Ranakpur, the temple of secrets!

With ten years of schooling over, we decided to escape the concrete jungle of Bombay and embark on a journey to our friend's farmhouse in Rajasthan. (Well, not 'embark' really) We played cricket, we enjoyed football and we had a treasure hunt as well but one thing we never thought we would do is going on a pilgrimage to the Jain temple of Ranakpur.
For all those who don't know, this structure so intricately built has 1444 pillars and is in the shape of a 'dev viman'.(Well, if you're thinking about counting them, here's a peice of news. Many attempts have been made but the number has always been 1443 or 1445!) The story starts with a dream a king staying out there had. This king explained the dream to many well read architects but sadly, no one could understand what exactly the king wanted. One fine day, as fine the day was, the an illiterate architect came to the king. The architect did lots of prarthana (prayers) and tapasya (penance) and shockingly, reproduced exactly what the king had seen in his figure... From then, there was no looking back. People who had no idea of sculpting were asked to audition, and when passed, began to work in the real temple.
Two facts about this temple that sill never cease to fascinate us is how the designs in all the pillars are different and (secondly) the way the gods murthis are placed. Wherever one is, in whichever angle he or she is standing, he will always be able to see the idol of a god. This specimen of architecture is a mixture of mathematics, arts and religion. It is also one of the only temple in Asia which is built according to Vastu. You enter and face east, the passage to knowledge, north is the channel of health and wealth...then comes south which gives you power. So, basically, if you want to win in the Olympiads or crack a competitive exam, study facing east and if you want to rule the world, you must meditate and strategize facing south :P
They say that every temple has its own hidden treasure. (Hey! I'm Aditi and let me just tell you 'they' means Kanksha!) (Aditi, get back to point!!) Okay so,  We were not allowed to step into the cellars and explore them. That is just so sad! I mean the temple is extremely old and is as deep under ground as it is high above. Now what's the fun in going to such an ancient temple unless you are allowed to explore the dungeons, aka cellars! The mysteries of these cellars, we will keep on procrastinating about!
This Ranakpur Jain temple is a structure which is one of a kind. It was even one of the nominees of the wonders of the world and that is saying something!
P.S.- You must have realised we haven't told you what west stands for! So go ahead, find out and comment.

Flamingos

Simply beautiful!
#Sivri,Mumbai.

Leukodystrophy

"Leukodystrophy is a neurological disease which affects the brain, the nervous system and spinal chord. Little is know about it. Its quite a mystery how a middle aged duo have gone back in time to a child like state. One of then now has a mental age of ten and giggles constantly. They both watch television, eat crisps, play snakes an ladders, train set and potato head. The other sometimes starts screaming and shouting saying that he doesn't know what he is doing." - The Times Of India (A little edited though)

So now we have no (or hardly) any clue about what 'this' is, how it can be used and its effects. Could this be the key to some kind of time travel? If someone gets this disease knowingly, would he/she relive his/her childhood? In fact the first question is, how does someone acquire this disease? Is it a higher stage of some disease we know about already?

This could also be a potential weapon! Lets say that two armies are at war. One of the army manages to sprinkle some magic powder on the other one and 'tadaaaa!' - you have in a way disarmed a whole regiment! Its worse than dying I think; you actually have no idea what has happened and behave like you are a kid when you are in mid - thirties..

Imagine your friend or neighbour coming and telling you that the adults have gone through a 'mind change'. For a few moments, it may sound funny but it woud become quite scary when you realise nothing can be done about it!

Can you think of thousands of other consequences?....Yes? Then what are comments for? :P

Kanksha ;)

Mystery Picture

Can anyone figure out where this picture was taken? And yes, we have edited it! :)
#removingcolourmakesstufflooksodifferent!

Peeking into the spookiness of horror!

For one, I don't like horror. It's more like I despise it. I don't know what tempted me to read Dracula, nor do i know how I agreed to watch the latest horror film 'Aatma' with my friends...scratch that - I had no option but to. But that's when I figured out that horror films CAN be a tad interesting.

I mean where else do you get to see such striking work by makeup artists? Horror films give them an opportunity to do the exact opposite of their real work - make a person look disgustingly ugly. Throw in a twisted lip, pale looking face, excess wrinkles, grey hair, signs of injury maybe with blood and Lo behold! A perfectly designed zombie (if not an antique ghost!)

Another thing is that with every new horror film, new ways of impossibly murdering people are found. It's surprising how wild a human beings imagination can get.

And obviously, the sudden discovery of supernatural beings! At first humans were content with ghosts. But we now have blood sucking vampires, alphas and betas of werewolves (are werewolves math crazy?), oh-so-powerful wizards (without noses I must add!) and so much more ...

The music of a horror scene is one of the finest element of it though. I have been told that a scary movie on mute becomes hilarious. Why do you think that happens? The secret lies in its craftily composed music.

Enough about my thoughts now. In fact, i have a question. What is the randomest thought you have had up till now?? When I was small, I used to think everyone became ghosts at night. That was one of the reason why I used to feel scared while going to sleep.
Hmmmm....that's me with my randomness - now it's your turn!

Memories..

MEMORIES. A word that reminds us of the nostalgia felt by an old man recollecting his youthful days, a collage go-er smiling about her school days, someone recounting the wondrous adventures of a trip or any happy or sad incidences one has encountered and has an emotional attachment to.
Here's a poem dedicated to all the sweet memories we wish to keep for a lifetime.


Memories are made- Fun ones, happy ones,
Dumb ones, crazy ones, stupid ones, whacky ones.

You treasure them, you want them to stay.
To make them last for eternity, you pray.

But outrageous fortune ensures you separate..

Overcoming it might be a task,
In grief and sorrow, you may bask.

From those memories, you seem to depart
But remember, true memories are inked on the heart!


By the way, I had written this poem after losing my mobile phone, funny eh?

Aditi. :)

Sting Rays aren't rays that sting!

Well yeah. That was just my lame attempt at humour. I guess everyone knows what a sting ray is though. And if you don't, then, "Stingrays are a group of rays, which are cartilaginous fishes related to sharks." (Defination credits to Wikipedia!)

A few days ago my younger brother in first grade had come over. Suddenly he came up to me and started telling me about a video he had seen. In that video, a man had been bitten by a sting ray and he had died. After telling me so, my brother paused waiting for...a reaction?..to let what he said sink in?...a question? I don't know. But to keep up the converstaion I asked 'innocently',

"What is a stingray?"

To say the least, he was shocked. In return he asked me what I was doing in eleventh grade when I didn't even know what a sting ray was. He asked what my teachers had taught me all these years. Now, I did know what a sting ray was, but if I would tell him so, he would ask me why I lied. If I told him I didn't know, I would end up making a fool of myself.

Moral of the story - It is as simple as this, Bee UreShelf. :D Don't pretend for others. Be free and do what your heart says always! Then whether it is infront of your younger brother or great grandmother. Whether that means being the only girl playing football (or cricket in that case) or cracking the lamest jokes possible! It could even mean liking broccoli/neem juice and so could it mean being able to dance in the middle of the theatre. In this way you will always end up having awesome fun wherever you are! Rock on guys!

Kanksha :)