Monsoon Romances

The fragrance of wet mud, rain drops sliding from leaf tops, a hot cup of tea and peanuts,collecting fallen plumerias fallen down,the yellow old leaves fallen from the trees,.. a perfect monsoon dream. ...Thinking of "My date" with raindrops,hot cuppa chai and the rest of monsoon magic........

Today when it rained it was the Jamuns which gave me company.A simple cover of the magazine with umbrellas intrigued me.*It was a bliss seeing the plumerias on the small centre table,the diffused light gave me a thrill.

The monsoons are in love with me .They have travelled with me all the way from South to the North India.I am now feeling at home and looking forward for a walk in the rain.

I close my eyes and can listen to my grandmas Soothing Rain ,Ragas "Amrutavarshini and Malhar " and her fairy tale stories.Its true , when Hanuman set Lanka on fire,the mighty Ravan played "Amrutavarshini "on his Veena to bring Rain.Rain must be falling on the old tiled roofs far South.I can imagine rain dripping from the palm leaves.The sea might have broken in a long line and slipped back on the beach where we used to play.Water standing in pools on the gravel path.Rain is pouring outside and theres Romance in mind.It poured and washed away my tears,Tears from the endless heaven of memories.

I think its raining there for all of you.Let the harmony of rain bind all of us.

Into each and every life some rain has to fall.

From My Blossoming Hibiscus Garden ..

Thinking of the poem written by the great tagor ji..


.The storm clouds thickened in the sky ,thunder clouds clap the giant hands and the June showers came down.There were grey mornings of rain.Streams of diffused sunlight struggled into the mosaic tiled room.A gentle morning awash with palesunlight and promise;As I opened the windows ,I could see; the Hibiscus flower children dress out in their pink,white and reds and ranges.

They made me smile;

The winds started blowing ,bringing the crowds of flowers down.

When the rains comes down they have their holidays.

As poet Tagore says in his poem "Flowerschool":even i thought for a minute that they go to school underground.

Even i felt like asking my Amma,Do you know, mother, their home is in the sky, where the stars are.

Haven’t you seen how eager they are to get there?

Don’t you know why they are in such a hurry?

Of course, I can guess to whom they raise their arms; they have their mother as I have my own.

With its fragrance that can fill the innerself and the home with a lot of ‘calmness’and a ‘sense of peace’ there; it envelops you,the Hibiscus

Hisbiscus flowers,one of my most favourites..

The Red flower I see before me on my table may not be the same to you and me.

But do take time to enjoy them.....

Thinking of Rain,the eager garden awaits its promise

Sea,Sand and vacations

We are back after a vacation from Kerala.
A lovely vacation on the :

sunblanched,sunkissed white sea shore.endless ,Irresistible beaches,incessant blue waves boisterously clamouring among white splashes.green groves of coconuts just stop short and border the frills of the beach.waiting for each wave after wave after wave was fun.enjoying them on the feet.walking hand in hand.watching our little one holding her daddy's hand took me back to my childhood with my Dad.

 sat watching my little ones feet,thinking of the old times when my Mom would have sat watching at me.

making castles with my little one for the waves to carry them along....picking shells..

watching sunsets.as we start packing she says this is the last wave to be touched,the last one and the last one .........it went on and on.....

*All were Cherished Moments

A time well spent reflecting on things that made us happy and calm.

Wait for some more beaches ......

Remembering those gorgeously colourful "Days"-Vacations...

Back in Delhi,away from the monsoons down South.Back in thoughts,a wistful desire to return in thought.Thoughts still bind me to the land of velvety carpet of brilliant green and sloping sunbaked roofs.

Lazy moments at home,call of my Amma, all left behind miles away.morning ragas sung by my grandma.

Children learning music and veena at home.Still missing the pale afternoon sunlight and thick rain clouds behind them and the rains throughout the night.Smell of wet earth.

Gusty winds blowing the gulmohar flowers off the trees,rains lashing our windows.Its too diffcult to set my mind on anything here,but i ought to ..

Am i crying?,Yeah,a drop or two in the eyes,let me wipe it unknowingly..

Have loads to share with you all.,

Do wait for me while I drag me from my Romantic thoughts.

Rainy season-Romantic and Magical-Monsoons!

Monsoons have its own Magnetic charm.Monsoons are magical days.The romantic and vibrant season starts here.Monsoons are a part and parcel of the state.Days are dull and cloudy.

Sun plays hide and seek with us.We enjoy the long shadows in the late evening.I wait for the long shadows and take loads of pictures.Aroma of rich Brew Coffee from the Kitchen.We wait for the evening snacks to be kept on the table.Listening to the all time hot Radio Mirchi FM 98.4 .A Rain songs special episode coming up in FM....My little one learning to make paperboats from her grandpa.She jumps into the rains and gets wet when nobody is noticing.

Sparkling raindrops lingering on the flowers,the lightness in air and the fresh smell of the earth.Love watching the rains falling through the boughs of coconut palms.Makes one nostalgic ,memories flooded back.

I think of the days and yet to research on the correlation between " the first day of the school and the first heavy downpour of the season"Rain meant cool nights,scary winds that whistle through the night and drainage channels full in glory.We visited DC books store and TDC bookstore and purchased Jhumpa Lahiri's "Unaccustomed Earth"Watched the rain from inside the car at night.Drive in the car in rains is beautiful and also scary.Wonderful and amazed at the backwaters and the monsoons arriving on it.

I can hear Amma calling....

I am off to relish the home made snack of crispdosas and the coconut chutney and the tea that comes with it..

The Feel of Being at Home:)-

At home finally.,Love being at home.Loving the old mosaic tiling at home.

The fragrance of the Hibiscus,Mandaram(Kanchan),Starjasmines and Jasmines fill the rooms.The fragrance of flowers all diffused around.Home grown Mangoes,coconuts,guavas and cherries in plenty.Ringing of bells from the poojaroom.Still the same brand of Agrabatti(Cycle brand),even if others have been tried and tested.Simply in love with the sunbeams filling the rooms.

Moms old steel tumblers in which chai is served,we used to have the same ones since childhood,since i remember,years have passed by.,Mom running around busily and my little one running after her.

Moms special breakfast menu and evening snacks.Love always the scooter of my Dad,he has not had enough of his Bajaj.Aroma of the cooking in coconut oil.Loving the home made shampoos with Hibiscus leaves.Who doesnt love being at home,am I right?Being within the comfort of your home.....The touch,the smell,the sound and the feel are amazing.A sense of calm always prevailed ,when being at home.

While I enjoy my time at home, will you keep thinking and writing of your experiences at home?

The good news is this-Summer has come and its time for Vacations..

Kick off your shoes and enjoy the sunshine.

After a long winter with more than its share of chills ,there is plenty to look forward to in the delicious lunches at home,lip licking mom made special pickles, barefoot walks on warm beaches,picnics,travels in backwaters,scenic walks,the family tea time with special snacks and much more awaiting......

Summer is come and its time to go home .

We love travelling by trains,the sense of calmness that surrounds that travel ,lingers on with you for a while,our onward journey was by train.

Have you all ever felt that travelling by train was quite romantic?I felt it whenever i travelled:)

As serious lovers of trains...we loved waking up late in the train,enjoy a breakfast and then watch the world pass.

Enjoyable most are the Views Outside the Train Window.

The minute you look out you are greeted by the too familiar cacophony of the "Chai" "Garam Chai" "Bread omlette" "Paper le lo,Paper ".


The sights,sounds and smells were all so familiar.
They say if you haven't travelled in indian Railways,you haven't seen India!Yes the incredible India is not complete without its fascinating bit of the railways.
Passengers running after coolies,to locate particular carriages;vendors trotting up and down selling their ware,mineral water,fruits,news papaer and periodicals.

It is difficult to believe that you are seeing your fellow passengers for the first time,as the train is speeding there starts the food and life stories.




Having chai was an experience in itself.An experience not to be missed.The Chaiwallahs were an institution in themselves,unlikely to be seen anywhere .

Their cries could even penetrate the airconditioned carriages.They parade up and down with vigour to reach out to everybody,dutifully.

Earlier ,typical way of making it was with a mixture of water,tea leaves ,sugar and milk and they used to boil it ,until everything got extracted from the tea leaves.
But now it was a luke warm thin milk solution wherein they put tea bags and give you,all a part of modernisation.

The train which we took also gave hot water for us to make our tea ourselves and some snacks to munch.
The train made its way through the undulating mountains,the tunnels,the meadows ,rivers and fields.

Glimpses of Life just passed its way outside our window.

I was totally immersed in the views ,the sunsets,the farmer making his way home,the small kerosene lamps lit in the houses in the villages ,was totally woken up with a jerk which made me come back to reality:)

It was my little one who asked me ,Amma when will we reach home ?This might be one among the countless times she has asked me :),she is getting bored and irritated,while we enjoy the philosophical part of the journey.

All awesome experiences in itself :)