Friday, 25 January 2019

Wild Fowl / Junglefowl (കാട്ടുകോഴി)

Wild Fowl / Junglefowl ( കാട്ടുകോഴി )

Chickens in our garden! They visit only in the early mornings and late evenings, generally shunning humans. Sometimes they lay eggs in the open, which resemble regular eggs. These birds are different from domestic fowl in that they are smaller and can easily fly for hundreds of feet at the first sign of danger.

Wild Fowl / Junglefowl ( കാട്ടുകോഴി )

They breed in thickets and we often find little chicks who venture out even in daytime, though the broods are smaller.

Wild Fowl / Junglefowl ( കാട്ടുകോഴി )

I wonder if these are endemic to the Western Ghats. You can see a few wild pigeons too, in one of the pictures.

Wild Fowl / Junglefowl ( കാട്ടുകോഴി ), with Wild Pigeons

Friday, 18 January 2019

Trk! Trk!


A dear feathered friend from the wild, who comes to say hai (trk! trk!) everyday. If gone unheard, it is followed by a loud hello (a thrilling series of loud, musical, metallic chimes), till we come outside to return the warm greeting!


It is called Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis Tickelliae), so named in honor of Samuel Richard Tickell, British ornithologist.

Thursday, 3 January 2019

A Dream!


From the eternal satiety of wakeful slumber,
Spontaneously, arises there, a dream,
A vast varied world of beauty, limitless,
Of colors, of sounds, of lights and darknesses,
Of atoms and space, all within time!

Spun with myriads of thoughtrons,
On magic cloth of homogenous love,
Seemingly different atoms or entities,
Each feeling complete in itself,
Yet empty, wanting it knows not what!

Oh! She dreamt she were a bud on a vine,
Lo! Quickly, she transformed to a bloom,
And there she was, spreading her petals wide open,
And with her fragrance, joyfully enticing bees,
Then off dropped the petals one by one, a tiny fruit was born!

Now she dreamt of growing into juicy fruit,
She dreamt in the wondrous world around,
The magical show, how deeply engrossing,
The dream now turned so real,
While the truth retreated, forgotten!

Enjoying the playful pushes of the wind,
Drinking in the sun and the rain,
Shivering at the caterpillar a-passing,
Or smiling at the gardener in glee,
How quickly time flew on and on!

Ah, to play on, grew her desires,
To seed, set they within, and matured,
Her flesh now ripe, dream time, its wand did wave,
And she opened wide, for her time had come,
Live her progeny would, each with a dream of its own!

Now gladly, would she drop this bag of flesh,
Mission accomplished! It is high time to rest!
Every desire, every fancy has flown,
Now free of all containment, free of all bonds,
She says, “Ha Ha! It never was me!

I be unattached blissful spirit,
I am love so pure, pristine,
The silent mother of dreams,
Eternal, indescribable, infinite,
Ever content, blissful peace!”

Thursday, 13 December 2018

Nana kizhange / Cheru kizhange

Nana kizhange / Nanakizhange / Nana kizhangu/ Cheru kizhange/ നന കിഴങ്ങ് / cheru kizhangu / ചെറു കിഴങ്ങ് / lesser yam / Dioscorea esculenta

Nana kizhange (നന കിഴങ്ങ് / cheru kizhangu / ചെറു കിഴങ്ങ് / lesser yam / Dioscorea esculenta) is a type of sweet yam or potato which has been cultivated in Kerala for centuries. Their rhizomes are planted before the beginning of the rainy season. The plant is a thorny vine which is supported on 6-feet high stakes. It grows well with application of a little organic manure or on just a bit of mulching. The vine dries out in December, leaving thick, juicy yams underneath. These are washed, boiled with a bit of salt, or baked. They are delicious! Though we lost most of our plants in the persistent torrential rains last year, two or three survived to provide some rhizomes to plant this year. Nature always finds a way to survive!

Saturday, 8 December 2018

Shadows in Eternity!


In the gathering dusk,
In the solitude of silence,
In the bliss of peace,
Shadows in eternity!

Friday, 7 December 2018

For Thee!


With the sweetest of fragrance, I wait,
For a warm kiss of thy love,
For thee, evermore, I bloom,
My dearly beloved, my Sun!

Wednesday, 28 November 2018

Pray See!


Twigs and trash,
To ye, we may be,
Natheless, ere turning to ash,
Warmth and light,
We doth give unto ye!
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