OSI: Movement

Movement is the prompt provided for this week by One Single Impression, a community of poets online writing and sharing Haiku and other poetic forms.

My free verse this week is inspired by these photographs that I shot while in Nainital in February 2008.

Quivering waters
Like emotions
Stirred from within
Creating trembles
On that foggy day
I stood watching
And wondering
What ripples will I make
As I swim
In the sometimes calm
Other times turbulent
Waters of this life

Will I leave behind
A bequest of loving friends
And family
Would I succeed
Making my way
Into their hearts with love
That would belike
Make me whole
Or will I be just another one
Fading into oblivion
Like the ripples
Waning at the lake’s shore

Interaction of water with wind
Blowing from yonder
Like a tryst
Between time and space
Beams of light breaking
On the surface
Into million reflections
I stood there pondering
Gazing at the gleaming waters
Play of light and shadow
And movement…
Of the shimmering ripples

~~~

Some other OSI posts:

• OSI: Slowly
• OSI: Paradox
• OSI: Rest
• OSI: Doorway

Chital in the Wild

The Chital (of the genus Axis and species, axis) is also called Cheetal Deer or Spotted Deer. It has a reddish fawn coat marked with white spots. It is the most common species of deer found in the wooden regions of India and are known to have a lifespan of 20-30 years. They are found in small to large herds up to 100 individuals.

The Chitals primarily eat grass and vegetation, but they are known to eat their shed antlers for their rich nutrients. They shed their antlers annually. They are one of the favored prey of predators such as tigers and leopards.

Dec 2007

Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Feb 2008
Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand

Dec 2008
Nagarahole National Park, Karnataka

Dec 2008

Wyanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala

I particularly remember watching mesmerized a herd in the forests of Bandipur National Park while on my way from Mysore to Ooty.

The above are my captures of the Chital in four different states of India. I can recall on each occasion I have enjoyed watching the herd of these cute creatures more than shooting pictures.

One Single Impression: Slowly

One Single Impression is a community of poets writing and sharing Haiku and other poetic forms.

Slowly is the prompt provided for this week by One Single Impression. My Haiku here is inspired by this photograph that I shot in Pattaya, Thailand.

Joy is within reach
As sand fills gaps between toes
Slowly, steadily

Also life's slow pace
Joyously embrace time's beat
Grasp or hasten, not

Eternal feeling
On this slow and drawling day
As soothing waves lap

With a tranquil heart
Slowly watch the light fade dim
Cool breeze softly blows

Giggling children glide
Slowly into the waters
Wet their tiny feet

With much love and care
From slow swaying canopy
Their mom keeps a watch

Slowly tree did wilt
Then shed its leaves, and life too
Ends up as dead trunk

Sun descends slowly
Radiating gold on waves
Spreads beauty around

Time, tide waits for none
Slowly, surely the sun sets
Another day ends.

~~~

Related posts:

• OSI: Paradox
• OSI: Rest
• OSI: Doorway
• OSI: Melody
  
• Transcience or Permanence

SWF: The Monks at the Gompa

For more skies across the world, go here.

Last month when on holidays in India, I passed by this Buddhist Gompa (Monastery) located in Coorg while on my way to the Nagarahole National Park. I briefly chatted with these monks and they were cheerful and friendly.

I do not recall the name of the Monastery. Does anyone out there in and around Karnataka have a clue? Have a nice day and happy skywatching!

Of Parker Pens, and Penning Thoughts

I am done with my exams…finally! Everything went well.

So..
First and foremost, thank you for your good wishes here on the blog, in thoughts, in words, over phone, in person..

The word examination can cause stress at times, also fear in certain cases. My brother’s encouragement with the words, “It’s not easy to fail” also did help. Though good efforts and hard work for preparations were necessary I wouldn’t call the experience an ordeal. It was kind of intellectually exhilarating. Now that it is finally over, I feel as if something strange like a hurricane was in transit here and passed right through my brain!

The after effects are subsiding by the day. My brain is recovering comfortably.;)

I was not used to writing using a pen and paper since long in this age of keyboards. My “daily writing practice” with a brand new Parker Fountain Pen that I began a few weeks prior to the exams did help but not nearly enough. I ended up getting an aching arm and couple of bruises on my muscle tissues of my right palm because of the continuous use of the pen for hours together the past few days.

I shall think of it as small trouble when compared to the rich rewards that are to follow when my results will be declared. I hope there will be a good assessment of my writing done under demanding time pressure. I hope. I really do hope.

It’s good to be back in the blogworld. As always, I shall be visiting each one of you shortly. Have a lovely weekend.

The Year That Was...

The Year 2008 gave me an opportunity to travel some more. Here's a summary of my trips:

~

Images: December Travels

December 2008 travels to Mumbai, Mangalore, Nagarahole National Park, Kutta, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, and Mercara, Coorg district.

Nagarahole National Park

~

The Emirate and the Sultanate

October 2008 travels mainly to Dubai, Sharjah and Hatta of the United Arab Emirates and into the borders areas of the Sultanate of Oman.

Dubai Desert Safari

~

Singing in the Rain
August 2008 trip to Mangalore, Karla, Lonavala, Khandala and Mumbai.

Bhaje Caves, Lonavala

~

Journey to Garhwal

End-July/early-August 2008 travels to Garhwal from Delhi to: Haridwar, Rishikesh, Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Joshimath, Auli, Govindghat, Valley of Flowers, Hemkund Sahib, Pandukeshwar, Badrinath, and Mana village.

Trekking in the Valley of Flowers

~

Greetings from Jordan
March 2008 travels to Jordan that included: Amman, Jerash, Ajloun, the Dead Sea and the Petra.

Arch of Hadrian, Jerash

~

Back to Pavilion

End-February/Early-March 2008 trip to the Kumaon from Delhi to: Nainital, Bhimtal, Naukuchiatal, Sattal and Corbett National Park.

Nainital

~

I had mentioned in my post 24 Hours Are Not Enough about my upcoming examinations. It is now almost time . So, in addition to my day to day activities, lately I've had to make time to give some attention to my text books. I shall be active in the 'blogworld' as soon as the exams are over. Until then, enjoy life and your blogging time.

~

Happy New Year

Sentimental Speech

Last year at this time, I stood up on the table at that pub, clinked my glass for attention and said that it was time to get ready. I said at the stroke of midnight, I wanted every person in there to be standing next to the one person who made his/her life worth living.

As the clock struck twelve...the bartender was almost crushed to death!

*

My Resolutions

Here are my New Year Resolutions that I won’t keep:

• Watch more Television.
  
• Yea right, I've been missing some good stuff.

• Start being superstitious.
• It's based on science you know.
  

• Read less.
  
• It does not make me think.

• Spend my vacation in Cyberspace.
• Certainly, for it is better than the Himalayas.

• Spread out priorities beyond my ability.
  
• It gets easy to keep track of them that way.

• Stop checking my email at 3:30 in the morning.
• And ignore my insomnia.

• Procrastinate more.
  
• Starting tomorrow.

• Stop sending e-mails, and messages on yahoo and msn messengers, icq, and be on the phone at the same time.
  
• And with the same person.

• Never make New Year's resolutions again.
• Surely not...not till 2009 end.

*

His Resolutions

My friend, and colleague, with whom I share many a laughs whenever possible while in office, does not like to brag. He has permitted me to share with you all how proud he is about the great progress he has made about his resolve to lose weight.

Here are his New Year Resolutions of the past few years as observed by me:

• 2003: He will get his weight down below 180.
• 2004: He will watch his calories until he gets below 190.
• 2005: He will follow his new diet religiously until he gets below 200.
• 2006: He will try to develop a realistic attitude about his weight.
• 2007: He will work out 5 days a week.
• 2008: He will work out 2 days a week.
• 2009: He will try to drive past a gym at least once a week!

*

New Year Wishes, Sincere Ones

To all my friends across the world here are my wishes in the languages I am familiar with:

Happy New Year
English

Naye Saal Ki Shubhkaamnayein
Hindi

Noothana Samvathsarasya Shubhaashayaha
Sanskrit

Tumka Boren Novi Vors Magta
Konkani

Posa Varshada Subhashaya
Tulu

Hosa Varshada Subhaashayagalu
Kannada

Kul'aam Wa Antum Bikhair
Arabic

Naya Saal Mubarak Ho
Urdu

*

Have a lovely 2009! Let’s continue smiling, as always. Cheers!

- celine