DWAR: This is how The War was waged Against Rape...

Days roll, ideas change. When entire nation is talking about Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi, things that need to be addressed is shown a blind eye. Petty fights for mere media attention have become daily saga. Corruption, economic slides, soaring prices, recurring woman harassment cases, monetizing of health and education sector- has indeed taken us far away from the nation which Mahatma Gandhi had dreamt about!

We hear that this century belongs to India, due to its enormous young population. We age and with maturity, we turn into a leader. We at KnowYourStar.com thought that we should initiate agenda based politics- no man or political party is important to us. Only motive is to make this world we live a better place. Only aim is to collaborate with the current youth for our own empowerment. We named it Dwar or D-war. Door of Transformation! We the change!

It took us no time approaching Ravin Productions. With me and Chandrajith chalking out the screenplay, we had nourished our progressive thoughts. We saw a twinkle in Prateeksha’s eyes when we narrated it to her. Dance sequences were shot under Vyjayanthi madam’s guidance and then the daylight scenes, with Prince Haravinthan and Ruchi getting us best of angles in their cameras, we really saw a beautiful sculpture in making! I have to laud Prince Haravinthan's priceless hardwork in molding video to what we see today. Martin Charles music rendering just added to the flavor. For the work done- Sharath, Ashwin, Shruthi, Nyna, Deepa, Jenifer, Pranita and Kiran sir-guys, pat your backs! A team is a reflection of its captain’s capabilities; director Chandrajith deserves a special mention!

I sincerely thank everyone who led us to this work. Starting from the guy who helped us arrange lights to people who give their honest opinions to correct ourselves. We believe that these 4:42 minutes will be as entertaining as it can get with a small pinch of society quotient.

Dwar is not a series of educational videos, but instead a Movement. Dwar won’t preach, but will trigger a tsunami of thoughts. “Winning Women” is its first video. I am sure, the video says it all. I wish to see no more Nirbhaya cases. I wish to see a country where people live in harmony. I wish to see thousands of protectors all around us. I wish to see a world where everyone walks with their head held high…

It was a no moon day, black and dark…
Crimes on mirror, sent me chills!
The war of shadows, sleepless night…
With trillion heart-wrecking stills!

Thirst of my soil had not quenched…
Unfazed devotion for a world, where-
No business meant business…
No politics meant divine kingdom…
No love meant unconditional love…
No fear meant garden of roses…

I saw a bright bird fly, past the sky
White wings open and spread…
And a blink of hope in the Dwar
Cleansing the dirt and agony…
With a storm! It has brought! A storm!

[This article is written for http://knowyourstar.com/rape/ , official page for launch of Dwar- Door for Transformation! Visit the page for complete story and other wonderful articles! Join the Movement]

Trek to sea of pearls: Dudhsagar Waterfalls

Thursday, after office hours, I looked at my wrist watch. Time was always right. But for a change, there were water droplets in the glass. This reminded me of the experience I lived. Or the joy that flowed. From the top of a split mountain to the bottom of deep valley with white clouds making the picture perfect, I knew, for sure, that the time was always right!

This time around, when monsoons are creating happiness, havoc and agony, I visited the serene Dudhsagar falls of Goa. This is located near Goa-Karnataka border, in between Collem and Castle Rock railway stations. Dudhsagar falls is India’s fifth tallest waterfall and what makes it exotic is the railway bridge that passes forming a two-tiered visual treat.

5 of us boarded the Netravati express from Udupi at 1am and reached Madgaon at 6am, Monday. A Monday that turned out to be a Monday worth remembering forever! After having one of the worst possible breakfast at the station, we boarded a passenger train to Collem, reached the resort we had booked, dropped our

luggage and we headed back to Collem station.

Collem looked like a very small town with very few small shops and mini restaurants. We had our lunch- buns with yummy baaji- ethnic Maharastrian cuisine. We bought some biscuits and carried fruits, a torch, windcheaters and umbrellas, all set for a big trek.

13kms. We set a target of 3hours-oneway for ourselves, since it was already 1.30pm and in worst case, if we couldn’t find a railway transport backwards- we should reach by 8pm. With every 100mtrs, trek started looking more tedious. We kept walking, enjoying the heavy rains every now and then. Needless to say, this was mentally more challenging than physically. Stones the hit our toes made us more determined, 4 tunnels that we encountered showed what darkness was, numerous mini waterfalls kept us

motivated. Fear of encountering a wild animal or reptiles was always there as we made our way along the tracks in this dense jungle.

A kilometer before the falls, the first view of this majestic beauty, took us to a different level of happiness. The hard trek seemed all okay, anyday, for this, anyday! Cloud slowly uncovering the zenith of the waterfall was definitely His work of marvel. This sight gave us the sneak preview of the final climax.

Then, I stood, opening up my arms…
For her, not that she was not coming!
I looked up at her, like a Kid…
She came down, for me, fighting clouds
And bombard with her boundless grace!
I wore a smile of content and sighed,
She left her countless kisses on my face!
Standing on a bridge of the railway track
My journey had taken me to her pearl sea…
Waves of which carried the aroma of milk…
Feeding enlightenment with every silk!
Then, I stood, opening up my arms…

For her, since I knew, she was already mine!

All of us were completely drenched as soon as we stood in front of the waterfalls. Exquisite sight! We felt very lucky when we learnt that a goods train engine would be at Dudhsagar in an hour or two. It arrived and stopped for less than a minute. A Journey standing in the engine, trust me, we couldn’t stop shouting with ecstasy. We reached the resort by 9pm. A Monday well spent!

We had booked tent rooms in Dudhsagar Spa resort, set up in a beautiful backdrop of a wildlife sanctuary, 6kms from Collem. Except for the poor food, I literally couldn’t ask for more from this place. We checked out on Tuesday afternoon to board train to Bangalore

via Londa, in Rani Chennamma Express, reached Bangalore at 7am, surprisingly on-time after an hour delay at the start!

When I sat to write this today, I was really short of words to describe the experience. Hence, if I couldn’t provide complete justice in this travelogue, then pack your bag, head towards her before the monsoon ends- enjoy the struggle, let her get you drenched and fall in love- all over again- with yourself!

[Thanks Pranita, Aditi, Supraj and Anudeep for making this trip memorable. Photo credits: Pranita, Aditi and Supraj.]