Tag Archives: love

Our Story : Good bye and see you again – Part 26

Posted on August 23, 2014 | 4 comments

This is a continuation of my previous posts. Please read the previous posts here.

As usual, the amazing trip to Bangalore was coming to an end and it is always hard to say goodbye. This time I knew I would see him in a months’ time but it still felt too long.

The day before the flight, he took me for a nice quiet dinner and we talked about our future in Australia. It was an honest conversation where both of us shared our plans, hopes and happiness. I wished the evening would never end but we had to sleep and pack my bags for the next day. When we were got back to our serviced apartment, AS went to take a shower and I was to pack. Instead of packing, I was in panic mode as I seemed to have too many stuff to pack. I was taking AS’s stuff as well as my shopping so there did not seem to be enough space in my suitcase. AS calmed me down and helped me pack and it was done in no time.After packing, it was time for bed.

The next morning the sun rose as any normal day but both of us were a bit emotional when we were having breakfast. We both knew our future ahead but at the same time we needed to say goodbye, hopefully for the last time until we were together for out happily ever after.

After breakfast, we called the same driver and made sure he would come and picks us up in time. Then we had a few hours to kill so we went for a walk to the nearby market. AS decided it was best I had a light snack before I left so he took me to a snack place where I had samosa and rasabri.

The ride to the airport was smooth. After I checked in the baggage, we had a few hours together before I had to go inside to clear immigration and board my flight to Sydney. It was a very sad few hours because both of us were going to part again. We just sat in front of each other and stared without talking for a while. I wanted to say a million things but I had no words and then we heard the announcement to board the flight.

It was an emotional goodbye for a few weeks and after hugging him for the last time I kept walking towards immigration. I didn’t want to turn around because I didn’t want him to see tears in my eyes.

The immigration process was quick and I went straight through the boarding gates to the waiting plane. I am not sure what I did but I was still alive when the plane landed in Sydney.

Human nature is very strange because you feel so much joy when you know you are going to meet someone and suddenly you can be so down when you are back alone.

For us it was not too bad and I know it in my head but my heart was refusing to cooperate.

After coming back to work, I made a countdown card and tore them one day at a time. I got really excited when it was down to single digits. By then AS was back in Nepal and was enjoying his days with his family.

We still talked every day but we didn’t have lot of time to communicate as he was busy saying goodbye to his family and friends in Nepal. And finally it was the day before AS was landing in Sydney.

I was super excited and everyone at my work knew that he was coming. I even bought a nice tiramisu cake for everyone at work to share my happiness and wrote the following email to AS.

Hey baby

How r u doing?

I am so so happy 🙂 🙂 🙂

I got a cake for my colleagues at work to celebrate your coming.

Sorry u couldn’t have a piece but I’ve sent you the pic

Love u love u love

Your,

M

 

I took the next day off as I was going to pick him up and spent the rest of the day home with him. It was one of the most important days in my life and I couldn’t really go to sleep that night. All I could imagine was our future together and couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.

Next post will be about AS in Australia so don’t forget to come back.

Till then take care,

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

Go to Part 27

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Our Story: Mysore – Part 25

Posted on August 22, 2014 | 2 comments

This is a continuation of my previous posts. Please read the previous posts here.

I was excited when AS told me that he was taking me to Mysore which is 140 kms away from Bangalore, where, the grandeur and opulence of the erstwhile kingdom of the Wodeyars left a legacy that has made Mysore culturally extremely rich. Magnificent palaces, well laid out gardens, clean & broad avenues, imposing buildings and majestic temples all add up to make Mysore an interesting city.

The car came to pick us up early morning and we drove to Mysore.

The road from Bangalore to Mysore was pretty good, passing through highways and towns. I was looking out the window most of the time and it was a great experience watching people going to work, street vendors selling lots of food and lots of shops and markets everywhere.

Mysore Maharajah’s Palace (Amba Vilas)

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Mysore Palace or the Mysore Maharaja Palace is located in the heart of the city. And its one of the largest palaces in the country, also known as Amba Vilas Palace, was the residence of the Wodeyar Maharaja’s of the Mysore state.

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The original palace built of wood, got burnt down in 1897, during the wedding of Jayalakshammanni, the eldest daughter of Chamaraja Wodeyar and was rebuilt in 1912 at the cost of Rs. 42 lakhs. The present Palace was built in Indo-Saracenic style and blends together Hindu, Muslim, Rajput and Gothic styles of architecture. It is a three-storied stone structure, with marble domes and a 145 ft five-storied tower. Above the central arch is an impressive sculpture of Gajalakshmi, the goddess of wealth, prosperity, good luck and abundance with her elephants. The palace is surrounded by a large garden designed by the well-known British architect, Henry Irwin. The palace is a treasure house of exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world.

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When we went inside the place I was in awe as it was so massive that I couldn’t imagine some people used to call this place their home. I could easily get lost in this big space with so many rooms and such wonderful decorations of exquisite carvings, paintings and works of art from all over the world.

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While the palace can be photographed from outside, cameras are banned within the palace premises. They also ask to take off our shoes. We took the options of self-guided audio tours and there was so much information to take in.

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Looking from one of the balcony on the palace, I was also amazed by the view where you can see the massive and beautiful garden and water fountains.

Once we were done with the palace, we went outside and explored the garden. There were many people but it didn’t deter us from taking heaps of photos outside the palace.

St. Philomena’s Church

I was amazed to discover beautiful churches in India and one of them is St.Philomena’s Church, which was built in 1956 and is one of the largest churches in the country. Its inspiration is from Germany’s Cologne Cathedral.

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The twin spires of the Cathedral, 175 feet in height, are seen from miles around making it a distinctive city landmark. The main hall of the cathedral can seat up to 800 people and is as exquisitely conceived as the ornately crafted exterior with beautiful stained glass windows depicting scenes from the birth of Christ, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection and the Ascension of Christ.

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When we entered the church, mass was in progress so we didn’t disturb and left quietly and instead went around outside the church, it was really beautiful.

Chamundeswari Temple

The driver of the car seemed to know all the attractions in Mysore so he made sure we got to see all the major attractions. The next stop was Chamundi temple, which has always been patronised by the rulers of Mysore. In 1659 Dodda Devaraja Wodeyar built 1,000 steps and a huge Nandi, Lord Shiva’s Bull. This colossal Nandi is one of the largest in India, 16 ft. (4.8 meters) tall at the front and 25 ft. (7.5 meters) in length.

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The magnificent pendent bells around its neck are exquisite. Nandi and the temple beside it are located at the 700th step of the Chamundi Hill. Krishnaraja Wodeyar III repaired the shrine in 1827 and built the present beautiful forty-meter seven storied Gopura (tower at the entrance) with gold finials and set up statues of his and his three queens.

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There are two other temples dedicated to Lakshmi Narayana Swamy and Mahabaleswara. Sri Mahabaleswara temple – dedicated to Lord Shiva in the form of Linga is the oldest temple on the hill.

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As we were coming out, we saw a vendor who was selling idols of Hindu gods. I bought a few and I still have them in our puja area.

Sri Ranganatha Temple

Sri Ranganatha Temple is dedicated to Lord Ranganathaswamy an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The Sri Ranganatha Temple is located on the banks of the river Cauvery in the historical town of Srirangapatna. A remarkable fact about this temple is that Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, two of the great Muslim kings of India were Lord Ranganatha’s devotees.

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The architecture of Sri Renganathaswamy Temple follows the style of Hoysalas and Vijaynagara Empire. The main entrance is beautifully engraved with 24 forms of Lord Vishnu.mysore (13)

We also have similar temples in Sydney as well.

There is a sculpture of a couple of well-ornamented and majestic elephants standing guard at the entrance. As we enter the queue to get into the main temple, we noticed thee a Gold Plated Garudavahana and Nagashesha. The temple has several other deities including that of Lord Venkateshwara, Narasimha and Panchamukha Anjenaya.

I was a nice feeling visiting the temple and the place was well organised.

Tipu sultan’s tomb

Tipu Sultan, the great warrior who fought with the British empire, built tombs for his father Hyder Ali and mother Fathima Begam (Fakr-Un-Nisa). This spectacular black and white marble mausoleum is the final resting place of not only his father Hyder Ali and Mother Fathima Baigum but also of Tipu Sultan himself amongst others.

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The inside of the dome is spectacularly decorated and the curators will turn the lights on for photographs for a small donation to the fund. The structure is very beautiful standing on a high and wide platform with an open verandah of polished pillars all round. The highlight of the Gumbaz structure are well shaped large dome, ivory inlaid doors, and carved stone windows of fine workmanship. The chamber is painted with the tiger stripes.

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Adjacent to the tomb is the nearby mosque, still in operation, “Masjid-E-Aksa.” One can enter the mosque although it is necessary to cover your head. We decided against it as there were many people praying there.

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Lalitha Mahal

Lalitha Mahal is the second largest palace in Mysore. It is located near the Chamundi Hills, east of the city of Mysore. We didn’t plan to visit this palace but our driver took us there as we had time and we are glad we did.

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It was great place from inside and outside. Some part of the palace is converted into a hotel. For visitors it was restricted to just a few area of the huge mansion. We were informed that the palace was used in lots of movies as well.

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I managed to take a pic one of the guard wearing traditional outfit.

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After our last stop, we headed back to Bangalore. One the way back we went to a Sari shop and bought Silk saris for my mum and MIL. They both loved it when we gave it to them.

mysore (26)The ride back felt very long as it rained and I couldn’t enjoy the view.

More in the next post. Till then take care everyone.

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

Go to Part 26

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My Life Lesson No 4: Appreciate what you have

Posted on May 19, 2014 | 15 comments

There are so many times in life that we forget how good we have got that all we do is complain and be sad instead of appreciating what we have.

“Happiness will never come to those who don’t appreciate what they have.”

I am a normal human being as well, so many times I complain that I didn’t get better things and I am not happy with what I have. As everyone else I am so focused on things that I don’t have, I forgot to enjoy and appreciate the things that I do have.

But these days I am trying consciously to be happy with what I have. Every time I travel to poor countries, I realise that how much better what I have is. However, at the same time even though they live with minimal things in life, they are the happiest people I have seen.

I have been forcing myself to appreciate what I have by thinking about all the good things in my life. I have a wonderful husband and family, good job and good health. I don’t know why I complain.

Recently I lost a friend to cancer and I know that she would have given anything to be alive and be next to her husband but she didn’t get that choice. I have to say she fought her battle so strongly that every time I remember her, I see a smiling face.

Just few weeks ago, after a long weekend, I was ready to come back to work. I was really annoyed that my car didn’t start. After the initial reaction, I changed my mindset completely; I had a choice to call NRMA (insurance company) and wait for the car to be fixed and be late for work or take a train to work. I decided to take a train because millions of people do that every day and I used to do that before I started driving. I didn’t know why I got annoyed initially as it is completely normal for car to break down from time to time. By looking at the positive side, I was clam and happy to go to work and be at work on time rather than getting pissed at the situation that I have no control over. My day went alright and my car got fixed in the evening.

Every time I visit Nepal, I appreciate that I live in a country where there is no problem of electricity, water or gas. I also appreciate that Australia has good health care and transport system. I am lucky to live here.

Someone wise once said “you don’t know what you have until it’s taken away from you” and I see that time and time again; People longing for what they used to have. I have those regrets as well. I wish I was able to stay with my paternal grand ma (she passed away few years ago) more. I wish I had spent more time with my parents when I had the chance, I wish I had appreciated my life when it was simpler.

So next time you find your mind wandering away from the present moment, towards a place that you wish you were, bring it back. Think about the present and look around and learn to smile as you are lucky to have what you have. There are millions in the world who will be very happy to be in your shoes any given day.

Learning to appreciate what we have right now is an art that’s worth investing a little time in perfecting. So, every time I pray, I thank God for all the good things in my life. I thank him that I am happy and healthy and for the beautiful people around me.

Take care  and have a great week,

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

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My Life Lesson No 2: Forgive, forget and move on

Posted on April 24, 2014 | 11 comments

I know it is easier said than done but forgiving, forgetting and moving on definitely makes you a happier person.

Normally when an incident occurs and you are thinking over and over about it for days, who is suffering the most? YOU. No matter what pain the other person has caused, in most cases they might not be aware, they don’t care about you so they are hurting you or they just simply too ignorant to see you are hurt. No matter what the situation is most likely the other person who has caused you pain and grief has moved on in their life so why are you holding a grudge.

First of all, you are stressed out. OK I understand you are hurt but eventually you have to let go and move on with your life. Make a decision what you are going to do about the relation you have with that person. There are few choices

  • Never see them again if the pain is too much but forgive so you can move on.
  • Let them know that you are hurt but forgive them so you can continue the relationship
  • Do nothing and hope it will never happen again.

Whichever option you choose, it is in your best interest to make that decision sooner than later so your blood pressure is not high for long. When you experience hurt or harm from someone’s actions or words, whether this is intended or not, you may begin experiencing negative feelings such as anger, confusion or sadness, especially when it’s someone close to you.

These feelings may start out small. But if you don’t deal with them quickly, they can grow into something even bigger. They may even begin to crowd out positive feelings. Grudges filled with resentment, vengeance and hostility take root when you keep thinking about hurtful events or situations, replaying them in your mind over and over again.

As soon as you forgive you will realise that you have lower blood pressure, less stress and improved life.

I know it is hard and sometime I find it takes longer than I like to forgive but if there is someone in your life, you have trouble forgiving, work on it and soon you will find it easier to forgive them. Once you forgive, you will find that peace you have always wanted.

If you find it difficult to forgive, put yourself in the person’s shoes and remember that there are two sides to every story. You may feel like the victim, but you might have hurt the person, too. Also if you have long relationship with the person, think of all of the good things the person did for you which will help you in your judgment as well.

Once you cross the bridge of forgiveness, you will realise that it is easy to forget and move on with your life. They say, “Everything happens in life for a reason.” See if there’s a lesson that can be learned. May be you are trusting people too easily or maybe you are too gullible. Also If you accept that there’s a lesson to be learned, then you’ll be less likely to resent the person for hurting you.

Then use all the energy you have towards something positive. Write a blog post :), go for a run, plan your next holiday. Do whatever you want as it is limitless and at the end of the day you win, because you are happy again.

Take care everyone :),

M from nepaliaustralian

XOXO

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I wish I had my own sister too!!!

Posted on August 20, 2012 | 27 comments

The title says it all. I have a brother but I always wanted a sister as well.  I wish I had one even more for the last few years.

As I grew older, I always loved my brother and never thought not having a sister as any disadvantage at all. But for the last few years, I realised that a sister can be your best friend that you can have no matter what happens in life.

Most of the times friends come and go but if I had a sister I would have had her for my life time.

One of the reasons that triggered this thought was because everyone around me had a sister. All my cousins have their own sister and I can see that they are closer now than when they were kids. They share their happiness and sorrow and they know they have this one person in life they can rely on no matter what. I wish I had the same as well.

I felt the pain even more when I went to Nepal to get married. One of my cousins got married before me. She had her sister’s help in every step of her plan till the day she got married. She was her shopping partner and planning partner. They went everywhere together and were always there when she needed a hand. It was so great to see that she was never too stressed as she knew that there was someone she could count on.

After four months of her wedding I went to Nepal to get married. Unfortunately for me as I have no sister, I ended up doing everything for the wedding on my own. And you know from my posts that Nepalese wedding is not a small affair. I didn’t want to bother my parents so I used to be out of the house everyday doing one thing or another. It is not easy in Nepal like it is here. You can’t do things online or over the phone so you have to meet people for every little thing. That time I so wished I had a sister so I would have gotten some help.

I had a few friends who helped me but I couldn’t expect them to take time off from their work to be with me. If I’d had a sister I am sure she would have done that. Thank god everything went as planned and I am really happy that my parents are so happy with me as well.

After a year of my wedding another of my cousins got married. She lives in US but got married in Nepal. Lucky for her, she has a sister as well so everything was perfectly done when she came to Nepal for wedding. She just came a day before the first day of her wedding and everything was all set.

I guess some people are just plain lucky that they get everything in their life so easily while others have to work hard to get anything in life.

I am not even sure what I want to convey with this post but sometimes when I am alone and have a moment for myself, I wonder and think if I had my own sisters like others do, would my life have been better in some aspect.

I have to be thankful that my life is perfectly fine. I am healthy with loving parents and husband. My work is going fine and I am achieving lot of my dreams. But then there are some areas of life that I feel lack something. I feel like I just want to rant sometimes and today it ended up as a blog.

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