Whispering Shadow

I went on a date with nature A weekend in the middle of nowhere A tonne of green, a tinge of brown My mind losing any reason to frown  I heard an orchestra of crickets Sounds of birds rarely found The pitter-patter of raindrops The unending songs had many messages Observe and Appreciate! There's beauty in the small things Like an act of kindness Listen and Connect! There's so much that goes unnoticed Like the voices of those oppressed and sometimes, the ones we love Pause and Think! There's life in your moments worth acknowledging Like a child in a sandbox Why did I love these dates?  My nana took me on my first few ones For him, it was about food and family For me, it was sheer curiosity What made the elephant trumpet so loud? How did we have a roof full of orange flowers? Why did the waterfall make a thunderous sound?  Questions which eventually helped me understand: Why education is beyond schools Why living things have a purpose  And finally, why nature made me f...

I have been travelling for the last 10 days in the lap of Himalayas – Uttarakhand. Time and again, during the travels I have had thoughts and afterthoughts which I have been waiting to pen down. Now that I have finally time to access my laptop, I am going to write a brief summary of everything. Thought #1: You are smaller than you think. I had seen the three pronged peak called Trishul many times during the course of my five hours journey to Kausani. This peak was a part of  the tallest mountainous terrain in the world, the Himalayas. What remained hidden behind the mountain, on which Kausani is perched, came into full view only when my car took a hairpin turn on a road in the city. Within a matter of minutes, a 300 kilometre long wall of the Himadri range presented itself to me. The peaks were numerous and covered in snow. At my eye level, they seemed to be only marginally taller than Kausani itself, but on further reading, I found out that the peaks on an average were...

With the monsoon, begins my new journey as a teacher. I can't wait to head to Pune and start the process of learning to become one. I don't think five weeks can prepare me for everything there is to teaching. I don't think five decades are enough for that!! But yes, I will learn to independently manage a classroom, to teach kids creatively so that they learn faster than they otherwise would and to utilize the resources available to me to keep improving in the classroom.  Like nature welcomes the rains without hesitance, I will open my mind to ideas, opinions and people that will help me build new perspectives. Like the streams of water trickling down the slope in the forest, I will find my way through or around problems, no matter how tough or long the path is. Like the first offshoot of grass that breaks its way through the hardened soil, I will start breaking the mould I have built around me, thanks to an education and career that has taught me and sometimes forced me ...

For a clear blue sky and a warmer day Even the long winters have to make way A gift of nature is unwrapped As the white cover of snow melts away Like a drop of colour on a black and white painting A green off shoot of leaves emerges from hiding The birds return, chirpier than ever Waking the other residents to an early morning While others welcome with open hands Man's tentativeness in his way stands For his priority is his own comfort, and Weather is known for unpredictable trends God thinks of him in a mocking manner "Evolution made you independent and smarter But it took away from you the joy of small things Of which and yours, I will always remain a Master"

I am standing at the edge of a cliff. I feel the wind blowing on my face.  I take a deep breath. I smell the saltiness of the ocean whose fragrance the wind carries with it. I decide to execute the plan that I have been coaxing myself into for over a year. I jump of the cliff, diving in the direction of the sea. The few moments of the free fall overwhelm me with emotions. The thrill of adventure. The excitement of speed. The pressure of performing when the stakes are high. The fear of injuring myself.  I am 20 feet above the surface of the water. This is the decisive moment. I pull open my wings. My speed is broken by their span. I change my course gliding over the surface of the water at cruising speed. I reduce my altitude so as to scratch the surface of the sea. The splashes of water on my face are refreshing. I am moving fast. I am moving in the direction of the light.  I am on my own. I am giving a dream its wings. I am free. Song in my head:

The sun had nearly reached the horizon. The weather had turned a notch cooler than it had been at mid-day due to the drizzle that prevailed over the past few hours. A brook was meandering through a lush grassland. It could not be seen but the sound of flowing water could be heard at a distance. In addition to the invisible stream of water was a dying stream of colours, flowing from the skies to the earth as a rainbow. In contrast to the multiple shades of the rainbow, the grass was of a monotonous but fresh green tinge. Parts of each standing blade were magnified at points where the drops of rain had settled, glowing under the light of the sun. Some of the blades were trampled along paths used by walkers, but today, they lay deserted except for his presence. One of the paths falling directly in line with the sun was lit by its now soothing light. Her silhouette emerged at a distance, rising along the slope of that path. She was running to him, just like the many sparrows rushing to the...

A shining crystal of light and joy Graceful in my fall from the sky Mesmerizing to your eye The original catcher in the rye Oh dear, admire my beauty Learn a lesson, while I do my duty I am fragile yet stable I am sublime yet able I can touch your heart You can touch my soul But the moment you hold me I will be no more Your dream is like me Your guiding light The moment you force it It will disappear into the night

Have I ever told you I love the first rains of the season? Oh yes, I have, not once , but twice . But nonetheless, today, after having got soaked in the first rains again, I realize why it is so. I do not want to get into the clichés of ''the smell of earth'' or ''the sound of a cuckoo chirping'' or ''the fresh look of trees''. All that adds to the beauty of the moment. That is what you feel through your senses-fragrance, sounds, sights and touch. I find the rains beautiful because of the feelings they evokes within me. The rains are blissful solitude, one of the few elements which can drown out the noise surrounding me. Call me a loner, but over the years, I have realized the importance of being close to one's own self. I love it when nature defines the setting for my date with me. Amidst the chaos of urban living and fast paced routines, I can bring my life to a stand still by getting engrossed in these tiny offerings which nature...

The light it brought The beauty it revealed The warmth it gave The life it breathed During every instance of life and death During every time of storm and relief During every case of success and failure During every moment of joy and grief Despite the dark clouds that hovered over Despite the rains that damped the spirit inside Despite the sands that blocked the sight Despite the eclipse when the sunshine died It arose everyday in a million lands It arose to cheer up depressed souls It arose to signal a new beginning It arose showing paths to new goals Overwhelmed by tiredness of routine Overwhelmed by the misery seen Overwhelmed by the hearts broken Overwhelmed by the damage unforeseen It realized it could take no more It realized the journey was complete It realized the time had come It realized the last rites had begun

Miles above me, I could see them throw sparkling smiles on me. Not one, not hundred but thousands of them, holding on their own in the darkness of the night. Some appeared brighter than others. The silence hovering over the lake and the banter of the monkeys in the forest somehow seemed to accentuate the sight further. The absence of moonlight had sharpened the night sky even more. All the constellations I learnt about in my science text books were right up there - Orion, Big Dipper and Ursa Major. I could have created a few more interesting shapes with the help of my imagination, in fact, even identify a few faces. It was deja vu - both with the faces and that night. I kept wondering whether that night was more beautiful than this one. I somehow couldn't remember. Even if I did, I couldn't draw comparisons between the two. A lot had changed since than, including me. I was seeing more good in this world than I was earlier. The stars were at peace, not locked in a rivalry over ...

Satisfaction manifests itself in different ways. Satisfaction could come from the sense of achievement, peace, joy or relaxation derived from any one of the many activities one could possibly do. But the beauty lies in the fact that its effect leave an imprint on your head, a scar one wants to see over and over again to relive those times that have been. Again scar may not be the perfect word to use in a positive connotation but I simply use it as a last symbol of an event that led to strong emotions. I was scarred twice in the last fortnight. Two very different reasons led to two very different results but gave me the same amount of satisfaction. The first event I am talking of was my rafting trip to Kolad. The dense forests, the pristine waters, the unpredictable skies and the beautiful flora and fauna looked even prettier when observed from the quiet and fast moving rafts. There was no way I could have seen and absorbed so much natural grandeur in so little time. When added to the a...

The search is on For another treasure Not the glory of achievement Nor wealth beyond measure The path is hidden The journey is long The silence and sounds of the woods Accompany me all along "Make your own path If you can't find the right ways Learn from me, oh traveller" Advices the river as it sways Gazing through the scarlett sky The Sun sinks at the distant end Spreading darkness as it takes my leave To brighten up another land The sights and sounds and smells Look with me into the starry night Overtaking me with a sense of joy Making me wonder if my goal was right The serenity and the beauty alike Make nature my wonder cure My journey was my destination Of that, I am completely sure.

On one rainy day, I remember I had taken cover under the natural umbrella one of them formed. It served me well. I managed to come out, not half as soaked as I would have otherwise been. The rains in Mumbai are ruthless on its inhabitants and the trees are the only saviours.  I was indebted.  The trinity used to stand there, majestically, at the turn down the road. I had seen them in their full glory with their brown barks and thick blanket of leaves. Many creatures lived in them - crows and sparrows, pigeons and squirrels, and many more insects and creepie-crawlies. It was a micro-habitat in itself.   Today, it felt different. The shade the trees provided was gone. The chirping of the birds was absent. In fact there were no birds.  As I walked back home, I had hoped to find them watching over the road that leads to the hospital. But all I saw were three stubs, as if they had been prosecuted and sentenced to death - beheading was the chosen method.   The walk didn't feel the same. ...

Despite being incredibly busy over the past few days, I have managed to find time for many of my favourite activities, which  includes photography (here I go again!). My subjects off late have been varied and mostly natural. And in all I have noticed one common thread - they look more beautiful when they are where they truly belong. A monkey jumping from one branch to another in a dense forest...another scratching his friend's back to relieve him from his itchiness...flowers that wear colours with textures that only enhance their splendour...a lake that provides a mirror to the sky above and the forest surrounding it...a shoe print in the sand, burying a leaf with ruthless perfection...the lack of sophistication of villagers, that you so want but can't have...or the sun taking  time off from it's boredom of watching over many lives it has brightened in one part, only to see some more in another. They are sights which give me contentment, put me at peace with myself. They gi...

You might be wondering where I have been so long. I have just returned from a holiday to Dubai and Sharjah. The trip was not exactly a long vacation but it was a vacation well-spent! I lived like a tourist for a change. I also have captured bits and pieces of it through the pictures I clicked. Here's a glimpse of my photolog. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day 1: Almost There Dubai truly represented the city of blinding lights, looking pretty in colours of gold and tungsten. Day 2: Burj Dubai This building is so tall that I couldn't fit it in my camera frame. I was around half a kilometer away. And guess what, it is still under construction. No wonder, it's the tallest man-made structure in the world. Day 2: Burj Al Arab from Jumeriah Beach Jumeirah Beach is one of the oldest and the most beautiful beaches in Dubai. It overlooks three hotels, Burj Al Arab (by far the most elegant), the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, ...

I haven't visited the Shadows in a while because I was visiting some place else. A tiny sleepy hill station on the outskirts of Mumbai (don't know if 180Km qualifies as outskirts) was our destination for a well deserved post exam holiday. It is called Bhandardara. We went there to have fun and so we did to the fullest - climbing the tallest peak of Maharashtra, trekking among the clouds, catching frogs, going shoe-hunting when it is pitch dark, playing the most hilarious game of Bluff, getting caught in fog so thick that it could hide an elephant, picnicking near waterfalls and much more.Nonetheless, I am not going to make this post a journal. I am going to describe three moments which made me feel at peace with myself like never before. The first one came when we were sitting at a step on our trek up the Kalsubhai summit. We were half way up having crossed rickety ladders and slippery trails. At this point, I decided to take a break. I sat on a rock in admiration of the view. ...

“’cause I want to live like animals Careless and free like animals I want to live I want to run through the jungle The wind in my hair and the sand at my feet” When Savage Garden came up with this song, I really am not sure what their inspiration was. But yes, the song makes you want to break free. No, unlike my last blog entry, this time I don’t want to be an animal. Through this, I pay a tribute to all those people who epitomise the spirit of this song. It is a result of efforts of these people that we still have a lot of creatures walking with men into the 21st century in spite of man’s mindless and self-centred growth. Yes, I am talking of the wild-life experts, film-makers and environmentalists. Personally, I was not as much a nature lover till I got hooked to all the channels which showcase riveting documentaries. A lot of time I spent in front of the idiot box is with the Irwins, Corwins and Attenborroughs. Perhaps, in this case the idiot box proved of a more productive use than...