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Making the Jump, Girl power! Boys don't seem to be too good at it Failing Miserably! It's seldom we see children playing out on the streets. Most of the children stay indoors watching TV or playing video games! It was heartening to see children come out on the streets to play macchakara ( literal translation would be fish bone, but it could mean something else) , a game very few children play or know about these days. First multiple rubber bands have to be woven into a string which takes a lot of time too and is so much fun because it involves group work. Girls always beat us to it. So the game is played on the string made of rubber band and combines heights and styles of jumping.Two of the opposite team members act as posts while the other team jumps on the strings. Some jumps involve dexterity of jumping and holding down the strings by the sole of the feet.I don't exactly know if this game is intrinsic to Darjeeling but I remember girls always beating us bo

Its said that you need to take time out for the things you wanted to do rather than regret not having taken the time to do so. The New Year is an excellent time to review this list. For me, one of the many things I have not taken out the time for is this post, which I meant to write on New Year's day. So finally here I am busily punching on my keypad at a children's park in Siliguri.  My wife is lazily sifting through the Sunday newspaper while Appa seems pleasantly satisfied on his wheel chair basking in the warmth of the winter sun. Chunki our Tibetan abso is now finally resting after all the running and chasing. My wife steals occasional glances as I bury myself into this gadget aware of her disapproval at my preoccupation. Well the thing is that much happened in 2012 and so in retrospect here's my top three wishlist for 2013. 1. Firstly a prayer and wish for the Delhi Rape victim, that her death and suffering will not go in vain. Like everyone else he

Its yet another cold winter in  Darjeeling  with the same festivities and spirit of Christmas. Some daring or off season tourists have arrived in the hope of catching snow or perhaps they are here to take part in the Tea and Tourist Festival of Darjeeling .  Over this one year or so much has changed in Darjeeling, the roads have become wider,  major drains are being cleared as the foot path shops have been removed. The road leading up from Chowk Bazaar till Chowrasta has widened. These places which used to be major attractions for the tourists for shopping have lost some of their their charm.  It's not to deny that the change is welcome but also to acknowledge that many locals in the process have lost their livelihoods at a time when the economy of the hill is recovering and is at it's nascent stages.  This Christmas let's pray that there  is lasting prosperity and peace in the beautiful Darjeeling Hills. Let us hope that people are able to live in peace and har