It all started with the mysteriously enchanting land of Banaras, where I set my journey towards at the very beginning of this epic year. A close proximity to death and the taboo and witnessing burning pyres for two long days. Manikarnika Ghaat has given me much more than I could’ve expected to ask for. Seeing a dead body brought in every five to ten minutes was something I couldn’t even imagine before reaching that place. Probably one of the most peaceful places I have ever visited, and it was evident that the year that brought in such revealations had much more in store for me. My romance with the ancient city has just begun, and I dream to perish on those Ghaat some day. Yes, a part of me that has nothing to do with the environment thinks so. I may choose to differ in reality, but the thought definitely passes each and everyone’s minds when they live and take in the magical air there. Some things run deeper than logic and rationalism. The epic things that followed my trip to Banaras, continue to keep the year live in my heart even on the 4th last day of the year. Just like the pyre fire, that continues burning forever.

Memories of certain events are so vivid, that I find it quite surreal at times. My graduation being the highlight amongst all. I did save my melodramatic writing since the receiving of my marksheet and passing certificate, but I shall write my bit today.

My journey in and through architecture or Archi-torture as I jokingly call it, has been nothing less than a roller coaster ride. The first half of 2016 witnessed the last 1/10th of the course. Or 1/12th in my case. More like the grand finale! My thesis must have been one of the toughest yet the most enjoyably satisfying and fulfilling period of my academics. The crazy months that never witnessed continuous sleep beyond 3-4 hours at a stretch. The immense silent support of my baby brother to make sure I am awake at 0300 hours and working. Making maggi and chai for me, yet finding me asleep on the desk at 0400 hours. My batch mate from different college, who would strike intense discussions and debates over text messaging ranging from politics to organic farming. Late night friendships during critical submissions are way beyond special. The repeated screening of Lakshya and Shaurya every alternate night and day helped maintain my spirits to a level where I was motivated to keep working. The tradition continues even today! 😉

That nightmarish lonesome night before my thesis jury saw the worst and best of me. It pushed me so far to face the worst, if feels like a miracle to have stood up and showed up and scored up. I feel proud of me to have scored decent amount of marks amidst the life threatening (or so I thought) chaos. This year has indeed taught me lessons I never intended to enroll for.

Travel that were dream turned sour, part got cancelled. Yet I discovered a treasure of Love and its Forty Rules. Only to find it lying at my doorsteps a few days later after a crazy search at the airport bookstores! This year has taught and displayed with pride the power of manifestation to a level I could not dare to even imagine, let alone expect. The speed and the way people were unmasked brutally, I feel blessed as well as a little cursed, to see the ugly faces with my naked eyes. I have finally maintained the act of trusting nothing but my gut feeling, for the body absorbs vibes way accurately than the mind that thinks and calculates everything rationally!

The multiple visits into the beloved mountains, having a feeling of touching death and awaiting it has been the immense learning, of course post incident. Experiencing what paralysis could be, was the way life yet again threw me way out of my comfort zone and many deep promises were made to self for the life if I were to see the sunrise the following morning. The longest amd the darkest night spent on the runway and all that followed. People might not find these incidents life threatening, but it is in the spur of moment when all your world concentrates in a single moment. Getting through such things could be quite liberating. The learnings of such incidents went straight to the roots of my neurons. I could’ve never hoped to be at a place I was reaching in due course of this year.

Halfway through this year, I opened the doors to something so beautiful and become a part of a global kindness revolution, The Goodwill Tribe. The Pune chapter was started on a very interesting note, where things magically fell in place over the course of 48 hours. Life has never been the same anymore. I’ve gained absolutely wonderful friends in these souls of gold. Embraced my love for handwritten letters and shared the joys that reached the boundaries and remote corners to the Olive Greens. Some fulfilling satisfying events can never be able to convey in words.

Got an opportunity to befriend one of my favourite authors and also win a book of hers, needless to say, I did writr to her. I feel it is more of  mission to preserve the classic nature of my likings in this modernising temporary world. I often dream of typing on a typewriter and sending such a letter across to someone who acknowledges and better, appreciates.

Some priceless blessings from Yogis and witnessing life beyond a century or maybe two, is purely a matter of being deeply blessed. A crawl inside an endless pit or a tunnel to experience the cave where tears deep cleansed my soul, are simply beyond this world. Confronting disturbing nature of people face on, and discovering selfish motives certainly seem like the overall theme of this year, or maybe this world. Amidst all this chaos of dual faces, an old familiar face surfaced from the past and continues to remain close and provide me with endless inspiration to push myself beyond my comfort zone, achieve the unthinkable and widen my horizons. Some souls are pure inspirations through and through.

As if I was getting used to the unexpected nature of surprises being put in front of me, I encountered my future soulmate for years to come, Yoga. My tryst with Yoga took off on a very bitter and dangerous note, yet like old lovers who are meant to be together, I gravitated back to my love after 2 years since the painful event. A lot more was discovered in the due course of life and time that followed. All the precious contexts changed and many dreams changed their course. A seemingly insignificant thing churned the reality 360 degrees. Something wonderful had just got conceived in that realm in The Universe. The love for the land I am born on deepened to the level from where one cannot return. The journey is indeed very meaningful as the outcome and the way life kept unfolding at a raging pace was mind-boggling. 

Right from the epic graduation party at college, to the one that we planned for my mother’s birthday, it was all so overwhelming to the level at which emotions ceased to exist and words failed to express.

Helping me save the dream of visiting a country every year, my birthday gift reached the stars, or at least the tallest building! A journey that was more adventure than a joy ride, I was yet again pushed out of my comfort zone. Face some fears. Live some dreams with eyes wide open.

This year when I celebrated Christmas, building up a tree of a bibliophile and a wanderer in me. I couldn’t help but look at the year in retrospective and in complete awe. It gave me much more than it took away. This year, 2016, gave me lessons to help me rise like a Phoenix.