Wild heads of vivid yellow, orange and gold make the shape of loveliness. Dotted with lilac and violet, the starkness of colour brings to life a change of seasons. Untamed, the petite petals perfume wild intentions of overriding the green, unveiling the silence of a Himalayan autumn that is at once a lingering green and gold. Autumn with her usual flair of letting go doesn't…
Little A's bottom has a mysterious disability to sit during most meals. Not unless he amuses himself with pencil and paper, playing cards and with Big A thrown into the equation as he slogs through his meal. There may be a valid theory that the Italians invented pizza and pasta a good while ago to keep their little Italianos seated and behaved. Tried and tested…
The moonbeam was a shard of stillness on a black night eclipsed by the clouds. Even when no moon is seen, its absence was felt. The distant stars burned into the void casting a haunting spree for a pair of beady eyes. The gaze was sharp and eerie. The silence was piercing, occasionally interrupted by a hoot. The plates of Mother Earth were stirred. Restlessness…
Our belongings it was, once upon a timeAll 21 boxes, now a distant memoryIn transit over many monthsAcross waters to the Bay of Bengal. In a shipping container, in solitude they layAt a distant warehouse port, called KolkataKept apart between borders and mountainsWhilst a dark play hovered in unkindness. A mystery that could not be solvedDuring the terrorised reign of CoronaHence reunited we are notWith…
"The sky is pink!" Little A exclaims upon his first glimpse of daylight from the bedroom window."Mama, can you bring the sky to me?" he enquired, befuddled as he was. He rubs his eyes and fumbled for his slippers, treading to the outside world framed from the balcony. Sunbeams penetrated the thick pavlovian clouds casting a shimmering hue of rainbow glitter across the valley. A…
The cat was feeling the munchies. He heard the scurrying legs of cockroaches in the apartment close by. He felt the mischievous twitches of his whiskers and knew an adventure was awaiting him. It was a wet rainy night. Perfect for a quick outdoor play with the frogs before making his appearance.In his wet suit, he leapt out from the 2nd floor window adjacent to…
Restrained by the relentless monsoon rain whilst the dung beetles roll in glee, I settled on the balcony, watching the vastness of life before me. The black birds frolicking in the dew of the trees, acquiring scruffy crests drenched in mischief. A spider floats into eye view hanging playfully on her thread from the edge of the ceiling, in search of a meal. She spots…
Before dawn, in consciousness I awake.At once, sound breaks into the stillness of night.I lay, hearing the cacophony of cicadas, crickets and frogs,Orchestrating their songs of eligibility.Their volumes, rising and vibrating with the tides of the moon,Deafening in synchronicity.Chaos and madness it seems at first,But in composition and orchestration, without masterpiece,The oscillation of rhythm is to perfection.The song of millions, thunders through twilight and dawn,Pulsating…
There is the intention of letting the boys be self-directed most of the time in terms of their learning experience. From being immersed in the process of building our home, being with nature and feeling comfortable with the insects, worms, birds and animals, being a part of a new culture and language and making it their own, being with all types of people where age…
It has been 121 days since we left the material comforts and conveniences of the tropical city. Living up on an altitude of 1400 meters, and very close to the elements, we cannot but be intimate with Mother Nature with every breath we take. Grasped in her hold and intertwining locks, we can choose to ride in accordance with her laws, rhythms and cycles. Or…
We set foot in the valley of Kashmir in 1988. Just barely before the Insurgency broke out in 1989. A young tween then, I was oblivious to what we were to encounter. We had somehow captured a slice of ‘Heaven on Earth’ before the tragic events of Kashmir would come into play. The shikhara was traversing a pristine mirrored lake reflecting white snow-filled mountains and…
A grouchy hairy beast shoots a piercing look. In your direction. What do you do? Run like the Bolt and don't look back. Buffaloes don't have much sense of humour. They are dead serious and give no warning at all. We were told that one will never outrun a buffalo, nor survive them in a wrestle, so your only option is to get a head start and climb a…
In the dark night, wide awake to the howling and angst of the ruthless wind, The thunder roared and rumbled repeatedly in waves of drum rolls. Lashings of rain pelting the metal roofs incessantly drowning all voices, Accompanied by swirling vortices of air and racing wind speeds. She sent all creatures scurrying for shelter, huddled in terror and cold, Tamed by her emotional deadly strikes…
In December 2019, 13 men from Jumla travelled for 3 days to arrive at Astam. They came from afar with a handful of belongings, a mountain load of enthusiasm, a sense of humour and a joyful spirit. They came to build our home and yoga shala, and willingly help us with everything that needs doing on the land. Multi-tasked as they are, they have proven…
With the global pandemic of 2020, Mother Nature has finally had some time to recuperate and restore a little balance in her ecosystems. It’s a time of contemplation for the human species and HOPE that our old habits of mindless consumerism may change and economies rethink to adopt more sustainable solutions. There is talk in the air that the internet may crash anytime soon as…
A question for an urbanite: What do you have for breakfast when there are no crusty loaves from the oven, overnight oatmeal or fruit, steamed pao, or dare we utter the ultimate that, that distinguishes a Malaysian from all others - nasi lemak? The answer that transpires from the modest hills overlooking the abode of snow: dish out Kodo Ko roti. Everyday. Fresh from the…
It has been 2 months since we made our big move to Astam, a hamlet tucked under the embrace of the Annapurna. The boys, much to our surprise, have adjusted almost seamlessly, soaking in new experiences with light-heartedness and a sense of fun. I couldn't be more thankful. Often enough, when the freezing waters and icy winds get me down, I would find inspiration in…
Building with earth beneath our feet sounds almost poetic. But reality relies on us being sensitive to the natural environment and understanding the cyclical nature and disposition of how everything on this planet is interdependent on one another. This means that what we consume, utilize and pollute comes back to us in one form or another. With no exception, building ecologically and sustainably deserves a…
In the absence of formwork, A beauty presents itself. The marriage of rough gravel, Smooth sand and fine clay, Reveals an unpredictable, Monolithic rammed earth wall. A rugged edge, An unexpected crevice, A chipped groove, A smudge of bronze, copper, Sienna, umber, terracotta and gold. Surprising the eye, Enticing the senses. Over and over again, The wall teases the viewer With its stark nakedness And…
The formation of the Himalaya is the most dramatic and visible creation of modern plate tectonic forces. The range is formed by the movement of the Indo-Australian Plate and the Eurasian Plate, converged along their borders deep underneath the surface of the Earth about 50 million years ago. This resulted in the upheaval of the Earth’s surface creating the rise of the monstrous mountain range seen today.…
Contemplations and observations are temporary statements of thought, at a point in time. Thought is apt to be contradicted by mind, emotion, exposure and experience; during the week, month or years later. We are transient creatures. Let us remind ourselves to embrace the present moment as it is fleeting and evolving So it goes. Thus, keeping in mind when reading the musings that follow, each…
The Starting Point May 2019 Many moons ago, we talked about our dreams of moving to a rural environment to lead a simpler and cleaner life. To allow the boys to grow closer to Mother Nature and be a part of her embrace in its entirety. The Himalayas somehow, had its magnetic hands hovering from another life. And when a calling came from Nepal, we…