Hogenakkal Falls

Letting go…

You stand on the bank of the stream, trying to take it all in.
The reverberating rush of the mighty waters at the distance…
The humming sound of the falls drizzling on to the rocks…
The dulled echo that reaches you…
The promise of bliss in the air…
The high hills playing hide & seek and sheathing the real glory until you are ready to take the turn…
The green canopy standing tall on either side of the river, welcoming you…
The deceptive still waters masking the falls and its flow…
The thatched boats waiting for you to hop in and seek the adventure.

Arre aankh se boond gira koi
Chingari ka tukda jala koi
Umeed ko aag laga zara
Sehra ki pyaas bujha zara..

A water droplet springs from the crown of the falls. Like in a race to be somewhere, it is bouncing off the stream. On the coast, you jump on to the boat excited to see where it leads. You settle on the thatched surface and breathe in the surroundings. Like life’s strange moments the melancholic air around muddles your thoughts, stirring up your distress.

Umeed ko aag laga zara
Sehra ki pyaas bujha zara..
Ghan itna baras ke galne lagoon
Main paani ke upar tarne lagoon…

The droplet changing shapes, gathering wind is charging towards you at a great speed. Like it is in some kind of rush. The pain, the hurt you carry of those bitter experiences stays within you, even when you don’t want them in your thoughts at this juncture. Keeping your mind occupied and darkening your emotions.

Behne de mujhe behne de mujhe behne de
Behne de ghanghor ghata behne de paani ki tarah
Saagar mein jaa girna hai behne de nadiyaa ki tarah

With all the in-decisions, despair and sorrow bubbling inside, you put your hand out. The lake reaches out to you. The drop that was is in such a hurry is confined in your fist now. And you keep staring at it. Without any conscious thought, you just keep staring at the water pool trapped in your palm.

Beh jaa, beh jaa,
Chal tod kinaare ko,
Beh jaa, beh jaa,
dhar le majdhaare ko,

The drops in your hand, bizarrely reflect the clutter of your thoughts. You grow restless and start fighting your feelings. Caught in the net of brooding, you lift your head gasping for air.
The cascade of falls stand before you. Like that opening of a magical realm, ready to pull you into another world. Awed, you unconsciously let go of the water in your hand. Inexplicably it takes with it the hurt and anguish, freeing you from constraints. Breathing a sigh of relief, you lose yourself there.

“Let it hurt. Let it bleed. Let it heal. And let it go.”

Nallamala Hills

Losing the way…

Kahaan hoon main
Kahaan hoon, main abhi
Kahaan hoon main
Kahaan hoon, main abhi…

Aahein darr khushi, raaste
Kachchi baatein sachchi, vaaste
Kahin pe in sab mein
Kahaan hoon… main

The sky was subdued.Huge mountains are clustered together over the lake,closed around, blocking the sunrays from reaching me. A wisp of cold air scuttled across the horizon,reminding that there is a river flow hovering in the mountains ready to whisk everything away at any given time.

Iam at the pit bottom of the jungle. The trees seemed to stir around me with the leaves trembling in the anticipation of darkness to come causing an involuntary shiver.The foot hills were burrowed into the mountains.The endless curved path looms out making me dizzy.The wild life is lurking in the shadows waiting for the gloom to settle before showing its face .

A fear grips me. This is not the place I have to be or I planned to be. This is something scary. I twirl around the lake to find a way out. All I see is the ghost of the mountain smile reflecting the confusion of my thoughts, making me more vulnerable. I stand there stunned staring at the dappled sun,spiral path in the mountains and valleys nestled in between not all sure , how to find a way out of this maze.

Did I wander into this place lost? Did I walk in here with my eyes wide open? Did someone push me into this? Or Am I being deliberately steered here to find my treasure. How did I end up here… Do I know where Iam going or Where I need to go from here? Can I trust my instincts to put the next foot without the fear of falling into a ditch.

“God, how I ricochet between certainties and doubts.”

I take a deep breath trying to calm myself. With all the strength I can muster I tread the first step, realizing that worrying gets me nowhere,perpending only pulls me down…. all I can do is move forward leaning on myself believing in my senses to guide me out of this and hoping that Iam not rejected, Iam just redirected.

                                                                                                                    & finding ourselves.

” All of us are lost, It’s how well we find our way back defines us”

KanyaKumari

The tone of contented solitude ……

As the sun slowly glides down playing hide and seek with the passing clouds, I  stand on the historic rock island with my arms stretched out on the wooden rail, admiring the artistically placed rainbow of panorama before me.The beautiful beaches encircling the island, the light breeze brushing my cheek & playing havoc with my hair,the cool and comfortable weather,the involuntary chill that brings goose bumps on my bare arms,the soothing sound of waves,the rush of tourists and each small thing around is pure bliss.

With the gentle sway of coconut trees in the distance I look up to take in the picturesque view before me. The serenity of Gandhi mandap, the holiness of Amman temple and the monumental Thiruvalluvar statue leaves me overwhelmed by awe and amazement. As I turn to the right my mouth curves up when a ferry reaches the island, bringing the excited tourists with each in their own world fighting their own emotions & feelings.

Amidst the beautiful scenery Iam viewing India in an almost detached way remembering the history of this place.On his guru Sri Rama Krishna Paramahamsa’s instructions, Swami Vivekananda travels across India and reaches Kanyakumari. He first visits the Amman temple, one of the Shakti Peetas and standing on the ocean side gazes at sea.The two rocks at the distance catch his attention and having heard the story of the bigger rock being blessed by the goddess he wishes to explore it. Since he has no money he swims and reaches the place and for three days he meditates here and discovers the mission of his life. How blessed am I today to be able to stand here and have this chance to recollect the story.

Contemplating all this, slowly I walk back passing the meditation hall where the enlightenment of Swami Vivekananda has been immortalized.I choose a place at the end of the isle  facing water to ponder over things watching the confluence of Arabian sea and Bay of bengal with Indian Ocean.The beautiful Sunset over the distant ocean makes me forget my worries,the hope of Sun rising again from the same place makes me wish for the new beginnings and I stand there in the center reflecting all these with the orange glint in the deep blue sea.

“The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.”

Come sail away with me…..

To Life ~ The greatest journey you will ever be on …

&  Every journey has a story to tell…