The quest that never ends...

A journey starts as you head for a new city. My journey started when i left Kolkata for Pondicherry. Even though Kolkata is a metro city, I wanted to move out of the city.

 I wanted to be closer to nature, somewhere where my heart would have been at peace. And thus I crossed miles… and reached Pondicherry. I came here in search of the sea. The first day I went to the sea, I felt I am where I belong. The continuous never ending waves, the breeze with splashes of water… the lullaby waves would sing to the spectators- and I fell in love with sea all over again.

One fine morning, before sun woke up, I and my friends walked to the beach to welcome the sun. Cool breeze made us shiver. But all sleepy head got hung high in happiness as we reached the beach. We saw sun rising slowly high up on the sky. I ran in to the waters, leaving my foot prints as I ran splashing waters. I felt little five years old who had just overcome all her fears of water. 

But in sometime, the sea started affecting me in a strange way… I started realizing how far I have come from all my near and dear ones. I have reached a destination where I have a home among my friends, my home away from home. But my heart is still not at peace. I was searching faces of my loved ones.. and each time the waves touched my feet and went away.. I felt getting more and more distant. I was drifting away. I was there yet my mind was wandering. “If you wish to find where your heart is, let your mind wander freely. Where your mind reaches is where your heart resides”.

I was dragged back to the present day as my friends’ laughter interrupted my conversation with the waves. A tear left my eye.. and I walked back to my friends. All the time we will miss something or the other, but that can’t stop us from living in this moment..

And my meeting with sea didn’t end here. This summer I had to attend training in the city of dreams- Mumbai. This city never fails to welcome me with the kind of warmth we feel when we go back home. 

In eyes of a person who came from Kolkata and had spent a year in Pondicherry, the life in Mumbai city is a world of fantasy. The speed with which everything moved… the way everyone was moving on to meet another opportunity, another hope to make their dreams come true. Initially, I experienced two weeks of hot summer of Mumbai. 

And then I started counting days to experience the most hyped weather of Mumbai- Rain – the love of my life!!! And trust me I was never more happy to meet rain than I found myself as I met Mumbai rain… it was one evening when I was travelling in Mumbai local (the most convenient public commute of the city- I mean it!), and down came the rain... the first rain of Mumbai. City lights where gleaming through the rain drops. I felt rain embrace me with cool breeze and drizzle as I stood beside ladies compartment door. 

One lady saw me enjoying the sight of rain and she said “Wondering why rain came at night and not during the hot torturing day time? Actually God knows, the people in this city will curse him for sending the first rain while they just left for their work in the morning. Just to make us realize that we are blessed… he sent the first rain at this time”. I smiled back at the lady… and resumed my first rain experience in the city of dreams.

Did you watch “Wake Up Sid”? I am kind of in love with that movie. And for that reason and many more, I wished to experience rain and sea together once. And yeah, with the help of my guarding angel, my companion, my wish came true. Mumbai had totally embraced rain. Mumbai and rain were like two lost lovers, united after a long time.
 We reached Marine Drive… and oh god! Rain, Mumbai, Sea- the soulful combination- welcomed us with a smile. As I type these words the memory is so live in my mind, I am feeling Goosebumps … and my lips are curving up to a big smile. My companion had a umbrella open… but the child in my heart wanted to feel the rain. So as we sat there gazing at the sea silently, we were on our own. We both were individuals in independent exclusive conversation with the sea. I was drenched in happiness… for me nothing could have replaced that moment I was experiencing. I was in love with Mumbai… and once again, I was where my heart was. And I felt I was at home- the place I belong to.

I would have been in love with Rain-Sea combination had I not experienced rain- hills view. The lush green Lonavla hills…. The endless waterfalls… bus speeding through the rain drenched roads… I felt I was alive only for that moment. My heart told me I just fell in love again… and this time it wasn’t sea. It was the lush green mountains…

My journey has just begun… I am traveler in my mind… I will be traveler on foot someday soon…

I left home for the love of Sea… and now I can’t set myself free. I am yearning for the mountains… I was following my heart.. but on the way my heart wandered somewhere out there… to be in Mother Nature’s lap.Amalgamation of Sea and Mountains----someday might quench my thirst to travel. And there shall be a reunion. My heart will meet my soul.