The Year That Was

A pictorial journey through the year 2008.

The year started on a very pleasant note when we flew down on a sight seeing trip to south India in January 2008.

On board a low flight aircraft overlooking the nilgiri hills
Visited various places like Ooty, Mysore,





Kerala



and Kanya Kumari -- seen below is the the southern most tip of Indian peninsula.

Celebrated twenty five years of our marriage in May 2008

Attended famous Durga Puja celebrations of Calcutta, (view of a Puja Pandal at College Street )

and idols of 'Ma Durga' and other gods and godesses inside the pandal.

Navratra festival --

Jeet treating the 'Kanya' (young girls ) on ashtami during 'Navratras'

'Navratras' were followed by 'Karva Chauth' -- a fast observed by ladies in devotion to their husbands. They wait for the moon to break their fast.

And there she came out after much wait, shining bright in the dark sky.

And my moon on the earth was all smiles as the wait ended.

Next was the festival of Diwali. Hustle and bustle of Diwali shopping in one of the Delhi markets

We all traveled to Shimla to celebrate Diwali there.

Dilraj, Mahak and Malvika with their nanny enjoying the swing at Shimla.

Romancing Jeet on the famous Ridge at Shimla

Shimla on the Diwali night.

And back to work at Calcutta

in the office and at home

Some days were bright

and some dull

and my regular friends kept me company, having their daily morning meal on my terrace.

The tragedy struck the country towards the end of the year.

Candle light tributes to those killed during Mumbai Carnage.

But life goes on. A song and dance programme held at a club in Calcutta to mark the year ending celebrations.

I will be failing in describing the journey through the year 2008 without mentioning about the blogger friends that i made during the year , though i have been blogging since 2005. Although i have not met any of them except Ashwani, who is my colleague, but i have already started feeling their presence in my life. The list of their blogs is :-
anoobhooti
JP's randomthoughts
Pinku-Enchanted Life
Overdrive ... :)
A Quest.....!
The Life and Times of an Indian Home Maker
La Belle Dame Sansmerci
जाने भी दो यारो........
Shobhaa De
Inexplicably
Reflections
ki-jaana-main-kaun
What we obtain too cheap, We esteem too lightly.
JP's philosphicalthoughts
INFINITY ENDS HERE
A point and a view
Stand Up India
Leadership - My Experiences and Understanding
my space
ਕਾਗ਼ਜ਼ ਦੇ ਕੁਝ ਪੁਰਜ਼ੇ / Kaaghaz de Kujh Purzei
Gazal's Blogs

2008 also brought back a long lost friend Hari Sandhu from school days -- courtesy my blog.

Seen below is Hari Sandhu's picture of school days. I mailed it to him as a New Year's gift

I received an SMS on new year which i would like to share here.

"While 2008 was a great teacher, let us hope that 2009 will be a great healer".

And I wish you all a

Happy, Safe and Secure New Year

This post forms part of my life journey. To read all the posts in this series, please click here.