Curves

Brisk walk, no! it a speed walk almost a run for me when I hold her hands during the visit to the temple in the evening.

Preparing to leave, she makes sure her short white hair is covered with her saree. the other end of the saree is pinned properly under the strong knot in hip. Yes, she is all set to face this world! she is a grandmother now, but still bows her head while on road. As she lifts her glasses to ensure her direction, all her supporting muscles will raise to its best level to give her a view. I noticed a wave of lines in her face, which gives more details to the emotion hidden beautiful face. No more decoration required!

I or my cousin will accompany her every evening to the temple. Due to no treatment done for glaucoma on time, she lost her one sight, Hence she depends on her grandchildren with more irritation to accompany her on road. She used to be on her own always. without chappals, She walks fast, but will wait for the cows, those returning to homes to cross us, we consciously pass through the cow dungs and small stones/sticks around. We wait if any heavy vehicle crosses. These small gestures, she protected us! even though we are called as bodyguard for her.

Inside her thick glasses, we can still see the soulful prayer in eyes. Silent whispers, greeting postures and surrendering postures are always the same with the same duration. she says hello to every Idol in the temple. Sits for a few minutes and takes breathe. Every time I noticed she won't engage in long talks even with regulars, apart from how are you? there will not be any other conversations.

She walks at the same speed back home. she will sit on the platform called "thinnai" for some time. once she is all fine to start her daily chores, she thanks the lord facing the direction of template, for bringing her home safe and washes her feet.

It's a celebratory ritual every day. even if its a rainy day, she at least sit on the covered "thinnai" for some time and face the direction of the temple and pay respect. how simple and strong the relationship would be for her and that Perumal? he also definitely missed her. That's how I witness the lightings.

She never visited shops nearby, her only outing is to the temple. With so many challenges in her life, like no bank balance, no asset, no son, no husband to take care, She was all simple, courageous and ethical. Each line formation would have been from the experience she had in every turn of her life. 

Watching a day's old human and nearing 100 humans are very similar excitement. each muscle movement gives us astonishing brightness & smile to soul. I saw lines in both the faces. the later one turned into curves.

Photo Credits : Sundharadrusti

Colors all the way!

Beautiful memories are real colors of life, isn't it?

Memories are those unforgettable moments of life where the soul cherishes the happiness of other souls around.

Childhood memories are sweeter, where we enjoyed life in full fun and joy...agree? those days, the fun is unlimited when friends and family around...I remember in the '90s almost every school plan the exams before festivals. More than holidays or Vacations, its festival celebrations. During the '90s, in a middle-class family, whether its housewife or working women with any budget in hand makes sure every member in the family [even extended sometimes]is satisfied. No nation will ever manage the budget as she does. Every soul in the family was happier whatever the budget was.

Isn't festivals are man-made? natural way of celebrating mankind in the name of GOD? we wear colorful dresses, pamper ourselves with tasty unique deserts for every different festival, decorate our houses, distribute sweets and special dishes to our loved and dear ones. 

Photo Credits: Sundharadrusti

One such festival enjoyed by girls in the age between 8-11 is "Dasara", of course, Deepavali tops the list, however, Dasara is most specifically designed for girls. It creates a path to find friends, to showcase our skill in singing, reciting slogans and admire ways of celebration across families in our neighborhood. Navarathri - all 9 nights are celebrated in name of Goddesses. Such a carefully named and designed festival was this, Each emerging beautiful girls are introduced to the world beginning with our neighborhood. Its a beginning to accept every different way of other families. starting from the decoration, dolls, songs, gifts and of course that yummy "sundal". Girls discuss among their groups about the different houses they visited and the experiences they get. It's the mandatory space we make for those budding women, a courageous step towards the diversified society we have.

As kids we are always permitted in all aunties house with just a knock or a call "Mami / Mama..." we visit all houses we know with our kolu mates. We make friends with other streets Radha, Divya, Lakshmi to make sure we collect as much variety of "Sundal" and make a note to all kinds of dolls and garden/park made beside it.

Sometimes, I am accompanied by my brother to visit houses on behalf of my mom, u guessed it, he gets that extra "sundal" too.

Major discussion on these days would be around the number of steps we witnessed in each house, the variety of sundal" made on each day at each house, the decoration or arrangement of parks beside the steps. Dolls are always close to girls, we admire them the most, is smiling all the time, being colorful all through a decade, posing a strong character in hearts of all ages!

Photo Credits: Sundharadrusti
Witnessed, a mixed variety of dolls made of clay 90 % of them, porcelain, plaster of Paris, wooden...its a mother of eco-friendly system. The dressed and decorated black wooden doll of a boy and girl, The Kalasam with small coconut on top of a decorated pot along with mango leaves, Tall bold soldier in uniform, holding weapons on either side of kolu steps, musical band around a marriage set, Chettiar family with all his assets, Tanjore dancing doll [Thanjavur thalayatti bommey]all 3 devi's, ganesh - mandatory to be placed in all doll arrangements, Birds and animal pair's on each step, dasavatharam, ramar pattabhishegam, krishna leela's, Kailash nathar, Garuda seva of tirumala, Vishnu in Parkadal, Vishvaroopam - the most luxury kolu's will have this as its expensive and gigantic. the one doll still fascinates any visitor.

Along with these dolls arrangement in steps , varied from 3 , 5, 7 & 11, Decoration / building of our locals like, parks with benches, flowering plants, trees, mountains, farming lands with real mustard buds, temples, tanks, cricket matches, all types of vehicles inroads made in paper and paint,  fences made with paper coloured with sketches, Fields created with natural buds of mustards. plastic fishes swim along in the man-made tanks..street lights made of wastes fascinates and pulls many visitors to a house.
There is a lot of work done around Dasara decorations. Each family contributes in its own way.

Each house kolu is unique, they have stories around the dolls too, some are gifted by loved ones, gifted from mothers place, brought when the family visited a holiday location, brought with much negotiation from a street vendor, preserved from grandmothers collections, Grandchildren's favorite collections, sometimes it's like antique collections. some dolls are preserved for 3 decades. Which is fresh memory each year for that family to remember their family roots.

Photo Credits: Sundharadrusti
How I experienced the process!

My mother would save a new traditional dress for this occasion. Preparations start almost a month before, we plan what to be a new collection this year.
We visit a place called Khadi Gramodhayog Bhavan - a government shop, every year the dolls are imported from other parts of India and a free exhibition is held. 
Its a dream place for me. The numerous arrangement of dolls in every size. 80 % of dolls represent forms / incarnations / Leela of Vishnu / Shiva. Rest would be the life of simple farmers, sports, the individual pose of various gods and goddesses. All are prized and tagged. We usually but a set which includes 4-5 separate dolls in normal size, so it fits our steps width. Also, we consciously choose the face and new set every time. Hence our Kolu is full of new stories. These new will somehow find a place in the steps - I never saw my mom removing old dolls as we brought new ones. That's a real skill right?

I love to watch the packing of dolls, all picked dolls are verified twice for any fault or broken hands, then a box is found from behind the stands, each doll is rolled on the colorful pieces of papers, these are the waste from the printing press, the cutting edge of paper cuts. They also use dried grass to fill in the box.
once all dolls are counted and placed carefully into the carton box, it's tied with a strong rope. Ready for delivery. To Hold that box from the delivery stand to home is like holding the holy god himself for me. I carry with so soft and more love. Such a precious jewel it was! Got ready from morning to just see its packed and carried to home. the major excitement is to explain about the new doll to my dad and brother. All my eyes and hands not enough to speak about the beauty and choice of the doll. My brother would like to peek from the corner of the box/pack and somehow see the smallest part of the doll and wonder about it. Poor fellow never came with us, its a girls festival right!

The old dolls are taken from a big box in loft very carefully, sometimes along with tiny living being like mouse inside it. But the dolls were not damaged at all even once. but it ate the cloth wraps and fillers only. we clean it and make sure ready for re-filling once the festival is over.
unwrapping each doll and find the set/pair for it is an amazing job that starts just before the night of Dasara. We are work on this rejoicing work after dinner, It's me, my bro and mom, unwrap and arrange it on each step, [Wooden plank are made as steps and a white dhoti is spread across to cover the planks. So colorful dolls are sited so nicely with a white bg] without any foto, we remember each doll to be placed in which step and which side.
almost by midnight, we fold the cloths and wrap up for the day. Yes, of course, the Kolu has been arranged as gorgeous as last year!

So far it's only about dolls, there is a bigger excitement than this is to plan the park arrangements beside the kolu steps. It starts with the temple tank manufacture, yes we once made a concrete based tank with steps and painted it. What a great creation was for us. Me and my brother will hunt for sand and bring home in small portions. spread it across the border is the real beginning of the Kolu. Now the way for the vehicles are made with chart papers, with the remaining papers street lights are made. We grow mustards 3 days before the kolu begins, so the new buds are found on the sands spread. Kudos what an achievement to see the new buds in the morning. We celebrate with a loud shout out. Touch it and get glued to it all day. It's a pride moment. I am not at all exaggerating these, it's soo real feeling of us. 

Small stones are picked and arranged and make sure we use wet soil to complete the hill and spatter the mustards and every day we used to water it nicely. un-invited guest - the red ants will be waiting for the seeds and buds. It didn't exist with our supervision. Finally, the fences are paper made and painted then the placing of houses trees, vehicles, workers, temple visitors. I missed the boats and fishes inside the tank !

Ah, the Kolu is completely ready for visitors now!

Every time it's such a colorful memory!

Photo Credits: Sundharadrusti

Transparent, Fulfilling, Adventures Droplets - RAIN

Photo Credits: Sundharadrusti

Every Childhood phase is awesome, isn't it? we experience the world around us for the first time, with passionate thoughts, unanswered queries, beyond our knowledge ... These become our memories.

A fascinating memory is of course with nature and loved ones. Nature on its way remains as memories in every living being, however, it shares unique moments with each individual. Those are unforgettable memories for each one of us. 

 Essential elements for human life on its simple form are always beautiful. Breeze, clear blue sky, mud in the pot, candlelight, droplets. Longer memories are made by mostly the droplets in the form of rain. An Elixer of life is gifted with love for humans in the form of rain.start of rain, emerges with a unique fragrance, its a start of excitement for any individual - especially kids. 

We are excited to the core to see those first few droplets piercing the earth with chorus. we hide, we cover, we stay away to see the beauty of natural gift. whatever task we are involved in, we feel relieved while droplets reach the floor.

Children with more mischievous thoughts and uncontrollable energy watch the beauty fall with more curiousness. They welcome with crazy dance, high pitch scream... Adults embrace it and rejoice the memory they had earlier. whether it's straight from the sky, from the sunshades, from the corner of the shed, from the trees, leaves, whatever the shape is, everyone would love to watch the rain even its same kind of flow for about an hour. 

 Holding an umbrella and standing all alone in roadside, wearing a helmet along with raincoat and wait in an traffic signal[in front row], holding a loved ones hand and sit in front door of our home, Holding a hot fried food and have chit chat with friends & family, holding papers folded for preparing the temporary boats, holding the one end of rope of a plastic boat, all these makes humans a happy soul, which observe this fall and get lost in its calmness. 

 The smallest droplets sneaking a closed window, surprising droplets from roof to our cheeks or forehead, the splits from the impact to the ground are lovable kisses, isn't it? 

Puddles, the remains of the impacted droplets, remind us of the making of ships and boats with whatever floating materials we find. something has to float and come to us is all we want, even its a fast-flowing stream. Mothers play with all kinds of vessels or drums to collect water for domestic purposes. 

 Rain as a temporary fall or a storm, without shape and colorless always finds an irremovable colorful memories in our hearts.

Photo Credits: Sundharadrusti

Sunrise or Sunset

Photo Credits: Sundharadrusti

That evening we met after an elaborate longing, the distance between us ...felt like the air was so solid...With every moment filled with the wanting for more fragrance, those touches, those looks, started to walk towards home...as usual a conversation began with no reason, we diverted ourselves in search of deserted place ... talks began with studies, books, passion, job, even it got serious with plans on our space...a dream home, of course with a list of details.... all recorded deeply in heart...

We ended up in a cliff, holding the hands to ensure no air can pass in between, we sat on the usual rock, which always welcomes us, with cool breeze around without our knowledge the conversation was over, our soul started speaking instead, with overwhelming smiles and those looks ... 

While hearts remain close, we physically move away from each other ....just to get closer as much as possible ... it's a play our soul always wanted.

In the midst of this play, we noticed, nature was watching us all this time and imitated, showing us a romantic drama...

Sun's intensity suddenly begins to diminish, when the blue canvas hugs from back...  with a deep kiss the intensified sun begins to shy, it surrenders by transforming from yellow to orange to red to orange mixed magenta... and dissolves in the sky, which is no more blue as they both become one...To confess this love, space paints itself with magical gradients.

Within seconds drama is over, but it was a dawn for our converged soul.

Photo Credits: Sundharadrusti

Inclusive - also this way!

Photo Credits: Sundharadrusti

We usually would love to sit beside an open window and witness a world which has an eye of 3 x 4inches, in a city like Chennai, this is a blessing, as either we have the next house wall / our compound wall. more concrete than view of roadside or garden.

I was sitting on the old bed rolls topped on the unused chair. Yes, I was all free on a Sunday morning all fresh to watch a view on the roadside. It was a sunny day, as usual, few cycles and bikes were buzzing and crossing the road, not much people witnessed,  all were immobile, to stay lazy and purposefully stay on bed as much as we can...just to revenge last 6 working days.

An elderly man, he is nearing his 50ties was crossing the road with a round-shaped empty vessel in his hand. loosely held in one hand and holding the edge of his white dhoti on another hand, Walking with more caution looking either side of the empty road, wait for the small cycle riders and move on...With age and experience, he has nurtured to give time and space for others...

Opposite to the road was a milk vendor shop...a small hut and an improper wooden plank laid on a tree trunk... All cow owners will assemble there to extract milk and pour it to the large bi size aluminum vessel, from which the milk to share with the help of a measuring vessel.

From a small window, all I could see is the beginning of the backside of that stall...An old man in his 60ties, beautiful dark color, healthy without obesity, all his hair painted with pale white, without glasses was holding a rope on his one hand folded towards his hip...its for the calf which is wandering.......His eyes scanning this wandering calf and having a conversation with his peer.

This elderly man went directly to the old milkman, made him hurry to drop his long conversation with his peer. By hearing his bold bright voice, the brownish big cow turned all his ears towards him and started to raise even with the tightly tied small rope. Such a lovely gesture of a true lover. yes, this man and that cow are almost lovers, they can't stay without chatting and patting on back. they cant stay normal without seeing each other every day. Her calf has become the endearing pet.

Leaving the chat, Milkman gathered himself and took the vessel from him. To about to bend and sit on the position to extract milk as usual. Elderly man paid him. Milk Man was suspicious, still took it and nodded to him. Hesitatingly stood and turned towards the calf that was tied a couple of feet away. A cute little white calf was all ready to pierce the air and moving around too fast. Not at all having patience until the one short not is untied. As soon as the rope was loose, it ran towards its mother, kicked and started drinking. Gigantic cow was all happy and started licking her calf. Elderly man was too happy to see his lover in those joyous moments.

He yelled at the milkman, "why you are not leaving this young chap to have his milk?"

My witnessing soul was happier than ever before.

It has just witnessed a kind act, humanity in heart, inclusive behavior. These are from our roots too.

Conversation

Photo Credits: Sundharadrusti

Always a planned shoot, but we get great pictures while we pack up!

I planned a week before to go to the beach and witness sunrise along with my beauty. From pitch dark to the first ray of light was an amusing journey that took place within seconds. Even a smart light might take time, witnessed an ever large light of rays emerging within seconds is a bliss to watch.

I was all set to compose the scene once I see the bright spot - The SUN! started taking pictures before the arrival, it's all magical colors, someone is painting live on the largest canvas of the world. Even a blink of eye will miss the magic.

after a few shots, I see humans around, but all I can feel and hear is the sound of waves. That beautiful conversation started once I took my first step where the wave ends.

I melted for those gentle touches. wanting more, I stepped in near, it felt like a hug. the one needed at that very much moment to start looking away from the blue canvas to the ground.

I sat in front of it, smiled, it too smiled with a long wave. every time it comes near take my questions and goes back....before expecting an answer it asks for more questions, I waited to complete all my questions, but it never waited to answer, later I realized letting out all questions is the answer for any quest we have. isn't it?

Here you witness that conversation...