Marriage and after

Initially life was ands is still blissful. We were based in the beautiful hills of Almora and one could walk in the Jungles for long distances amidst the Pine trees. We had got a house in the outskirats and coming from the city i found it very difficult that even if one had to purchase matchsticks or Salt one had to walk two to three kilometers. Sunday mornings were spent going to the temple at Doliri Danda and this was a beautiful walk amidst the Jungles. On return one could stop at the small tea stalls and have Pakodis and chai which was served hot.Another beautiful memory is of having travelled to Jageshwar temples and staying there amidst the deodar trees and then in the early morning walking nearly for three hours to Vridh Jageswar. I am sure now there must be a road there and one can reach in a short time but those were the days when tourism was not developed and one had to walk and admire the beauty of nature. After this we walked another fourteen kilometers to Mritula Ashram and on our return had to take a ride in a tobacco truck and reach Almora. I have fond memories of this place because it was here in the outer room which had all glass windows and looked into the valleys down I gave final touches to my Phd. chapters. Academically it was a very confusing period because one was not clear what was relevant to the chapter or not and there were many pages which were blackened with ink and then thrown away. There was a lot of trial and error but finally some sort of a plan did emerge and the chapters became clearer.

Today I see many of my phd students very confused and gropping about. Each has their own strengths and weknesess. I try to mentor them and give them advise and I often wish there was some kind of a trainning workshop for students to deal with all the stress they face while writing a Phd thesis .There is a proverb in Kumaoni that one cannot see heaven till one dies oneself, so may be this is a lonely battle and one has to go through this all by himself or herself.