Water Baby - Missing the Beach

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I love water bodies. Sea, rivers, waterfalls, lakes- they attract me in. I dread them too. I like feeling the breeze in my hair, the salty taste of the air in my mouth, listening to the rhythm of water rushing in its course. I love them from a distance. I would promptly put my feet in it and sit for hours rather than go in and explore. The beach will always be my healing ground. My calmness. My rejuvenation.

The hills are beautiful and mysterious too, but not in the winters. The cold weather and the snow spoils my mood. Almost depresses me. So melancholic. I cannot enjoy snowfall, a sad realization. Low temperatures mess with my mind and emotions. I terribly miss home. Feel wretched. Not my kind of a season. 

I miss the times with friends, Sagarika and I had been to Vizag to visit Vineela and the time we spent in RK beach. So peaceful. Here too the river that flows through Tapkeshwar Temple is so clear and strong in rainy season. Water surely changes something fundamental, like changing the bodily constituents. It does have immense effect on my psyche. Well, Cancerians are water signs of the zodiac. Water is the element affects us the most. It's true.

I haven't been to Robbers' Cave, but I hear it is filled with water too. Kempty Falls was quite a walk down the steps, but oh so peaceful. I so long to visit Rishikesh too. The color of the waters of the Ganges is so beautiful. So green and so ethereal. I can get the peaceful vibes of the ghat from here, in Dehradun. I so much want to spend the entire sunset and evening time just sitting on the ghat, watching the natural scenery, observing people, talking to my loved ones. I want this experience, dear Universe. The night view is amazing, I have heard. And the Ganga Aarti there and in Haridwar. And an early morning walk in Rishikesh too. No, I don't want adventure sports, river rafting, etc. I just want to experience that spiritual connect. Overwhelm. Goosebumps. And transcendence.

Hopefully, some day.

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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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