Signs of Monsoon

Rain, rain go away come again another day!... goes the rhyme..
Its been about a month since Monsoons have started in Kerala and yet the downpour has been on a drastically low scale. The cold mornings of July n Aug are yet to come it seems!
The first rain brings with it the eruption of numerous cute little towers in and around, fondly called mushrooms. Well, frankly I hadn't been able to sight even a single mush till today, this season.
Today was the lucky day, I guess.
The pics show a large group of tiny mushrooms I found near steps to my friends' hostel. These looked real cute and were quite fluffy to touch!
Don't know why, but sometimes the smallest and the least significant things make us feel good, and makes one feel and admire the diversity the One above has bestowed on the planet. I don't know how many of you share these thoughts, but I, for one, somehow felt quite cheerful seeing those new lives taking shape abiding the law of nature.Imagery of clear guilt that came to my mind was how we, humans, were destroying this perfect harmony and balance between life and still...



Message: When thoughts haunt you, and mind succumbs to waves of depressing gusts, look around you for the tiniest form of life- something that strives to make others happy, something that perishes in moments yet does what its purpose of living was... to enchant those who can feel the pain, and the joy imbibed in every pain, the ones who could still laugh after every sad moment and those who could carry a gleam of hope resident in the most depressing of moments... seeking out to let the good happen...
Buzzing off

The Duck Tales

Set for the leap..

It had always been among my simpler dreams to rear a paddle of ducks. Its something of a wish that you tend to procure wacthing all those lush green fields and ducks swarming into water pools in unison, often a sight from some movie. A few days ago, the day after my lab exams to be precise, I had a chance to be with such a paddle.
A rather peaceful lot

The ducks were reared through a feet deep muddy fields, now water-logged owing to the monsoon rains. I stepped off my bike and went with the paddle for about a kilometre or so. It was pure fun, making the ducks run one way to the other, always doing so in a group. Two men on both flanks assured that the gaggle always moved in single general direction despite their helter-skelter runs.
Can you see the other end??

Upon being asked how they could manage to cage every single duck everyday, the men confessed that its damn tough to get near ducks if you are a stranger, but not so once they know you. Ducks have a tendency to follow the one in the front, and hence, marching the leader in the direction the men decide gets the others humming to the same tune as well!!! Interesting, isn't it??!!

Just another view, nothing big!!

There were about 200+ ducks in the swarm. The men walk with them everyday from noon till twilight before closing them in the pen. It was a remarkably unique experience and a bouquet of everlasting freshness..

One Dream fulfilled...
Many to go...
Buzzing Off...
P.S: being a stranger to the ducks, I couldn't get close enough to take better pics.The above pics are good when seen in zoom mode.

Svarito Fotografia...

Since the moment I received my Sony Ericsson K550i Cybershot Mobile, I've been taking snaps of anything and everything that I felt like capturing. Nature is the theme here though this post also showcases other miscellaneous photos( svarito fotografia!)
Do post your comments about the deficiencies or proficiencies...

Exhibit 1:

The beginning of a new day...

Exhibit 2:

An evening @ Kuttimukk fields, with sunlight glimmering in the canal below..

Exhibit 3:

Sunset through the trees...

Exhibit 4:

Raindrops resisting the fall to sodden earth..

Exhibit 5:

From Nelliampathy with Love....

Exhibit 6:

Remains of a glorious past... Location: Karalam Fields, Irinjalakuda.

Exhibit 7:

Flowers on sale at a Bud nursery en route Palakkad

Exhibit 8:

Miles to go before I sleep...

Exhibit 9:

The Hills beckon you..

**********************************************

Now for some pics which caught my amusement!

Exhibit 10:

The picture is from the streets of Mysore. These hawkers are trying to sell what apparently is a Pain balm. Humongous crowd gathered but buyers were not many..

Exhibit 11:
Rays of Hope...

Exhibit 12:

The final Showdown.. Interzone '08

Exhibit 13:

Dedicated to my GEC Comrades...

Exhibit 15:

Its time to celebrate...

Exhibit 16:







Bleeding Hearts, Aching Minds...
from an Anti-Chinese Protest in Mysore..
Here I met people, people like us, flesh and blood, fighting for their rights, fighting for their homeland, fighting for what is rightfully theirs...



*******The Beginning*******

Rain Rain Go Away!!

stuck and still waiting...

A week more to go.

I'm at my home in Mysore now. Came over

this Sunday(16th morning). No particular

reason. Its been over two months since

I've been home so felt like getting

back.
The state of Kerala is facing the

heaviest showers of recent times, quite

unexpected at this time of the year.

television news report describe sever

loss of grains and other crops to

farmers for whom this was the harvest

season. The 15th of march was no

different.


Kuttimukku fields on 14th, the first foggy morning in two months

I woke up by 10a.m. (pretty early for my

holiday standards). Went to college

after(??) cleaning up. Booked my tickets

and came over to pack my bags for the

trip. Hari (my brother) had asked for the

computer to be brought back home as he

would be finishing off with his C.B.S.E

board exams next weekend, only to enter

a long vacation of roughly three months.

I had bartered Sethu's L.C.D monitor for

my CRT one, thus reducing the bulk of

load drastically. It was quite easy

packing up the whole computer and

peripherals and I finished in about two

hours...

It had started drizzling by 3p.m. There

was a time about a week ago when we had

prayed for a little of rain, but "

ooparwala jab bhi deta hai, chappad

phaad ke deta hai" and thats centum true.

Its been raining for three days now,

with continuum.

My bags and the card box got wet and the

papers were peeling away from the Box by

the time I reached home(at 5a.m next

morning).

The journey home was pretty

eventful. First to mention is about Mr.

Shajahan, a logo and web designer from Ernakulam on

his way to Nilambur. He had had serious

troubles the whole day, missing the

train for which he had booked a ticket,

getting out late from a crucial meeting

and finally ending up next to me en

route! We had a nice little chat midst

of which he laid out a proposal to do

some off-campus web designing for him whilst

carrying on my studies. Seems

interesting, novel, unexplored field

from my point of view. Shall be giving it a

try soon.

Then at about 40kms from Mysore, the

bus had a punctured tire. The

driver soon set off to change it with

locally available tools and some which

he had carried with him( obviously, he

should, its Kerala R.T.C anyway!)


A patient wait for about 2 hours and I

was home at 5 against the usual 3a.m

arrival.

Shall be returning to Thrissur in

two days. Still hoping positively that

the university may postpone the exams

buzzing off

The Two Worlds

Sun was setting in the far oblivion.Her home, a furlong away was visible in the twilight as a beautiful patch of grey over the blazing red that was now the horizon. Heaving foot one ahead of the other, she slowly made herself walk towards it, the loneliness that she suffered wanting her to go back the stone track, through the meadow, towards the river bank.

It was here, in the hours after she had left her friend, a young bright lass of her age, that a traveller, seated on a hand-made saddle, placed on the darkest and the mightiest horse she had ever seen, stopped her. His face was hidden half beneath the scarf with the golden braided edge and the dark brown eyes had expressed, beyond his attempts to mask them, an exquisite liking and a warm feeling of unearthly fondness.

She could sense his eyes wandering from her hair, that was gently flying in the mild breeze coming from nowhere, to the features on her face, and further beyond. A sense of uneasiness set in initially, but soon gave way to a unique sensation she had never felt before. He got down from the beast, and started stroking its mane, his eyes fixed on the beauty in front of him. His boots showed signs of rough times, and the leather holsters on either side of his belt held guns with ivory butt.

It was unusual for a stranger to ride into their town, in the valley beside the snow-capped mountain. They were the cast-away from the kingdom of the cruel king, and defying his rule was their mistake. The mountain provided them protection from the king's guards, and from the beasts that prowled in the jungles beyond. The tracks leading to the village had given way to vegetation, the reminiscence of a prosperous trade route. Any person coming from other side of the mountain was hanged in the town centre, for, if he is left alive , their settlement could be ambushed by the cruel king.

He talked to her in a language that was not her own. His voice , she imagined, were of the gods her mother always spake of. Unmistakeably she could comprehend the essence of his words as though they were connected by a link from the past, perhaps from a previous birth. He lifted the gunny pouch hanging from his waist,requesting for the elixir of life- water. She gently took it in her hand. Their fingers touched for a brief moment and a pulsating surge sent shivers through her nerves. She drew back immediately, her soft snow-white cheeks now wearing the vibrancy of a rose bud.

Her breath quickened as she curvetted towards the rivulet. The chirping of the blue-tail reminded her of the romantic ballad her grandma used to recite.
Anxiety mounting, she quickly filled the pouch with water, and ran back to the place where she left him. Her heart beat faster than ever as she imagined his face beneath the scarf, daring herself to speak once she got back.

He was lying under the large oak tree. The horse he had straddled was no where to be seen. She set herself next to him, resisting her temptation to touch his hands that now rested on his chest. His breath was heavy, and words were choking his throat. She gently placed her hands on his back, rendering him support enough to sit. Her emotions flooded beyond bounds as her arm drenched in his blood. The gaping wound on his back was draining him of all the vitality he was left with, drawing him closer to the darker world beyond life. Their eyes locked for a brief moment. His hand gently rose, caressing her face, before falling down, lifeless...

Dedication: to a very special friend, Merlin, who inspired me to write this...

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'Dam!!' Its Gorgeous!! Peechi dam, Thrissur

Peechi Dam( Reservoir) provides for the water supply to more than half the population of Thrissur district. Thanks to the Weather phenomena happening some where in Indonesia, the state of Kerala has been receiving heavy rains for the last 10 days. The water level in the dam has reached the apex thus making it essential to lift its "shutters", which control the level of water stored in the reservoir.

We, a gang of 12, took this as an opportunity to relish in the lap of nature overlooking the region surrounding the dam. Cars, belonging to Rohit and Bristow were arranged for immediately, and congested though we were, made it to Peechi which was roughly 17kms from Thrissur City.

It was drizzling as we reached Peechi. We approached the location directly over the shutter where from one could actually feel the rumble of water gushing savagely through a narrow gap of 20 Inches to the surface 50 feet+ below. It was definitely a view of a lifetime seeing the water in the adjacent reservoir touching maximum level for the first time in 20-25 years. I remembered Samuel Taylor Coleridge's words,"Water water everywhere, not a drop to drink" as in this case we could not reach the actual water body because of restrictions by the authorities.:)

It was followed by a hike into jungle nearby. We went on narrow forest paths, where on only one person can walk abreast,all the time awestruck by the sheer power of water, the force of which hitting rock bottom was deafening. Our trek through the jungle came to an end at a small rivulet where in we halted and took rest. It was getting dark(6.30p.m) and they say, in jungle night falls even before one realises. :)

The trek was loaded with many funny instances of people quoting doubts on a small motion in the nearby bush mistaking it to be snakes and all. We soon returned back to Civilisation and made our way to the bottom of the fall.Jets of water formed mist all around upon meeting with the base ground and it was a wonderful feeling relinquishing all worries of the day and letting mind float over the beautiful waves that were being created and destroyed every moment.
Kerala is truly, the God's own Country.


Everyone chose to stay for the night at my place upon compulsion. Ramakrishnan was given birthday bumps at 0000hrs as he is turning 19 today. As always, we sat around debating on a field of common interest and the talks went on till 2 in the morning when we called it a "day" and went to sleep.

It was one rare experience all together and a real nice getaway from our busy schedules in and after college :).