It’s difficult to believe that we are at the last day of 2021 and here I am writing my usual year end post. It feels like we blinked, and all the 365 days of this year got over. Though I must admit that this is exactly how it feels every single year.
The first thing that comes to mind as I reflect upon the year that’s gone by is that my writing and blogging effort has been below average. That doesn’t make me feel good at all. Well, let me take a pause and focus on things that makes me feel good instead.
- The year 2021 had started off with an unplanned trip to Horsley Hills, which happened on the very first day of the year. Horsley Hills is located in Andhra Pradesh and is a great place for a day trip or a short weekend trip.
- Amidst all the things that kept me busy, I maintained my focus on health and well-being. Thankfully there hasn’t been any lag on that front. I continued with my routine yoga, meditation, and jogging sessions. In fact, I believe that I have gained greater focus and concentration during my daily meditations. I have also doubled my meditation time.
- The highlight of this year, however, has to be my trip to Varanasi and Lucknow. It has been a memorable trip for reasons more than one. Most importantly, I took my father’s remains to Varanasi to immerse in River Ganga. He always wanted to visit the holy city, but it eluded him and he could never make it. Hence, we decided to immerse his ashes there. A very special friend accompanied me, making it a very special trip. The entire event, right from planning to execution, happened in a way like it was pre-ordained. We spent 5 beautiful days in Varanasi. We also visited Lucknow, where we stayed for 3 days.
- I did three local hikes exploring ruined forts in and around Bangalore – Hutridurga, Gudibande, and Gummanayaka. No Himalayas this year, which I do miss. Sometimes in the corner of my heart I feel there may not be many more Himalayan treks for me, but I’ll let time decide on that.
- Circumstances led to my cousin and brother-in-law visiting me twice this year in Bangalore. They happen to be my favourite relatives. Both the visits were related to medical reasons, but we did end up having a lot of fun too. We even made a short family trip to Mysore. I cannot be grateful enough for having spent such quality family time.
- I have always wanted to drive around in the outskirts of Bangalore but neither do I own a car nor do I know how to drive. So, I always land up hiring a chauffeur-driven car. This time my long-standing wish was fulfilled when we went on a on a roadtrip to Sakleshpur with my brother-in-law and my friend taking turns behind the wheels. During this trip, we also visited the famous Belur and Halebidu Temples.
- This year has blessed me with the opportunity to teach a few underprivileged kids, something I have wanted to do for a very long time. The four kids have enriched my life in ways more than one. I look forward to my time with them and it’s a lot of fun.
That’s quite a list and it does make me feel quite elated right now. However, life is not just roses and here are a few things that haven’t been so pleasant this year.
- I could not visit my Shillong home this year and neither could I attend my father’s first year death anniversary. All thanks to how non-tribals (especially Bengalis) are alienated in Meghalaya and made to feel like outsiders in their own home. I will not go into the details as I don’t want to, and the rest of my countrymen cannot relate to it. But all of this has seriously injured the immense love I had for my hometown, the city of my birth, and where I spent all my growing up years.
- The beginning of this year found me seriously ill, all because of a wrong treatment that I can easily attribute to the pandemic. I became well eventually but landed up with a permanent damage on two of my front teeth.
- My WordPress activity has come down drastically and I need to make amends sooner than later. I can blame this on nothing but myself. Blogging has given me so much, most importantly connected me to such wonderful people, and I don’t want to take that for granted ever.
Though New Year is just another day like every other day but let’s hold on the belief that we’re ushering in something new, which gives us hope and something to look forward to. A warm hug and goodbye to 2021. As I step into 2022, I pray to the Almighty is to guide my steps to be able to comprehend myself a little better so that I can make those positive changes towards becoming a better a version of myself.
Seasons of Life! 
Beautifully summed up, Neelanjana! Many of your reflections – that you have been kind to share through the year on some platform or the other – I was aware, some I was not. I am glad that you have a positive balance at the end of the year. You have endeavoured to live life as close to normal even in such trying times and that in itself is wonderful. Keep up your spirit of adventure – I for one am sure that you and the Himalayas are destined for many more exploits!
My best wishes are always with you and I pray that the new year brings you the best that life can offer and gives solace by squaring off niggles of the past…
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That’s such a beautiful year-end message, Narendra. And, I must apologize for the delay in my response. I am so glad to learn that you have noticed (and more importantly rememembered) the small things that I shared all through the year. Most people wouldn’t bother as much.
My good wishes for you too. Surely your 2022 would have started off on a great note with all the activities happening in your balcony. I am sure you’re in a for a lot of adventure too.
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Thank you, Neelanjana, for your warm wishes. Yes, my balcony has been buzzing with increased activity since winter kicked in. While on one hand the tomatoes have finally decided to signal end of season, my red and yellow capsicum seedlings are looking up well and I have a bumper chilli crop. All along this I’m continuously at war with aphid, caterpillar and blight infestation. And then there are my sparrows and sunbirds. So much for my gardening – phew! I think I should pause here… 😄
I’m hoping that 2022 grants us all longer treks and field trips. Surely we deserve to go back to nature! 🙂
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Ouch! So sorry to hear about your front teeth from the illness. And yes, we often do feel like we haven’t done enough for our blogs, don’t we? But that’s a good feeling, because it’s our mind’s way of telling us we’re capable of so much more. Thanks for sharing and wishing you all the best for 2022!
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Wish you a very happy 2022, Stuart.
I am so happy to read a comment from you. I will certainly visit your blog. I really need to improve my blogging habit. Your words do give me hope though 😀
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Thank you for being honest and sharing your ups and downs throughout 2021 which especially a tough year for a lot of people, including me. I’m glad you ended the year in good health and managed to travel to some fascinating places in India. Here’s to a better year for all of us!
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First of all many good wishes for 2022. And, second of all my sincere apologies for the delay in my response. As I mentioned in the post, my WordPress activity needs such serious contemplation – something I plan not to take lightly in 2022!
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Wishing you the best for 2021. Yes, there were restrictions for all of us but despite those, you managed to travel quite a bit. So that was good. You did what you love to do. Hope you have a lot of personal and professional success and happiness in 2022. 😃
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I always feel extremely delighted when I see a comment on my post from you, Anushtup. Thank you for your kind words. I hope 2022 is kind to all of us and it gives us peace and happiness even through the restrictions and whatever else is yet to come.
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Neelanjana! I bumped into your post and blog after having deleting my previous blog and staying away from WordPress for sometime. I so relate to this post, the simplicity, the sea of emotions, the ups and downs and the alienation that exists in some pockets in a place we proudly call home.
You visited Varanasi! I remember going there for just an evening, to immerse the ashes of some members of my family. How I had wished I could spend more time by the Ghats, enveloped in peace and serenity.
I hope you are doing better health-wise and I am glad to hear that there were a lot you managed to to the previous year and at the same time I wish you a happier new year.
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So happy to see you, Parikhit. In fact when I didn’t see any posts from you, I did wonder where had you disappeared.
You will certainly understand our unique situation in the place we have always called home. And there seems to be no end to it. You’d be privy to all the things going on right now.
This was my second visit to Varanasi and I had written several posts on my experience the first time. Simply love that place, will definitely go again.
Hope all’s well with you and expecting to see more of you in WP. I’ve become a little irregular though.
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True, I read about all that happened last Sunday. It is just sad to see the home diminishing. There are some who want peace, want an inclusive society but it all seems so difficult to attain.
I will go and read all the other posts in Varanasi! It is a magical place if one can shut the politics there.
I was irregular the last year and I wish to be around here and see you around too!
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