LET THE FLOWERS BLOOM, EVERYWHERE

Flowers are the nature’s way of adding color  beauty, fragrance, serenity, and happiness to the landscapes of earth. In almost all cultures, of past and present, it is adorned.The plant life, emanates through the flowers; though, not always.

Hindu religion accords special significance to the locally available sacred select flowers,leaves and fruits of various types in all the rituals,required to be performed by the devotee. A temple,where the flowers are not used to propitiate the presiding deity, is inconceivable. Most of the Gods and Goddesses in Hindu religion are associated with certain flowers. While paying their obeisance,the priests and the worshipers offer those special flowers,prescribed by the sacred texts or Vedic tradition/Brahminic custom; to seek the blessings of the divine or please them.

SKYLIGHT BY NIGHT

As the night deepens, I barricade myself inside the low roof rectangular four walls, locking and looking exasperated after a day’s toil. The windowless house has not been painted for years, from inside and outside. I still have no complaint, as it still continues to shield me from the howling dogs, rains, winds and cold, round the year. Inside, while I am asleep, the narrow skylight goes on allowing oxygen inside, expelling the carbon dioxide and other stinks of the enclosed space of mine. Seeing the faint rays of the incandescent lamp that escape through the purposefully designed porous cement slab latched on to the concussion on one side of the wall, people believe in my existence and doubt about my presence, when the lights go off. But, actually, go to sleep irregularly to plan for a very bright future from the next morning. When I fall asleep, I dream a lot, in the pitched dark envelope; inside the skyward empty column. It is very personal and familiar for I have lived here long being assured of safety and unexplained gazes of the neighbors and passerby. After I close the only wooden door from inside, I try to break my monotony at night, by trying to discover the end of the light and beginning of a dark, near the frame of the skylight. I find it discouraging as it gives you no clues of the extending outside. During the days, though; the hole on the wall above me brings for me much hopes. Sun-rays, dusts, moisture, smokes, insects, voices of people or the skies; that enter the opening, make me feel connected as a living example. Whether, it is day or night; the skylight of my room, is always umbilical to me and my being. However, I know, this is not an escape route.          

TEA TIME TALES

Tea is great. There are good reasons to go for the cuppa. It contains less caffeine, almost half than coffee. Therefore, it is less habit forming or addictive. However, too much tea should be avoided to reap its health benefits. Our most popular drink is the leafy derivatives of the tea plant Camellia sinensis. Tea is soothing, mild and nutritive for our body. Due to its calming action on our nerves, people prefer to drink a cup of steaming tea brew, to quickly feel refreshed. Commonly, tea liquor is prepared by boiling the dust or granules of different types, qualities and sizes of processed tea leaves in water, processed sugar and diary milk.  What kind of particular taste and flavour one wants to have, depends on boiling and brewing time, amount of tea leaves added, the temperature of the water, types of tea leaves used and the optional additions like aromatic or medicinal herbs. In various cultures, the unique taste and flavour of a cup of tea vary, depending on the preferences of people. Secret techniques of making a cup of ‘good’ tea, is always at work, in preparing it. It certainly is not a rocket science, but a refined art; over the generations, perfected by the cultivators (usually the tea gardens, tea estates and the people behind the enterprise) of the plant, the species, climate, soil condition, processing method (tea factories); and of course, ‘how to’ of the final outcome, as ‘your’ tea—by you!

The great Chinese and Japanese people are the harbinger of tea. It is an essential part of their rich culture, civilisations and societies. Remember, the ‘rocket’ was invented by the Chinese and ‘bonsai’ was crafted to perfection by the Japanese? What I mean by saying so is, all cultures have contributed towards the growth of the human race by various contributions. Who does not know that the Indians invented the ‘zero’ and as a result, we are now living in the digital age of 1s and 0s?