The sun will not shine bright for sometime now – because the rain gods have rumbled their way through. Twilight has intermingled with the pregnant clouds that will break into a rich, overflowing shower. Anytime. The wind blows hard. I am at the window, looking out at the garden. The voices of nature can be heard in its pure rustic form -Only if you wish to hear her. You need to listen. Allow your heart to beat softly and tell your mind to stop nagging you with persistent thought.
History Woven around a Betel Tree
Rain Falling on Tiled Roof
I catch myself staring out of the window, realizing I have been daydreaming. The rain lashing on the tiled roof (also called Mangalore tiles) shakes me up. I love it when it rains. It is so “Manglorian”. I love the smell of the earth when, on a hot sultry day, the earth mingles with the sacred drops from heaven, giving out the aroma of ecstasy. The rain hits hard on the tiles and cascades down the roof in steady stream. The earth is socked with the rain that has now gained intensity. The steady pour will last for long- may be for days on end too. The water from the roof begins to find its path – and I am reminded of the little paper boats we would make as children and allow the boats to sail through the stream of water.
Sailing Paper Boats
The only thing I knew in crafts was to make paper boats! Our books would be torn to the last page as we tried to engineer building the biggest boat! It would often be that the bigger boats would sink sooner than the smaller ones, as it maneuvered around dry leaves and twigs coming its way!
The Birds of the Rains
I close my eyes to listen. The notes of nature fill my little room. You do not need to go to a bird sanctuary to hear the singing of the birds. You get to hear the quite notes of the Red Wattled Lapwing. The Red Wattled Lapwing has often been my company, when I have often wandered to the quiet hill next to my house. This little hill has often come to my rescue meeting my desire to be close to the clouds. Most of my prodding has been done sitting on the huge black rocks, staring across the far away lush green hill. I greedily come to it as it is one place in the world that gives me serene comfort
You not see the Myna flock together, the rare Brown Headed Barbet, the Magpie Robin sitting on the clothesline (locally called Madalle Pakki), and then the sprinting Woodpecker heard long after he has whoosh passed you. The Woodpecker is seen pecking at the old coconut tree that lives on merely because the Woodpecker visits her often. We never had the heart to bring down the tree, and thus it lives on knowing it has the pecker as its company!
If you are lucky, you could spot the Golden Oriole that shows off its golden yellow through lush vegetation! This is worth every string of daydreaming!
Then there is the Ring-necked Parakeet who sits on the mango tree, looking at the Babbler (called in Tulu as Bejakre Pakki) seen under the jackfruit tree, ruffling the dry leaves with its petit legs. The majestic red-eyed Coucal (sometimes-called Kupul) is seen with a reptile in its beak. You need be a keen observer to catch the Coucal swooping down to catch its prey. The cry of the Coucal is haunting to say the least. This sight often reminds me of the rare fights of the mongoose and snake chase that we as kids would have seen ever so ones in a while!
Pit-a-Pat Says the Rain
The pit-a –pat of the rain is soothing. It’s almost dream like. The tapping of the rain on the coconut palm can take you to a slumber and lilts you to quite cats nap! If you have a kitty purring at your feet, you know its time to move from your window, and sit on the big rocking chair in the veranda and snooze, while nature goes its own way.
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