The Shambles of Zuili

There it stands. Each brick precariously balanced one over the other; a thin, wobbly stack leading upto half-broken arches. The moss has long since covered the once rustic, brown walls. Now fresh, lush and green they appear- overridden with weeds and fungi. In shambles lies the once proud structure. It lies humble and weak on it's creaking knees. The warm morning sun leaves behind eerie shadows, long and irregularly shaped; like spirits lurking in the dark. The place is cursed with charm. It holds its darkest secrets behind the guise of beauty; but then again, maybe not...

In he ventured. His time-worn, tattered clothes seemed appropriate. Slowly, yet purposefully he strode; unaware of what fate awaited him beyond those ram-shackled walls. But he didn't care enough to worry. As he walked under the unstable archways, the ground shifted under his feet. Weeds were disturbed and fell before him from great heights. Occasionally a snake whizzed past between his legs, striking at his oversized, river-wet pants. His clothes smelled of adventure and his face spoke of wisdom. He had set out on a journey long before he could remember. He was still searching for his final destination; one he wasn't so certain of anymore. Would he find what he was looking for among the shambles of Zuili? Only time will tell.

Who wants to go out?!

Those words set a dog's heart racing with such immeasurable joy that their body twitches with excitement. Did I say twitches? Pardon me, that's an understatement. Make that swings wildly from side to side. When I pick up the leash to take Chaplin out for a walk, I can hear the sound of his claws against the floor scrambling towards me. He wags his tail so hard, his whole backside sways two and fro while he circles me expectantly. At this point he's walking round fast, moving his hips continuously with his head bobbing up and down as he tries hard to suppress his squeals of joy. It takes a few moments to get the chain around his anything-but-stationary head. Leash in place, he begins to jump on me, clawing me for delaying any further and steadily begins to bark his head off. After trying desperately to calm down this hyper-active dog; and succeeding momentarily, I open the door. This sets him off again and sends tremors of happiness through his body and he resumes his dance. And then I brace myself. Fwoosh! He leads me bounding down the stairs, nearly tripping me at every second step. If you don't run down with him, he'd be flying you like a kite. This going down the stairs part of the walk is full of loud, incessant, maniacal barking that puts mortal fear into any passerby's heart. Once down the stairs, he makes a frantic dash for the gate, as though fearing I'll change my mind and yank him back upstairs. I use the word yank since that's the only way to make him go anywhere he doesn't wish to be. Only and only once he's outside the gate is he at peace.

There's a peanuts comic strip that I identified with 100%. Charlie Brown, I couldn't have said it any better.

Which direction do I turn?

Why does the future need to be planned right now? What's the great urgency? The world sure isn't ending that soon. How can I know, at 17, when there are so many exciting and interesting options all around, which of them I want to do and continue doing for the rest of my life? But the sore reality is that I need to know just that. And what scares me is that I'll make the wrong choice.

Wherever I go, I meet people who ask me, "So what are you going to do after 12th?" And as they patiently wait for a confident answer like medicine or engineering, I search for ways to put into words my indecision without making myself sound lost. Most of the time I just reply saying "pure sciences" which is a fancy way of saying BSc. This generally raises some eyebrows since most of those who ask me these questions are acquaintances of my grandparents, who connect the science stream to wanting to become a doctor or an engineer only. I find relatives and others telling my sister to study hard and become a doctor. I went through that "It would be nice to have a doctor in the family" phase myself. But that line definitely isn't for me. 

I'm not sure what I want to do, but I'm pretty clear about what I don't want to. You'd think that narrows things down for me but it really doesn't. What I find so intimidating about the whole post-12th stage is the uncertainty linked with it. Even if I knew for sure what I wanted to study and where I wanted to study it, there would be no way of ensuring it would happen. There are after all, thousands of other students at the same crossroads as I am. 

So for now, it's just study hard and see where life takes me.   

spooky arachnid

This was pretty cool to say the least. He was about two and a half inches and a greenish-blue colour, perched slightly high up between the two branches (first picture) of a silk cotton tree. The web he's sitting on was beautiful and perfect- just as he intended it to be, I'm sure. You can faintly see the web lines in the second picture. I'm not quite sure what the zig-zag lines on the web are...maybe another layer or some markings or even some sticky spots. I was quite happy I managed to get this picture since I had a bit of trouble getting the camera to focus on him. At a height, with all the paraphernalia in the background, the little fella wasn't center of attraction for my lens. 

I realize that I've taken for granted that this spider's a 'he'. Feminine just isn't the first thing I think of when I see a spider. 

oooo and some more!

suessian socks

Crow summit 2011

the insects visit

hornet wasp

bug of the order Hemiptera and family pentatomidae

(insect names kindly given by Sachin Chorge of BNHS)

Best medicine, or magic potion?

It amazes me how laughing can suddenly rid you of all anxieties, inhibitions and sorrows.
When there are reasons to laugh, why cry?
Sure, sorrow has its place. Sometimes it's important to keep your silence.
But every opportunity to smile, laugh, sing and enjoy should be made the most of.

When I laugh, I am perfectly oblivious to those around me. Why must I be conscious of what the twenty other strangers in the restaurant think of me? I'm not going to see them ever again. And what's the point of laughing if you don't do it with all your heart? Do I embarrass my family? My friends? Yes! But they've found that that's just who I am, and nothing they do can shut me up once I've let go. The laughing beast once unleashed, is not easily tamed! And I hope it never is; for there's nothing that puts me in a better mood than a good fit of laughter.

Hit the high decibels!
Think back and try to figure the last time you kept a straight face in the presence of a laughing friend.
Spread the joy; through laughter, a warm smile, a tight hug or a good joke.
When you see a dog, pet it till its tail is too tired to wag anymore.
Scratch a cat behind its ears till the vibrations from its purring feel like currents through your hand.
Tickle someone till their sides ache with laughter.
And just laugh.
Your body needs it, believe me.

anticipation

Anticipation is an evil. You plan something, you see it beginning to happen or take shape, maybe just in your mind. You begin to hype the possibilities of what could and would happen. You dream on to the point where you not only wish it all would happen, but want it to. You sit in eager anticipation for that time to come. But if you've been building these dreams (or daydreams) over little or no foundation, there's a pretty good chance that they'll come shattering down- leaving you listless. And just as reality dawns upon you and you stop thinking "If only...", you realize how stupid it was to anticipate. Of course, by 'you' I mean 'me'. I'm a silly girl who'll never learn. (sigh...) 

a bunch of random photos

 i took this picture in Jaipur last year while i was on a 'Jaipur Darshan' with my best friend. one thing i absolutely love about cows is their eyes. they have such big, beautiful, shapely, dreamy eyes that you get lost in. i feel the same way about elephants.

 this is Mili. she has big marble-like eyes that open up wide every time she hears a sudden noise.  

 this is one of a collection of black and white bathroom pictures that i took once when i was thoroughly bored. this was my favourite. the pictures turned out to be quite interesting actually. 

 yet again, this is from a series of silly poses- this is the silliest.

 some fun with a bunch of roses and a flashlight.

 this was an incredibly friendly, fun dog. and, she loved the camera. this was her brief moment of shyness.

 taken from the car at a signal. the bottom half of this cement mixer was so horribly dirty, i thought it better left un-photographed.

a rocket fired off during a small Diwali celebration we had in Lonavala.

out and about

oh please....

I spent Sunday studying with this guy staring back at me. 

I tend to agree with him.

Trapped in time

Today, black and white is an effect you can chose to use while taking photographs. An effect, (which I personally love) that adds character to the photo with it's shadows and shades. It enhances the overall mood and feel of the moment captured by concentrating on what's being photographed rather than paying attention to colour detail. It's interesting to think that the option of using colour didn't exist some years ago. Maybe it's for the same reason that a black and white photo, even one taken today, will take you back in time. It adds years to a photo, almost making it seem wise. A photo of a lady sitting down and thinking amidst a bustling road could make a spectacular, dynamic picture if taken in colour. Taken in black and white, it will seem contemplative, artistic and more in the moment than in colour. It's amazing how this 'effect' can so vastly change the personality of a photo. A black and grey photo is one suspended in time.

bada-bing, bada-bong.

Gosh I love to walk. A brisk, long walk everyday is called for. Throwing in the occasional jog. Got my hair up in a high pony and my headphones on my head, good music coming in through my ears- I walk. I walk and walk and walk. Sometimes I find it hard to stop even after my one hour. Especially if another song with the right beat starts playing. It feels go-od. I feel energized, enthused. And there's no better feeling than stretching out your tired muscles after a long walk. As I sit sweaty faced, sweaty haired, sweaty clothed overlooking the sea after my walk, the cool breeze and the waving water puts me in what I call a 'la la mood'. I feel so happy! It's the moment of the day when I say to myself, "Ah, this is the life." It may sound strange, but it's true. I hate having to come back home after my walk. But then I'll be back the next day- so it's not so hard to peel myself away.
Back home, out of my sweat-soaked clothes, with a glass full of cool orange juice-  that's contentment.

groovy toast

i was not expecting that.

second appearance

Greyscale