Those little lessons in the journey called life....

I first took to writing to exercise my grey cells, then moved on to loving the written word, further, understanding the power of the written word to graduating to the need to express my thoughts and slowly moving to documenting all experiences, good and bad to fall back on in times of need.... Today, after a few years of amateur and professional scribbles, I realised the importance of the written word again - it was a day when I came face to face with reality once again! A day when the least expected things happened to me and when I ended up depending on a shoulder to rest my head on, an ear to listen to me venting and words that could comfort my soul.

That's when I also realised that only you can be the true judge of what you've experienced and only you can get out of the so called "miseries" in life.... It only depends on the urge, the will, the faith in your own self and a lot of positiveness! While some of the most wonderful friends have always stood by me through thick and thin, there was one other thing that restored my faith...myself! Over a period of time, I randomly penned a few lines here and there, based on what I have experienced, felt or simply thoughts that have crossed my mind or words that have crossed my eyes.

It was these words that gave me the strength to believe in myself again, put some uncalled for experiences behind me and look ahead with revived faith and goodness... I then felt the urge to document these lines and keep adding on my experiences so that next time I'm stuck in a rut and out of sanity, these lines could act as a guiding light, help me compose myself, or simply something that could bring a smile on my face. Here are a few lines that I've been able to pull out from the little experiences and incidents that I have come across... Try listing down your's and you never know when and how it may help you!

• "Peace of mind has reached the status of the likes of Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel, Versace... It is now ASPIRATIONAL, EXCLUSIVE, CUSTOM MADE, HARD TO ACHIEVE for a commoner!!" - and the response to this.... "Peace of mind is just a perception. The fact that, spontaneity is the soul of perception, explains, why it is so difficult to achieve !"

• "An hour long meditation, soulful music and chants transcended me to a higher world.... attained a feeling of inner peace and happiness" - Sometimes the time spent with your own self can bring you to a state of peace and calmness.... It is just a game of the state of mind!

• "We stand on the eve of the 64th Indian Independence Day- we celebrate freedom... Freedom to terrorise, freedom to live, breathe, eat corruption, freedom to suffer from illiteracy, abuse, fear, caste politics... 64 years of free India!! 64 years of free In(human)dians!!"

• "Nothing in life comes free of cost.... Strangely, however, pain of every kind is like the freebie and amazingly never goes out of stock... Guess its all a game of balance!"

• "For most people these days, to understand things in order to argue about them is no longer a necessity.... And I am not amazed!!!"

• "It is funny how day by day nothing changes, and one fine day when you look back, EVERYTHING'S DIFFERENT!!!"

• "Stumbled upon old pics reminding me of fun, frolic and everything blissfully carefree! Growing up to remain sane, I realised, is quite a task... Innocence and the good 'ol times may not come back, but beautiful memories shall live forever in my heart.... How I wish growing up was directly proportional to all those wonderful things that now remain only fond memories!"

• "Some of the smallest incidents in life are like those little surprise tests that we faced in school... We are caught off guard, we can't cheat and there is at least one important lesson it leaves us with to prepare us for the best and worst in life!!"

• "The usually dead, dark street was suddenly lit up with street hawkers selling lanterns... Colourful, intricate, simple, bright, bold...all kinds, but one underlying message-the festival of lights is around the corner-a sign of hope, of prosperity, of good triumphing over bad, of new beginnings... That's when I realised I had 2 choices - either turning a page in life or closing the book - today I chose the latter to make a bright, colourful start.... A Diwali in the truest sense...."

Panash, the new Pan Asian Restaurant

Sushi Platter

Food lovers in Pune have a new reason to rejoice… Those with a penchant for Pan-Asian cuisine can now dine and relish a palatable spread with panache…quite literally! The Four Points by Sheraton, Pune recently opened their doors to Panash – the new Pan Asian restaurant. Located on the first floor of the hotel, Panash is a 68-seater restaurant with an 8-seater private dining room, with a creative and contemporary décor.

With a unique approach to cooking, presentation and a variety of cuisines on the menu, Panash promises to be a refreshingly unconventional place to be. The restaurant predominantly caters to a wide variety of South East Asian and Japanese cuisines, along with an eclectic mix of Malaysian, Thai and Singaporean delicacies. With careful emphasis on authentic flavours and recipes, complemented by simple presentations, Panash opts for healthier methods of preparation.

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

An interesting observation at the restaurant is an equal, if not more, emphasis to an assorted vegetarian menu along with the regular non-vegetarian carte du jour.  Promising to be a break from the usual Asian fare, the cuisine on offer at Panash includes an intriguing mix of salads like Yasai Sarda along with a Thai Som Tam and Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls, each with a unique flavour, texture, dressing and lip-smacking taste! With over 20 varieties of Sushi, an assortment of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dim sums, starters, and an opulent mix of main course with teppanyaki, Thai noodles and the likes, Panash is surely every gourmet’s delight. Delectable desserts on the offering include fried ice cream with makrut honey along with crème brulee.

Fried ice cream with markut honey and creme brulee

A live Teppenyaki table along with a Sushi and Salad bar are a main draw of this restaurant, with the management offering a seasonal menu change, while reflecting the quality of a Starwood Asia Pacific F&B Outlet.

Panash is headed by Chef Francis, the Chef de Cuisine, Panash, and a master craftsman of his trade with more than 30 years of experience in Pan Asian cooking.

With affordable pricing and a great dining experience, Panash promises a Pan Asian delight for family and business travelers, alike, rearing to try a different menu!

An ode to my friend.....

I dream of the days of frolic and fun, 

Of banter, of chuckle, of smiles that we spun.

Strong bonds of friendship that fills the air,

Tiffs and squabbles, oh so rare!

I walk along, with a heavy heart, 

Seeking those dreams on a journey I depart.

A shoulder to cry, a hand to hold, 

I seek my friend with a heart of gold…

I look, I search, I hunt, in vain, 

A thousand eyes hound me in disdain.

But my heart tells me, you’re there my friend, 

To spread a smile, and desolation to end.

And as the sun begins to set, 

As bees and birds return to their nest,

The dark engulfs me, I begin to fear, 

You eclipse the dark and wipe my tear...

Tech-NO-logy

Appeared in Sakal Times, a leading English daily in Pune....

Empowering women through Kathak Yoga...

Art Abode

Vishwajeet Naik and House of Art can be followed on Facebook @ facebook.com/VISHWAJEET.NAIK and House of Art.

Green Beginnings....