songs and sing along with them. The years passed but the images of Sound of Music did not diminish. 2018... our friends and we decided on a trip to Europe. Austria was one of the destinations. I was excited that I would visit Salzburg and relive my memories of my youth. Salzburg is on the banks of the river Salzach. The old town is dominated by its towers and churches and the massive Hohensalzburg Fortress...