Gurudwara Sahib Teesri Udasi Near Tawang

Gurudwara Sahib Teesri Udasi, Tawang - Perhaps the second highest Gurdwara in the world at 13000 ft above sea level  after Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand 

We had no clue about the Gurudwara when we started out from Tawang towards Shungetsar Lake but it was not easy to miss. High up in the mountains, even in the mist, it stood out, almost inviting. It had a mystical allure. While it looks almost inaccessible, there is a motorable path up to a certain point, and then it's a long climb up the mountain to the shrine. Perhaps, this is also the only cave gurudwara built by cutting into the mountains away from the madding crowds - quiet and serene. 

Drive from Tawang up to the motorable point takes about an hour. The lake is about 30 minutes from there. Bum La Pass, one of the highest motorable passes in the world on the Indo-China border is about 30 km from here. The Gurudwara is maintained by the Indian Army.

The Udasis of Guru Nanak

Udasi means journey. In the 1500s Guru Nanak went all across the world to explore, learn, and spread his divine knowledge. His journeys are chronicled as the five Udasis or the five divine journeys. 

The first Udasi lasted for about 7 years and he went to various places including Benaras, Kamrup, Sialkot, and Nainital to name a few.

The second Udasi was for 7 years and this time he went south to Srilanka.

The third Udasi which lasted 5 years took him on a journey to Kashmir, Tibet, and Nepal among other places. He went to Tibet twice during those 5 years. On his way back from Tibet, he journeyed across to India through the route of Bum la Pass. It is said he spent many days in the mountains where the Gurudwara Teesri Udasi was built.

The fourth Udasi lasted for 3 years and this time he traveled far to Mecca and the Arabian countries.

The fifth Udasi lasted for 2 years. He spent these two years around Kartarpur and Punjab.

Source of information: link

It's a 200 m trek up to the Gurudwara

Shungetsar Lake

How Were The Plitvice Lakes And Waterfalls Formed?

Plitvice Lakes: Tufa or Meteogene Travertine or Sedra (Croatian term): It is a porous variety of limestone deposits formed on waterbeds when calcium-rich water bodies create carbonates which form sticky layers on moss and algae present in the water. Over the years, these deposits form tower-like formations

Thermogene Travertine in Yellow Stone National Park

 Meteogene travertine (Tufa) vs Thermogene travertine

The main difference between meteogene travertine and thermogene travertine is that one is formed in unheated conditions and one is formed in a heated condition. Meteogene travertine is highly porous and spongy and is formed in cooler temperatures while thermogene travertine is less in porosity and needs very high temperatures for its formation. Meteogene travertine is a result of atmospheric and epigeal activities while thermogene travertine is a result of volcanic activities.

Source of image: Link The Plitvice region receives abundant rain feeding a continuous supply of water to the lakes and rivers which are rich in moss and algae which in turn supply carbon dioxide. The rich forest cover provides an abundance of oxygen which helps sustain life forms in the region. The Dolomite and Limestone rich soil supplies a high volume of calcium-rich ions. 

Process of Tufa creation

Ca++ (calcium ions in calcium rich water and soil) + H2O (water) = Ca(OH)2  (Calcium hydroxide)

Ca(OH)2 +CO2 (carbon dioxide from atmosphere and the aquatic life) = CaCO3 (calcium carbonate limestone / tufa) +H2O

In simple words, quicklime when mixed with water forms calcium hydroxide. This in turn converts to calcium carbonate when Carbon dioxide released by the aquatic organisms reacts with calcium hydroxide. The carbon dioxide released by the underwater organisms gets released to the surface in the colder seasons. The calcium carbonate deposits which are insoluble in water then start depositing on the moss and algae on the water surface eventually forming porous, spongy tufa. 

Tufa towers eventually form small tower-like structures creating barriers in the flowing water thus forming a series of lakes and waterfalls.

Karst in South Thailand

A landscape rich in tufa is called Karst. The main features of Karst topography are the abundance of soluble calcium in the form of limestone, dolomites, gypsum, etc,  clean water full of aquatic organisms and lifeforms, and a landscape with sink holes, fissures, underground streams, and caves.

Picture source: Link

More about Plitvice Lakes and Waterfalls

Plitvice National Park And Its Legends

 

A: Veliki Slap Waterfall (The highest waterfall in Croatia at 78 m)  B: Korana River C: Sastavci Waterfall D: Novakovica Lake

The Legend of the Black Queen

Legend has it, the Plitvice Lakes were magically created by the Black Queen of Croatia. The Black Queen was a cruel, mean-spirited ruler, who reigned over the region a long long time ago during the dark ages. During those times, this region was fed by the Black River, and the forest surrounding it was called the Devil's Garden (Vražji vrt), inhabited by magical creatures. As the dark ages grew darker, a long, deadly drought dried up the river and brought the people to the feet of the Queen begging for water and life. For once, the Queen gave up her mean spirit, showed mercy, and magically created a large Lake, promising that it will never dry.  The Lake was named Proscansko after the Croatian word Prositi which means "beg for".

How were the Plitvice Lakes and Waterfalls formed?

Schengen Visa:

As of January 2023, Croatia is an official member of the Schengen Countries and a Schengen Visa is required for entry to this country. We traveled to Croatia from Italy. More precisely, we were visiting Venice when we decided to head for the lakes in Plitvice, Croatia. We traveled to Italy from India on a multiple-entry Schengen tourist visa. Getting a Schengen Visa was not very difficult. It can be applied through VFS in Delhi. The VFS office is located at the Shivaji Stadium metro station. It took about a week between applying for the visa and receiving it. 

Mode of travel:

While there are multiple modes of travel to Croatia from Venice, we opted for the Bus. The bus ticket was booked online through Flix bus. We faced no issues getting the tickets, boarding, and traveling. The route was via Ljubljana, Slovenia. It took us about 5 hours to reach Zagreb.

The other options to travel to Croatia from Venice are, train, air, and ferry. While air travel is the quickest, it's the most expensive as well. Rail and waterway were long overnight journeys, hence we chose the bus.

Day 1: 

We were in Zagreb for a day. Our short stay was made deliciously memorable with freshly baked yummy pastries and a music festival, which we luckily got a chance to attend at the Zagreb square.

Day 2:

On day 2 early morning, we took another Flix Bus from Zagreb to Slunj. It took about 2 hours to reach Slunj. Zagreb has a good network of tram services and we didn't have any problem traveling around the city. Small tobacco stores near the tram stop/stations sell the tickets. When we traveled to Croatia in 2019, they were still using the Kuna as their currency. So, we exchanged some Euros at the bus station on our arrival the previous day. In January 2023, Croatia adopted the Euro as its official currency making life easier. 

Slunj is a small quiet quaint little town or maybe a village. I regret not planning a longer stay here. We booked a bread and breakfast here with a lovely river view room and lawn. I could have spent weeks here amidst nature's quiet beauty. Will share details of Slunj in another post.

 

Day 3:

On day 3 we booked a Flix bus to Plitvice Lakes. We waited at the bus stop at the said time, but the bus passed by without stopping to pick us up. We tried to enquire about the next bus or any other transportation options to the park but language proved a barrier since the locals were not well-versed in English. Most tourists travel to the park in rented cars or their own vehicles. After wasting almost 3 hours, we met a lady who understood English and helped us get another bus to the park. Our initial plan was to start early to avoid the afternoon sun. It was one of the warmest summers in Europe that year. Unfortunately, we started post 12:00 pm.

We finally arrived at the Lakes at 1:00 pm. The bus dropped us at the Ticket Office at entrance 1. They mentioned that the last bus left around 6:00 pm and if missed that, it might be a very long wait till late at night before we can get another bus. All restaurants closed around the time the park closed. There were very limited places of accommodation. This meant we had to ensure, we were back at the bus stop much before 6:00 pm since the buses here didn't quite follow the correct timings.

Entry Timings:

Summer timings (June and August) : 

7:00 am to 8:00 pm 

Last entry at 6:00 pm

Autumn/Fall (September and October) :

7:00 / 8:00 am to 6:00 / 7:00 pm 

Last entry at 4:00 / 5:00 pm

Winter timings  (November to March) :

8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Last entry at 2:00 pm

Spring timings (April and May) :

8:00 am -7:00 pm

Last entry at 5:00 pm

Ticket Prices are shared on the official website. Prices vary by season, entry timings, and age.

We entered the park around 1:00 pm and were out by 5:00 pm. We didn't want to risk missing the bus back but as a result, we skipped a few viewpoints and shorter treks. 

My suggestion is to pre-book the hotel at the park which is right across from the entrance 2 ticket office. It is a bit pricey and gets booked pretty fast in the peak summer season. Plan ahead and save the stress of missing buses. There are a few local taxis, at entrance 2, but they charge exorbitant rates.

The Lakes and the Waterfalls:

Must say the lakes, the waterfalls, and the park was gorgeous. All the trouble to get here was definitely worth it. 

There are about 8 trails that the visitors can take depending on how much they choose to see in a day. Details are available on the official park website. Since we planned a day trip and had wasted half a day thanks to the bus that ditched us, we opted for the C program with a slight change. Instead of going back to the starting point, we cut our hike short at ST2 and returned via entrance 2. We had to forgo some good views between St2 and Entrance 1. However, we managed to cover the entire park and took the boat ride on Lake Kozjak

I assume, starting the trek at entrance 2 is a wee bit better than entrance 1. Entrance 1 is close to the lower lakes and it's a climb all the way up to the highest lake, Proscansko. While from Entrance 2, it's a short climb to Proscansko and then a climb down to the lower lakes. 

Source of map: Official website https://np-plitvicka-jezera.hr/en/plan-your-visit/istrazite-jezera/activities/lake-tour-programmes/

The highest lake is at 637 m above sea level and the lowest lake is at 503 m above sea level 

Climbing up towards Lake Kaluderovac. The boardwalks are comfortable and safe. We went during peak summer when the boards were dry. They might get slippery during wet seasons.

Lake Kaluderovac at 505 m above sea level. The turquoise waters are clean and one can see the fishes and plants under water.

Lake Gavanovac at 514 m above sea level. Swimming is prohibited in the lakes. Water from the rivers and the lakes at the park is supplied as drinking water to the municipalities of Rakovica and Plitvicka

The Legend of the Gavanovo treasure

Local legends suggest,  at the bottom of Lake Gavanovac lies the hidden treasure trove of a magician named Gavan, after whom the lake gets its name. Gavan, the wizard had a treasure box of fairies and spirits with magical powers. Gavan was a kind and honest person and used this power for the welfare of his people but one day the Black Queen, heard about his treasure and sent her men to capture him. Fearing, the queen will misuse the powers, Gavan gave the box to his faithful servant Juraj and asked him to hide it in the deep forest. While escaping the Queen's men, Juraj fell into the lake releasing the fairies and the spirits. The fairies saved him, Gavan, and they kept the lake protected from the reach of the Black Queen. It is said the box still lies in the bottom of the lake and the fairies are heard singing in the stillness of the starry nights at the lakes.

Milanovacki slap Waterfall and Lake Milanovac at 524 m above sea level

Slapovi Milke Trnine Waterfall was named after Katarina Milka Ternina a famous Croatian Soprano (1863-1941)

Lake Kozjak at 535 m above sea level. It is also the deepest (47 m) and the largest (81.5 ha) lake in the national park. We took a boat from P1 boat point to P3 boat point. There is a rest area and a gift shop with ice cream and snacks near P1.

Veliki Pstavac Waterfall seen from Lake Burgeti at 545 m above sea level

Gradinsko Lake at 554 m above sea level 

Veliki Prstavac Waterfall (28 m high)

Milino Jezero Lake at 576 m above sea level

Galovacki Buk Waterfall and Galovac Lakr at 585 m above sea level

Bird's Eye view Picture clicked in 1937 Source: Link There are 6 small lakes between Proscansko and Galovac lakes at different heights. Vir at 500 m asl, Malo at 605 m asl, Veliko at 607 m asl, Baltinovac at 610 m asl, Okrugljak at 613 m asl and Ciganovac at 625 m asl

Proscansko Jezero at 627 m above sea level the highest lake. 

 

We took the shuttle back to entrance 2 from ST3 shuttle point near Proscansko. We were short on time, hence, chose to cut short a part of the trail between ST2 and Entrance 1. Perhaps will plan a visit in winter or fall. I heard the colors are grander in fall and the frozen lakes in winter are a surreal experience.

A Journey To The Enchanting Tawang

Sungester Lake (Madhuri Lake) in Tawang

Sungester was a small lakeside village that was destroyed after a strong earthquake in 1971. The lake remained as its only witness. In the 90s Senior Roshan (Cinema director) decided to shoot a song, 'Tanhai Tanhai' for his film Koyla, at this fitting dream location. Mesmerized by the film's gorgeous heroine Madhuri Dixit, the locals rechristened the lake as Madhuri Lake.

Route Map To Tawang From Guwahati Via Tezpur and Bomdila

Tawang is only 35/37 km from Bum La Pass (la in the local language means pass) which is the nearest pass to the Indo-China border. The nearest major Chinese town Tsona Dzong is 45 km from Bum La.( And I thought China was far :P). To reach Tawang one has to cross one of the highest passes in India - The SE LA PASS at 4170 m above sea level.

LOCATION

Country: India
State: Arunachal Pradesh
Region: Tawang District

MAIN CITIES AND TOWNS (one must be acquainted with, them to plan the itinerary)

1. Guwahati/Dispur, Capital of neighboring state Assam
2. Tezpur, Nearest airport/Heli-ped
3. Bhalukpong, border town (love this name :) - it means where the bear comes to drink water)
4. Bomdila, a local holiday destination, and midway stopover

HOW TO REACH

The nearest big city is Guwahati/Dispur Capital of Assam. Most tourists, begin their Arunachal journey from Guwahati. One can fly or take a train/bus/private/rented vehicle from Guwahati. For Indian nationals as well as foreign nationals, an inner line permit to enter Arunachal Pradesh is a must. The permit is checked at the entry ports. The entry port for the Guwahati Tawang Circuit in Bhalukpong. One can get the permits done at Delhi Arunachal Bhavan, Guwahati Arunachal Bhavan, and Tezpur Arunachal Bhavan. The Guwahati Arunachal Bhavan is at Rukmini Gaon, GS Road. The form for Indian nationals is Rs.5 plus Rs.25 for the inner line permit. Two passport-size photographs and a copy of an ID card/passport are a must. There is a weird rule :P women of all age groups married or single - must bring a 'No objection certificate' from their Father or Spouse or any male guardian. In the absence of either, I have no clue who is supposed to give the so-called NOC. My friend and I found it quite annoying that we couldn't be responsible for our travel plans at our age ( way above 18) :P but alas no arguments with them worked, we had to call our respective fathers and have them speak to the officer at the Bhavan. Men, however, have no such requirements. Talk about gender equality in the 21st century :P.  One gets the permit the next working day. It's a simple process and there is no need to pay extra to the travel agents. For foreign nationals, the fee may be higher. I am not sure!

From Guwahati, there are a few options to reach Tawang.

1. Bikers and those traveling in private/rented vehicles, can follow the route NH 52 till Bhalukpong then take NH 229. It takes around 2.5 hrs to 3 hours to reach Tezpur, then another 5 to 8 hours to Bomdila. The road is pretty good till Tenga Valley. It starts getting closer to Bomdila. It is advisable to stop over at Bomdila or Tenga and start early the next day since the road from Bomdila to Tawang is really unpredictable!!!! If lucky the journey can be completed in 9 hrs. If not, it can take 18 hours or more. We started on an unfortunate rainy day in the month of June and met with two big landslides and scary, slippery, muddy roads. It took us exactly 18 hours to reach Tawang! Hard luck that is! :)

One can start really early from Guwahati, say 3 am, and if all goes well, with no long halts, no bad roads, no rains, and no landslides, one can reach Tawang in 18 to 19 hrs. Well! The mountain roads can get crazy. Therefore, it is better to avoid any risks.

My suggestion would be, to stay at Eagle's Nest camp near Bhalukpong for a day or Tenga or Bomdila and then proceed ahead. Between  Bomdila and Tawang there is just one small village Dirang with limited lodging facilities. 

There are amazing waterfalls right on the road in the stretch between Bhalukpong and Bomdila. We went during the monsoons and were lucky to see them at their full flow but again, if not for the gushing waterfalls, that one can almost stand under, monsoons are not the best time to travel to this part of Arunachal!! 

2. One can also take a helicopter ride from Tezpur to Tawang. It's an irregular service and depends on the weather conditions. Guess one way takes anywhere around 3K - 5K.

3. ONe can opt for a bus from Guwahati which takes around Rs. 170 to Tezpur. Be aware there are two routes to Tezpur, a shorter route that takes 3 hours and a longer route that takes 5 hours or more.  The buses leave from Paltan Bazaar Guwahati, Khanapara Guwahati, and ISBT, Guwahati. Other than buses there are small tempo services which take about the same price. The buses and tempos run throughout the day. There is one bus that leaves at 6am from ISBT which goes directly to Bomdila. 

There is also an early morning bus from Tezpur that goes directly to Tawang. At Tezpur, one can find trekkers/jeeps traveling to Bomdila throughout the day. There are trekkers going to Tawang as well but they start very early in the morning. The price ranges from Rs. 500 to 800. We paid Rs. 450 to Bomdilla and Rs. 600 to Tawang but I guess it can be bargained and depends on the number of passengers the trekker is carrying.

Note: If you are there on a rainy day, please ensure that your bags are properly covered with the tarpaulin sheet on the trekker top, otherwise you will end up with a bag full of soaking wet clothes and spend a day drying them in the hotel room using room heaters :P (says the experienced me :P)

WEATHER and WHAT TO WEAR

It gets quite cold once you reach Bomdila. We were there in June/July and It was quite cold in fact freezing cold at the lakes. Woolens are an 'absolute' must. If going in monsoon, an umbrella, and raincoat is essential. It rained 24 hrs every day during our stay. Sneakers and boots are preferred footwear. Again if you are risking a visit during the monsoon, wear galoshes if you can :P. We were stuck in the landslide and had to cross the muddy mountain road on foot. My slippers got stuck in the mud and it was quite a task retrieving them.

Stuck in a landslide

BEST TIME TO VISIT 

I think one can avoid the monsoon in June and July unless you are the adventurous kind and don't mind going beyond your scheduled itinerary. The good thing about June and July is that the waterfalls are in their full flow and way up near the lakes, you get to see beautiful flowers. It's almost like a valley of flowers. In fact, it is a valley of flowers and the mist around the lakes gives an ethereal feel. Oh well! now that I think, the monsoon was a little messy but definitely beautiful.

Peak winter is a bad time too because of snow blocks and unsafe roads but again if you are adventurous enough, the beauty of Tawang and the lakes in winter is as enchanting (as seen in photographs).

The absolute safe time to go there is between September and November (till the onset of snowfall) and between March and June (till the onset of monsoon)

WHERE TO STAY and WHAT TO EAT

There are many hotels and restaurants in Tawang. One can go there and book rooms. One can also bargain. We got a decent hotel for Rs. 1000 but I think one can get better deals if smarter :P. One note of caution all hotels close around 8ish. Better reach there early if you have not booked ahead. We reached midnight and no hotels were open or willing to open.

Also, be very careful about thieves. We heard about a lot of thefts in the town and we got robbed ourselves. The thief entered our room at night and carried our bags, cameras, and phones. He took all the cash and left our bags near the entrance. Not sure why he was that considerate. We suspected the hotel owner but had no proof. We did lodge an FIR at the local police station but not much got done. The best thing is to stay alert. Ensure the doors and windows of your room are locked and you keep all your cash and expensive items under your pillow :P It was a sad experience but I guess there are good and bad people everywhere and well such things can happen anywhere, so one must be alert and careful. There are ATMs, so do not carry too much cash! Here's the detailed story.

ACTIVITIES

Trekking, Site visits, Scenic drives

PLACES TO VISIT  

1. Tawang Gompa - One of the  largest monasteries in South Asia

2. The Gurudwara SahibTeesri Udasi, is quite a trek up the mountain

3. The lakes and the valley of flowers. There are a number of lakes in Tawang. Ptso, Kyo Tso, Sungester, and many other small ones, Sungester or Madhuri Lake as it is locally called after an Indian Actress Madhuri Dixit who filmed a dance sequence here is the main attraction and an absolute must-visit.

Laugh, Think, Cry

Another New Year! Cliche but true, "Tempus Fugit, Time Flies"!! Here I am yet another year in Fargo. Three years back, who knew!!?!, there even existed a Dakota?? and today I am enlightened to know there are three "freezing" Fargos and I inhabit the coldest one! Can't believe it!! it's 22 C below the freezing point! A thin layer of frost has cut me off from the world outside, I can't see the TV tower today and I can't see the blue sky! I can't see a thing!! Perhaps NO!! that's not quite true, I do see an enchanting piece of art instead, something no artist can ever create. The patterned frost on the window pane is like those beautiful geometrical patterns we can see through a kaleidoscope.

Kaleidoscope - artistry of reflections. Reminds me of the first and the last edition of the college magazine we launched during 'Mansara'. We named it Kaleidoscope, to symbolize the many different phases of our college days. The amusing part was, that there were two editors but no articles to edit! Dri and I had to desperately beg for contributions! Finally, it did get published at the 11th hour, and was even blessed with a controversial write-up:))) (that's an interesting story I'll save for another day!

Mansara, the annual college fest was the idea of some of the bright ones of our very active BARCH batch. It started as a playful suggestion but soon became a goal for the Archinoids, we called our batch!! The 48 hours preceding Mansara were one of the unforgettable episodes of my life! The magazine had to be printed, the stage had to be set, the programs had to be finalized, invitations had to be sent, and a long never-ending list of the eleventh-hour to-dos!  The decoration, the music, the stalls, the excitement, the tension, the adrenaline surge, we were going bonkers! The crazy 48 hours passed and it happened! A blast it was:) I call it a REAL success! The names have changed, and the faces are different, but the spirit of Mansara lives on to this day! (touch wood!:)

College was "all play and no work":), So JAK never became a dull boy! Yes! I simply played through the five years of BARCH. There are many funny/ sad/ emotional/ unemotional stories from the good old 'Happy days' (that Telugu movie did touch the nostalgic nerve). Here's one of them..!!!

Building Sciences class was in session. A boring topic, a boring course, and a hungry us! I was trying hard to keep myself entertained to survive one of the longest hours of my life! Maddy was perched (metaphorically) next to me (birds of the same feather flock together after all) and was the poor victim of my boredom. The Prof. said Fredrick Olmstead I read fried rice omelet. He said Ghery, I read Cherry, he said Vander Rohe, I read Vindaloo. Words kept unscrambling and I whispered them out to my equally bored neighbour. Maddy started giggling and I caught on to the contagious giggle. I have a unique condition (well not as bad as the pseudobulbar effect but still a condition, perhaps!) If I start laughing or crying, I mean, if I REALLY start laughing or crying, there's no stopping. Hence, starting a giggle can be disastrous! I faced the consequences once back in school, I had to, really had to, hold on for another 30 minutes but before I could stop the tickle on my funny bone, I saw what I shouldn't have :( The absolutely rotund structure of the Prof. His head was as round as the remaining him (no offense meant but I was hungry, bored, and giggly:) He reminded me of a vegetable, I had rather not name, so as not to sound too offensive and disrespectful (I guess it was merely a matter of the moment - I could have laughed my heart out at the driest of jokes), and the next thing I did impulsively or instinctively or just foolishly was to run out of the class! The lecture room was small, and there was only one way out. The way right under his nose. Out in the corridor, I finally felt at ease. Suppressing a burst of laughter can be quite stressful!!:) I laughed and laughed and laughed. Quite meaninglessly too! A second later Maddy joined me, and we both continued with the laughing spree. The bell rang for recess! We were still laughing. The Prof. passed by us, stopping for a second, and gave a confused, annoyed,  sorry look but we continued laughing as if nothing ever mattered more.

The school episode was during an English literature class. Mrs. P was the teacher, and she was taking a class on Julius Casar, the play by Shakespeare. Act 111 scene 1 - The Ides of March..44 BC. The Roman Senate was about to witness history being created.

And in xxxx AD, two bubbly creatures, sitting in the last row of the class discussing last night's movie quite as seriously, "Ghost" to be precise. Mrs. P is unaware of the two mischievous imps. continues with her lecture. Caesar arrives at the Senate. Cassius, Casca, and Brutus are anxiously waiting to strike the dictator.

The two are still discussing Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze, and "Goldie Whoopberg". Casca is about to strike. One of the two says, "You know Goldie Whoopberg is called whoopie sometimes" The conspirators strike the unsuspecting target. The other nodded in consent yes Goldie Whoopberg is sometimes called Whoopie. Brutus makes the final stab, and the two look at each other, and smile. They realized, there's no Goldie Whoopberg.. She is Whoopie Goldberg and is always called Whoopie:)).

Caesar looks at Brutus and says "Et tu Brute, then fall Caesar" and the two burst into laughter. Mrs. P is literally scandalized perhaps even more than Caesar was when he saw Brutus stab him, she immediately asked the two to leave the class.

And the two shamelessly kept laughing in the corridor while the entire teaching staff kept wondering what was so funny about Caesar's assassination:)) So that was Me and Bee and it amazes me too, how a silly spoonerism and Caesar's murder can trigger a hilarious moment!

I guess this is becoming an anecdotal blog.:) I am suddenly flooded with memories from school. Loreto was quite similar to those Enid Blyton Schools we used to read about in junior classes. Not to mention St. Claires and Malory Towers. The red brick building, green windows, secret passage, ponds, bridges, gardens, fields, the junior school park, the sister's cemetery, the piano parlor, the tiny tuck shop, Charlie the skeleton, Bruno and Cindy the huge Alsatians, exactly out of a storybook. Reminiscing about school days always gets me a little nostalgic. Those were the real wonder years. Sometimes I feel, the clock should have stopped 15 years ago :) Not that the after-school life was bad:). Things changed, interests changed, life changed, and it's been a continuous process since.

Well, life's that kaleidoscope that Brewster accidentally invented. It's not just the reflection in the mirrors but the reflection of myriad memories. Those tiny colorful glass pieces, those ephemeral moments. Yes! A twist and a turn, and the pattern changes but whether a smile, whether a tear, whether the past, whether the present, what touches the soul is flawlessly beautiful. The patterns in the kaleidoscope are beautiful, the frost on the window is beautiful and all those thousands of memories are beautiful, and they all make it worth living for!

Jim Valvano, an American Basketball coach once said, 'There are three things one should do every day, Laugh, think, and Cry'And I couldn't agree more or less. At the end of our journey, we will realize that every single day of our life was worthwhile because when we laughed we made another laugh with us, when we thought, we left an idea behind, when we cried, we touched a soul.