Tea with some clouds...

Acrylic on canvas-2: Habitat

This is my second painting in the current series. I have named it habitat. This is the stage just before the larger responsibilities in life hit us (my earlier painting post is the stage post this). Life is full of freshness, fertility and aspirations which know no bound. Tried to bring out this feeling with my colours.

Habitat- August 2010

My own Buddha Bar

 have always been quiet intrigued by Buddha and its manifestations. Captured the latest addition of Buddha at home, my tranquil Budha corner...

Sar kiyea pahaar by Strings

Sar kiyea pahaar by Strings

24 months of motherhood and more to come...

Never realised the depth of what it meant every time my Mom said "wait till you become a mother"! Always left me wondering whether she hates the feeling, loves it sooo much that it hurts or is confused about it...

9 months into holding life inside of me and 24 months of actually nurturing it and I can somewhat put a finger to the statement.

Adi turns 2 this Sunday and I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to unfold this wonderful side of life. Milestone reached but my head is reeling with thoughts of the future, challenges of the present and bewilderment of the past not to mention frustration of handling the terrible 2's too!!!

Looking forward to the next year and all the wonderful experiences it's set to unfold.

A short note from a proud Mumma of a 2 year old... :D

Rain and garam chai- a trip down memory lane...

Woke up this morning to the kind of rains that I love watching while cosily perched on my red chair in the balcony. The raindrops seem to be in such a hurry and the wind only helps as much with bringing in all but chaos in the rush hour!

..and while I sit enjoying the tease play comes my mug of garam chai! My husband is famous with his chai making skills and both of us can sit chatting for hours on multiple cups of this warm concoction.

Come monsoons and chai takes in first place to any kind of drink. A trend which has been part of my growing up years too! 

My school would plan a week long (if we were lucky) trek every monsoon and we'd all wait for this event to happen all year long. The trek would typically happen at Sinhagadh, a fort destination about 90kms from Pune. The trek up from base camp would be about a couple of hours. We'd climb, wade through trickling baby streams, slip in the slimy forest muck, walk through a small strip of land precariously planted at the edge of a steep fall into the valley and seldom sit to catch our breath around a reasonably large water stream gushing down the terrains! This sit down would intersperse with a light snack and a drink of 'CHAI'. A memory which is beyond any tell tale. Cold from getting wet in the rain, tiered of climbing the steep but heightened levels of enthusiasm to taste the adventure and just while the determination would begin to simmer came along the much awaited drink of chai! :) 

Wild mushrooms particularly would be my point of fascination during these treks. Their shapes, the way they'd all cluster together to make some amazing shapes, some which would grow out of barks of tree trunks and a few that would grow amidst corners of a row of stone carved stairs.

They all seemed to thrive so effortlessly in this moisture...

Another chai memory is of younger day's when it would pour outside (Pune would be chillier during monsoons compared to winters) and my Mum would make this extra large, over-size egg omelet with toast OR sausages with macaroni for brunch and a steaming hot pot of tea, the only time when we'd be allowed having tea at home. We'd polish off this feast inside the warmth of the blanket while watching the rain outside the window.

When in college my drop in attendance typically happened during the monsoons. A favorite activity with friends was to ride out on bikes and soak ourselves wet. These drives were amazing with the beauty of the terrains at its full glory we'd look for amazing chai tapri's (local stalls) where we'd warm up around the stoves while the chai got made n then warmed further with a drink of chai... We did this day in n day out! Miss those days!!!

So the chai stories continue to date and I am so looking forward to the warm plate of bhajji's with masala chai when Mumbai comes to a stand still this monsoon!

 Amar chai 'Gorom Cha'!!!

I can smell rain in the air...

It's that time of the year when the clouds let their shower loose and weave into a harmonious prance; swaying with the wind they caress the hungry soil; find the soft green cocoon of the leaves and drop into an open shell to form that perfect pearl.

Rejoice monsoons here again!

The intimidating rumble announces the joy of droplets that are about to touch our lives. The excited winds gloats with triumph; here comes another monsoon that is about to bless earth with fertility and life.

And then it happens... the wait is no longer a wait! I rush out to feel the pierce of the first rain. The soil soaks in with equal glee. I stretch my arm to fell each drop trickle down my palm. I swing like a little canary and sing out loud while I drench myself making best of every bit of this long awaited moment. The thunder in its full glory strikes again and I rush back into the shelter of my home.

But not for long! As if teasing the clouds I rush back out and begin soaking again.

I wish I were a the wind, I wish I were the rain but then I thank God that I am me cause that's why the rain feels so special and so free!

My hair still dripping and my skins all crinkled; I think I've had my share of soak.

It’s time to hit the coffee mug and watch the swirls of steam mix in with the moist air. All soaked up and couched I look out from my window and enjoy nature unfolding its beauty.

Welcome back all you colourful umbrella's...

Come let us all celebrate...

Monsoon's here to stay!!!

I feel like lavendar today!

Lavendar is a pale tint of violet. It applies particularly to the colour of the flower of the same name. The colour lavendar can be described as a medium violet or a light pinkish purple. The complimentary colour of lavendar is Olive.

The term lavendar may also be used in general to apply to a wide range of pale, light, medium or greyish violet colours as well as some pale or light pinkish, magenta, or purple colours as well as some pale or light bluish, indigo colours.

The first recorded use of the word lavendar as a colour term in english was in 1705

The colour amethyst is a moderate transparent violet. It's name is derived from the stone amethyst, a form of quartz. Though the colour of natural amethyst varies from purple to yellow, the amethyst colour refered to here is a moderate purple colour most commonly associated with the stone. Some believe that the colour is there due to the presence of manganese while others have suggested that the colour could be from ferric thiocyanate or sulphur found in the amethyst stone. This colour may also be called as medium deep lavendar. it is deep rich medium violet.