The Banyan tree and other stories
Little things that tick the contentment meter!
I sought the company of trees, particularly the Rhododendron trees this past Easter weekend. It felt like a soothing balm for my head as well as the heart. I am currently working for an eating disorders charity - this particular role involves looking after their email service, tending to the many emails, writing, editing, and … Continue reading In the company of trees – the Rhododendron blooms and delights
About three weeks prior to our trip to Antalya, Turkey, my husband and I caught Covid. For the first time ever. While we recovered and tested negative, we still felt drained. What would we do in Antalya, I wondered. Would we just eat and sleep in our hotel room? Turns out that I couldn't be … Continue reading A purr(fect) guide to finding joy & losing stress in the cobbled streets of Kaleiçi, Antalya
Small towns may not be particularly big on tourist attractions or even popular with tourists so to speak, but I believe that they are a story in themselves, and not merely a much-needed comma in a sentence. We make a pit stop or two whilst travelling, and it has always led to interesting experiences. Like the gentlest dog we encountered on our way back from Chikmagalur.
In March this year, we had the opportunity to drive through the Healy Pass. Often described as one of Ireland's greatest drives, this is a mountain pass that snakes its way through some breath-taking views at an elevation of about 334 meters. We were holidaying in West Cork, and the Healy Pass is located in … Continue reading Healy Pass and a thermos full of Indian tea
Here's a toast to all dogs on National Dog Day - for the love you bring us all. Whether you are a stray or a pet. I don't have a dog of my own, but all those kind humans who let me play with theirs - thank you so much. So full of gratitude always. And to the dog at the waterfall near Chikmagalur - you will always be in my heart.
Did you know that in Ireland, in 1999 a 'sacred' bush in Co Clare was protected after it was deemed to be the abode of fairies? And that the plans for a motorway bypass had been worked upon or modified in such a way that the bush wouldn't be destroyed? There are also many caves across Ireland where, as the story goes, the tragic lovers Diarmuid and Grainne slept and hid. And one of these caves is in the Gleniff Horseshoe, which itself is a place full of magic and breath-taking beauty. The world around us is full of such stories. No matter where we travel to - each region has a rich repertoire of folklores and fairy tales. And that is why this blog on World Folklore Day, which falls on 22nd August every year.
Gardens also put an indelible stamp on my heart from the books I read. First and foremost among them was The Secret Garden. Then there were the gardens from Daphne Du Maurier's novels. If you have read Rebecca, you will forever remember the gardens of Manderly, and especially the 'Happy Valley' where rhododendrons and azaleas are pleasantly fragrant even in the rain, in colors of “salmon, white, and gold.” Again in My Cousin Rachel by Maurier, you would witness two different types of gardens. The Italian one in Rachel's Villa Sangalletti in Florence, and the English one in Cornwall (Remember the 'sunken garden'?) I am still enamoured by both of these 'literary' gardens.
We went to the counter, and paid for them. I was a bit hesitant about our purchase at first; I thought the mugs were rather expensive. But I knew that these were handmade and unique, and thus we were paying for the craft and their uniqueness. When the woman at the counter handed the cups/mugs to me, she put them in a paper bag that was fashioned out of a newspaper. The font looked very familiar. This looks like Hindi, I said to my husband.
In Istanbul, the Süleymaniye Mosque, located in the old district is a place of worship as well a testament to great passions that rule ordinary men and emperors alike. I came upon a board with text: …Throne of my lonely niche, my wealth, my love, my moonlight. My most sincere friend, my confidant, my very existence, my Sultan, my one and only love...
A lone donkey grazed in a large filled full of yellow irises and other flowers that appeared like buttercups. You could see the backdrop of a mountain, and trees in the horizon. The donkey did not seem like he was in haste. He looked like he was at peace. Neck bent, head down in haze of green and yellow, he seemed far removed from the miseries of the world, and the unfairness, death and grief that rocked the world in the past year and more.
The Banyan tree and other stories 