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Usually when you attend an Indian wedding you are served with food that’s delicious, sumptuous and lots of options to pick from. I attended this wedding and was pleasantly surprised to see sprouts & many other healthy salad options served as starters. I am not a biggest fan of salads but to see how every wedding is upping their game to provide a whole healthy food experience is commendable. #indianwedding https://www.instagram.com/p/BxxmN5bBqwX/?igshid=26alzj6g3f5e

#indianwedding

One of the most beautiful lessons a mountain teaches is humility. When we were briefed before starting the trek, the first thing that the sherpas and guides told us was," drop your ego". You may be the Prime Minister, President, businessmen or a clerk, you know that and other people may know that but mountains don't know it. If you feel the trek or ascend is hard, don't push yourself because there is no emergency help to assist you immediately. You need to listen to your mind and take care of yourself. Pushing yourself is good but remember there is a limit to it. Your family and friends may encourage but you are the ultimate decision maker. So be wise cos you can train harder and come back but if you push yourself harder, the mountain will remain but you may or may not. So stay humble and help fellow trekkers whenever you can. (at Uttarakhand) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxu9hY3ArLB/?igshid=s5y3d4vsa92u

Wherever you are, whatever you do, be present for nothing is more galvanizing than to see all the beauty around you. One of those times when I was exhausted and I was relaxing during a trek and up until the moment I didn’t realize what a beautiful setting I was in the midst of. Magical Himalayas. (at Himalyas) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxkxM1FBAYN/?igshid=1tozdh6egu903

The heat is fierce as the summer in Trichy is hot. I think the hottest I’ve experienced. I was waiting to get picked up so this was the place I was asked to stand. Just standing here beside this seller, I was sweating a lot and little irritated Cos it’s been quite a while I’ve experienced this kind of heat. This very gentle and a kind person offered me water. I refused & just asked him, how he was able to sit the whole day like this under the sun, he could use an umberella maybe? He said, since he was child, his family couldn’t afford a proper meal and worked in the field under the scorching heat. He grew up with the sun hitting him everyday and he has never used a fan at his house. Basically he is used to the maddening heat & tolerates it. To me, this is absolutely sad and inspirational. Tough times, make tough people. When you learn to live with what you have, you don’t need to shy away from anything else and anything additional is just a bonus. #respect (at Sri Samyapuram Mariamman Kovil) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxftD2GBmdI/?igshid=bbw3unheue7j

#respect

I am standing at the International Friendship park, though its called a park, it is nothing like it on the US side. It is deserted, cold and sad. The fence you see behind me is the barrier that seperates the United States and Mexico. It appears too low key but one of the most surveilled zone in the world by the US Customs and Border Patrol with sensors and radars all over. With so much going on about the issues wit immigration, most of the people from Central America and other parts of the world seeking refuge end up here in the city of Tijuana, hoping to make it to the other side and live the American Dream. Not everyone makes it but they wait for years together to make it into US. Most of the people entering through the southern border are fleeing violence and have left their country only to find a place that will give them basic necessity of food and security. I was here filming a 360/VR story for NPR on the immigrant caravan that came all the way from El Salvador. (at The US-Mexico International Border) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxDAW0vgmdI/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=141826hseqv3h

One early mornings in San Fran. (at Chinatown, San Francisco) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw-NteugZw6/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=s7s0w2ljwser

Sunny, shady & empty RCC. #LoveUSC (at USC Ronald Tutor Campus Center Ballroom) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw7adI_AxvA/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=969wceeoh3dd

#loveusc

Smart kids study here, smartest kids drop out from here, legends take pictures from here. One of the most surreal things that happened was when I walked into the Stanford quad on this particular day, I heard people speaking only Tamil and kannada, mostly they were parents visiting kids. There were pattis feeding the grandkids, mothers yelling, and the dads chilling. I am not even making this up and for a moment I had to shake my head to realize if I was dreaming. Then asked a Thatha standing nearby who said lot of south Indians live around here so they casually drop in on weekends. Honestly this campus is just too big to walk around and see but def a must visit place if you visit the Bay area just for its beautiful architecuture. (at Stanford University) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw41VS8gPVA/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=dmj4n1h85y9z

One important lesson, a high altitude trek will teach you is that a right spirit and attitude is fundamental in every effort. It takes just one easy decision to say no and get back but it takes everything to make it happen. When we were trekking a peak in Uttarakand, it was a winter trek and the temperature was -12 degree that my even my phone wouldn't operate, it simply said "too cold to function" I mean I never knew a phone was able to do that. Anyways, we were in a tent on the snow and were told that we have to wake up around 3.30 am so that we can reach the summit to see the sun rise in the beautiful Himalayan ranges. I've never experienced that kind of cold untill then and in addition to that the high altitutde makes it even more difficult to breathe. But like everyone says, when you push yourself a little with an extra effort, the end result will be nothing short of magnificent. The sun rising over the Himalayan ranges and the snow falling with the ice melting was an absolutely magical sight. #himalayas (at Kedarkantha Trek) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bw2RC6thfkN/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1t1fts9wu1mq1

#himalayas

One of the days when I was passing by Trousdale & I saw this fella eating something and somehow he didn't run. I thought it would run by the time I took my camera out but he stood still not bothered busy with what he was doing. Most often I used to see them from my class window and the ASC building and always wondered what exactly these are called, they are definitely not squirrels and not racoons too, that's what I was told. Another thing about USC UPC campus is that, though there are lot of buildings getting constructed, I always felt that the campus was perfect in terms of size cos it was not too big to feel exhausted nor too small to feel little and then there are these grass and park maintained at the center of it. (at Trousdale Parkway) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwz_PyPBCfa/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1852m6uo8982l

Windy, cosy and the always busy Santa Monica (at Santa Monica Pier) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwxGvlogGfy/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ia8vgjblglfw

Landscapes in California are always full of surprises and here's an example of that. This is the Shark Fin beach in Santa Cruz where as you can see, the rock is shaped as a shark fin. It may look small in this picture but it is gigantic. Shot from a cliff, it required a climb to actually get a good glimpse of the entire rock. I don't know if you can see but there are people standing close and they look so little. I guess that is @panieldan https://www.instagram.com/p/BwkQbB0Bm0-/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=138rjl70scfqp

Somewhere amidst the chaos in Kashmir is this gorgous Dal lake in Srinagar. It is beyond picturesque, massive and also has a charm that leaves you wanting more. The boat rides, the Kashmiri people, and the little houses you find in between make it an absolutely magical experience. When you visit Sri Nagar, make sure you take a boat ride in the Dal lake during sunset or sunrise for an experience like no other. P.S - Advisable to go during June to Spetember cos in the winter, it is frozen. (at Dal Lake) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwhhVuuAVds/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=i2995sgs8xyj

As we were returning to LA from our trip to the beautiful town of Iddylwild, we stopped near this boulder rock in the beautiful hills and it was a gorgous to see a sight like this out of no where. It was deserted, calm and tranquil to just sit here and do aboslutely nothing. The landscapes in California are always full of surprises no matter where you go to. (at Idyllwild, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwhg3DUgVKS/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=11hau9r2j44k8

The majestic, the mighty and the magnificent Ganges. Considered as the holiest and a scared river for the Hindus, The Ganges rises in Uttarakand in Northern India and ends in West Bengal. It is a lifeline to millions of people along the regions it flows through. It is also known as Goddess Ganga where Aartis are performed every evening worhsipping it. Taking a dip in the Ganges means cleansing away your sins and most often people take a holy dip. P.S - Having said that, the Ganges also is one of the most polluted river due to fecal collection by the time it reaches the city of Varanasi so if you want to enjoy the Ganges at its best, head to Rishikesh also called as the yoga capital of the world to experience the Ganges at its best. This is picture was taken in Rishikesh standing on the Laxman Jhula. (at Laxman Jhula, Rishikesh) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwctPdVhAQa/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=e6onbwrtgp8t

Trying very hard to get a cool picture but could manage only this in Santa Barabara. Thanks to Hotman @gabrielblake13 for getting for this shot. (at Mission Park, Santa Barbara) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwP1HsOBT_6/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1os27ficqoccl

Woods were lovely, dark and deep and I had to literally walk miles before I could food to eat. Taken in the middle of the beatiful forests in Santa Cruz, CA (at Santa Cruz, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwNNuWMhz3f/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=crly6bedy7ui

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