How about taking a detour?

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“Odd, how life makes twists and turns. I never would have guessed that I’d end up where I am now, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I wouldn’t trade this path I’m on for the whole solar system, for that matter. If I’ve learned anything these last several months, it’s that sometimes the most scenic roads in life are the detours you didn’t mean to take.” 
― Angela N. Blount, Once Upon an Ever After


Detours are a longer or roundabout way to reach the destination. Taking a detour can be a choice or a compulsion. Road construction or blockage of the paths leading to the place leave no choice but to take a detour. You don’t know what this path would bring. You don’t know if you’ll enjoy it or not. You just know the end point that is fixed. Are you apprehensive of detours? Do you like them?

I have two experiences of beautiful detours. We were traveling to the Rohtang Pass which is about 50 km from Manali, at about 4 am in the morning. The roads were damp but good. We enjoyed the snow. While returning the line of vehicles was long. We too queued up behind one and waited. The roads had got damper and there was a chance of a landslide, as it had started raining. Halfway down to Manali, we were directed to another road by the army personnel standing there. The driver knew the route, but we were apprehensive. It gifted us some of the best views of the mountain. We watched the white sheep flock frolicking in the green climbs, and the shepherds gathering the lost ones together. It was beautiful.

“In the moment, you most likely won't know how valuable such detours will prove to be, but life has a way of revealing the hidden magic in these moments down the road at the appropriate time.” 
― Shannon Ables   

The above trip was about ten years back. Recently we had to take another such detour in Lohagard. We friends were traveling that day from Pune to the nearby hill stations and dams. It was about 5 pm when we were finally returning. The road was blocked for maintenance work near the NH expressway to Pune. There was a deep trench in the ground. We took an hour long detour, and this is the scene that we got to see. We reached home late that evening but got to see the city lights from afar. It was beautiful indeed.

Lohagard to Pune way

 In life too I'm learning to take detours whenever the situation demands. Growing and maturing with every season of life.

“Sometimes the most scenic roads in life are the detours you didn't mean to take.” 
― Angela N. Blount, Once Upon an Ever After

Linking the post to #UBC , and #DailyChatter.




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Queeristan by Parmesh Sahani

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  Queeristan (Amazon Link) Thanks to Audible Free Trial I listened to this amazing non-fiction on LGBTQ inclusion in Indian workplaces. Author Parmesh Sahani identifies as gay Indian, working closely with Godrej higher management and employees for years to create an inclusive workplace, both legally and in spirit. This book is a result of those years of experience, research, collaboration with individuals from difference spectrum of the society and organizations who has successfully transitioned into a queer friendly one.   Indian history is inclusive. From the Khajuraho temple architectures, to Konark to the Rig Veda, there is existing proofs even 2000 years ago of Indian inclusiveness of queer. It’s the draconian British law that criminalised it, which was scraped in 2009, came into effect once again following a sad judgement in 2013 and eventually was scraped off for good in 2018. I am in awe of the lawyers who fought this legal battle- colleagues and partners – Arundhati Katju
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