As I took off to explore the city, I was spellbound, like a little child tasting a sourly-sweet flavored ice-cream for the first time. For an art lover, learning that the streets are full of graffiti and art works left me all the more overwhelming. Impatient, restless, curious was what I had become. I laid my eyes carefully at every nook and corner just so that I don't miss any wonder. Guess what could be a lone traveler's best-friend?
A mobile phone? A camera? No, it's the map. It is as complicated as oneself and yet somewhere along the way, figures out everything. I wandered off with the map, trying to find the street art, lane by lane, building by building, asking for directions, smiling at strangers like myself, yet again feeling cynically proud of myself. And winking heartily at fellow solo travelers along the path. It is surprising how something as simple as a painting on the wall, which at some point of time would have seemed to be annoying to the owner of the building had now turned into something so incredible that I traveled miles and spent a day trying to find and witness the same.
Lesson 1 learnt - Time has the power to change the mundane to magical and vice-versa.
If you're imagining a near perfect clear, neat painting on a uniform wall, well, you're wrong. Instead, it was a rugged wall, the painting worn off, the materials peeling away, the algae struggling to sustain on what was its only host, the corners black with years of rain, dust and fingerprints. And amidst this, the painting survived through. Looking as beautiful as any peacock feather rich with colors and depth. Probably, it looks all the same, right from the time it was painted. Probably, it is eternal. Probably, it is not just a painting. Probably, there is a story that lies hidden beneath it. Probably, it is a marvel for me: and a distress for another. A million probable moots ticked the nerves of my mind.
Meanwhile, I was lost trying to find these silent-story telling pictures. Just as quoted in The Lunchbox, "Sometimes the wrong train takes us to the right places.", I was lost to the right place. I was ecstatic to find a lane bustling with energy, smiles, music and an aroma of local delicacies. As I neared to the lane, a 60 plus gentleman, was playing some heart-warming music with quite a lot of instruments and all at once. Not the kind of instruments imported from Germany, London or any country. Rather drum from used cans, sticks with chopsticks, guitar with strings, keyboard using china-dish plates and cups. And light effects? What do you think it could be? From lamps all around. He sang gracefully in a language I hardly understood. Some words I could assume it to be what I thought it was.
People didn't walk away staring at him as though he were a peculiar insect. They stopped by, smiled and enjoyed the music, some joined-in, some gave him little presents, some photographed him, some congratulated him on his creativity. My heart jumped with joy at being surrounded by such wonderful people.
And yes, not disclosing the picture of the old musician, imagine and send me a sketch of what you imagined.
And a few others, standing in the opposite direction, trying to capture the beautiful sunset, the clear blue sky that welcomed me, was now blushing in pink and maroon, at how people traveled miles, saw spell-bound marvels and yet appreciating the beauty of the omnipresent sky. It signaled that now it was the time of the moon, of the stars and their stories and so, it bid farewell and fading away with an assurance that it will be back soon, very soon to amaze the souls that loved it.
The aroma of the snacks being freshly prepared triggered my empty tummy. No, I did have a heavy lunch but a whole lot of walking and running and exploring, you see. I tried a local favorite, named, named, named, well I do know if I disclose the name you would Google out the city I visited, and so, let's call it Dish-1. Dish-1 served the purpose, I realized why it was a local favorite. Soft, crunchy, and filling.
Art, music, people and food.
What more could I ask for?
Happy and content, I took off to where I was supposed to go.
Where was I supposed to go? Look out for the next post. :)
© Deekshita Srinivas. 11th July 2015.
A mobile phone? A camera? No, it's the map. It is as complicated as oneself and yet somewhere along the way, figures out everything. I wandered off with the map, trying to find the street art, lane by lane, building by building, asking for directions, smiling at strangers like myself, yet again feeling cynically proud of myself. And winking heartily at fellow solo travelers along the path. It is surprising how something as simple as a painting on the wall, which at some point of time would have seemed to be annoying to the owner of the building had now turned into something so incredible that I traveled miles and spent a day trying to find and witness the same.
Lesson 1 learnt - Time has the power to change the mundane to magical and vice-versa.
Meanwhile, I was lost trying to find these silent-story telling pictures. Just as quoted in The Lunchbox, "Sometimes the wrong train takes us to the right places.", I was lost to the right place. I was ecstatic to find a lane bustling with energy, smiles, music and an aroma of local delicacies. As I neared to the lane, a 60 plus gentleman, was playing some heart-warming music with quite a lot of instruments and all at once. Not the kind of instruments imported from Germany, London or any country. Rather drum from used cans, sticks with chopsticks, guitar with strings, keyboard using china-dish plates and cups. And light effects? What do you think it could be? From lamps all around. He sang gracefully in a language I hardly understood. Some words I could assume it to be what I thought it was.
People didn't walk away staring at him as though he were a peculiar insect. They stopped by, smiled and enjoyed the music, some joined-in, some gave him little presents, some photographed him, some congratulated him on his creativity. My heart jumped with joy at being surrounded by such wonderful people.
And yes, not disclosing the picture of the old musician, imagine and send me a sketch of what you imagined.
And a few others, standing in the opposite direction, trying to capture the beautiful sunset, the clear blue sky that welcomed me, was now blushing in pink and maroon, at how people traveled miles, saw spell-bound marvels and yet appreciating the beauty of the omnipresent sky. It signaled that now it was the time of the moon, of the stars and their stories and so, it bid farewell and fading away with an assurance that it will be back soon, very soon to amaze the souls that loved it.
The aroma of the snacks being freshly prepared triggered my empty tummy. No, I did have a heavy lunch but a whole lot of walking and running and exploring, you see. I tried a local favorite, named, named, named, well I do know if I disclose the name you would Google out the city I visited, and so, let's call it Dish-1. Dish-1 served the purpose, I realized why it was a local favorite. Soft, crunchy, and filling.
Art, music, people and food.
What more could I ask for?
Happy and content, I took off to where I was supposed to go.
Where was I supposed to go? Look out for the next post. :)
© Deekshita Srinivas. 11th July 2015.
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