An unusual year!!!

It's been a year - when life took an unexpected turn and gave us a chance to explore hitherto unknown world, I didn't grab it with both hands. It was with some reluctance and apprehension that I packed the bags and started the journey to a new land. I didn't write about the new place - I knew India is a strong emotion that could make me look at UK in a less favorable light. So, after a year, here I am, struggling to put my thoughts across.

Liverpool welcomed me with a glorious summer. I was amazed to discover the long days - day light stayed on until 10.30pm during summers. Daybreak was as early as 4 am. Although I had heard about long days, I never understood it fully until I experienced it. It was a different experience altogether.

After the brief sunny days came Autumn. Adorned in all hues of yellow, orange and red, the nature looked colourful and vibrant. The colours of autumn had always looked magical in pictures and as I saw the colours changing from green to red, I was thrilled beyond words. Soon the colours faded and all that left was bare branches....

Winter was cold and bleak. Daylight refused to show up on days altogether. If at all it did, it disappeared even before the evening was over. It was a bit eerie to pick the kid from school as darkness enveloped us....

As I watched the sun and moon travelling from horizon to horizon at eye level, I marvelled at the ways of nature. The snow fell, bringing child like happiness and we awaited the warmth of summer. As the spring came, nature was reborn. The flowers and birds heralded a new beginning and one couldn't help singing an old tune or two.

Each day I discovered new aspects of life. I made new friends, visited beautiful lands, learned to live without meeting dear ones every now and then, and as life centred around our nuclear family we discovered ways to be happy with ourselves.

At the turn of the new year, we embraced healthy living like never before... now half way through this year, we are healthier and fitter than before - a proud and happy bunch.

Of course, as a wanderlust who feels at home anywhere within few days, I feel at home here. Yet, somewhere in the heart the yearning for motherland is strong. Not a day goes by without the thought of 'home' prominent in my mind!

Life has been kind - so has this new 'home away from home'. Perhaps when the time comes to move on, this beautiful city will also find a special place in my heart. Until then, I hope to make the best of the opportunity and keep discovering life anew!

A Date with Nature

I am missing the leisurely walks around my home and the numerous birding opportunities back home. Living in the city definitely has its own benefits, but staying away from nature is one of its shortfalls. Having fallen in love with birds, this first winter in the foreign country was a bit harsh for me. Huddled in the cold, I did miss the sultry weather back home. But more than that, I missed the chirps and songs of my winged friends. Not a day passes without my wistfully remembering the magpie robin's song or the barbet's call. There was never a silent moment.

Hearty Welcome!

Of course, the spring awakens the nature here with a new life. While it was amazing to see the blossoms and newly sprouted leaves, it was more heartening to hear the birds. Thanks to the prediction of a sunny day, we visited the RSPB Marshside reserve today.

Black Tailed Godwit

The good connectivity between Liverpool and Southport ensured a smooth journey to Marshside reserve. As we alighted the bus and walked towards the RSPB Marshside hide, we were welcomed by none other than the black-tailed godwit. Although I have seen it in high numbers (possibly in a large flock of more than 5000 individuals), this was the first time I saw a solitary individual up close - that too in breeding plumage! I clicked a few snaps and when I reviewed the pictures, I realised I had left the memory card in my laptop back home. What a sad way to start the season. However, my better half loaned his memory card as he knew how eager I was to test the new lens he bought me. Feeling a bit guilty, but happy to snap some pics, I got the camera ready and snapped the pics.

Avocets

On our walk to the hide, we saw Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Coot, Moorhen, Canada Goose, Black-headed gull, swallow and so on. Although it was sunny, there was quite strong wind too, which made the weather bit chilly. Soon we reached the hide and were welcomed by the sight of two brooding Avocets. I saw an Avocet for the first time in 2015 and the thrill of that maiden encounter still remains. Every time I see an Avocet, I remember the excitement I felt on seeing the bird for the first time. It is a rare sighting in my home state of Kerala, India. Even though I saw a greater flamingo and Avocet together that day, I think the little (in comparison) black and white bird excited me more than the huge avian.

Coming back to Marshside adventure, I was glad to see the pair of Avocets and clicked away happily. Once inside the hide, I could see hundreds of black-headed gulls before me. The first time I saw the black headed gull (or was that a brown-headed gull?) was during the annual Vembanad lake bird count by Kottayam Nature Society in 2014. Then, the tiny black mark on the head wasn't very visible and even though some experts told me the id, I couldn't see why it was called so. For a novice like me, all gulls looked same and the winter plumage wasn't a great help in identification. But now, I could see clearly why it is called black-headed gull.

Mediterranean Gull - A record shot

As I sat observing and clicking pictures, few fellow birders at the hide seemed excited about something. Dave, the RSPB volunteer was gracious and showed the subject of excitement through his spotting scope - a Mediterranean Gull among the black-headed gulls. This was a lifer for me!

Soon, I got a record shot for my collection. I spotted mallard, mute swan, coots, Moorhen, redshank, Canada Goose, Lapwing and the like. Dave told that the Avocets are due for a change of guard anytime now. If we manage to see that, we could get a glimpse of the eggs too. We waited for some time and shortly, one of the partner turned up. As soon as it came nearby, the brooding individual got up, walked to the edge and started preening itself. The newly arrived individual took on the responsibility of incubating the eggs. They seem to have worked out the schedule very well. Division of Labour with no fuss!!! Sometime later the other pair too swapped roles and we too got going.

Reed Bunting

We reached Neil's hide and saw nothing extraordinary. As hunger had started gnawing, we decided to eat our lunch there. As we munched, the reed bunting made its appearance for a moment or two. Luckily, the camera was at hand we snapped a few shots - another lifer for me!

As I scanned through the lens, I saw some oyster catchers a little far. This was a bird for which we had travelled 120 km early one morning in 2015! It was a rare sight then. But here, I am lucky to see them more often.

We saw a big flock of godwits enjoying their afternoon nap in the sun, Shelduck and swans having a siesta, Lapwing strutting restlessly while the noisy gulls were busy gathering nesting materials and some, mating.

We started our walk back and decided to explore the grassland on the other side. The ceaseless chirping was one reason, whereas the absence of footpath at the other side necessitated it. Shortly, we found some steps to go down there and kept scanning for any movements. At first, we could only see wood pigeons. But as we looked closely and keener, we could see some reed buntings wavering in and out of the reeds.

It was quite windy and I struggled to see properly. A little ahead of us was a movement. I tried clicking some pics. However, the unfamiliar lens and strong wind were against me. Still, I managed to click some record pics. (It turned out to be a pipit - another lifer). I saw another bird, the id of which couldn't be confirmed. Sadly, I couldn't get a decent picture of the same.

Wheatear

Few meters ahead, I spotted a wheatear (a lifer again!). I had seen quite a few pics of this beauty that I could id it on the spot. I somehow didn't imagine it to be so small though. Anyway, despite the wind and unsteady hands, I got a few record shots of this feathered beauty.

Wheatear

By then, it was time for our return. The sky was turning dark and wind got stronger. I started feeling the chill and longed for some warmth. We soon reached the bus stop and within a couple of minutes, we boarded the bus. A few stops later we got into another bus and headed back home after a satisfying day spent with nature.

After a hiatus

The past few months went by in such a speed that it was a bit of shock for me when I realised that the year is almost over now and my last blog post was in April. I think that ever since I took to active blogging there has never been such a huge gap in my blogging career. Of course, there are many reasons for my not blogging as frequently as I would have loved to. But, heart in heart I was conscious of the fact that my blog was neglected. So, here I am at the start of another year, trying to keep up with the pace of time.

Life during these past months was hectic and full of happenings. I finally realised my dream of trekking in the Himalayas, visited many places, saw and did many new things, actively pursued my long forgotten hobby of birdwatching - all the while trying hard to balance work and family. Sometimes life was tough, but thankfully, I never buckled under pressure for long. No matter what the challenges were, I was able to overcome them eventually.

The greatest challenge was to stay away from social media - especially Facebook. Until a few months ago, I was a very active member of some literary groups and for me, it was a tough choice to log out and remain offline. But, after a couple of weeks, it was easier for me to remain offline than be online on the social media. For one, I could devote all those time to finally try and build my business. Secondly, and more importantly, I was fed up with the extent of negativity and polarisation happening in there. These months spent away from the social media gave me the opportunity to concentrate more on positive things. Now I feel refreshed and positive about things around me.

The only concern perhaps was that most of the so-called friends there seemed to have forgotten me once I logged out of the virtual world. A couple of them did reach out via phone and I was thrilled to hear from them. A few I tried to reach out but found their response rather lukewarm. I did miss the heated discussions and leg pulling and all the fun I used to have out there. But, these were amply compensated by the travels and other outdoor activities. I knew that the real life is out there...

As I look back at these months, I feel happy for all that I could achieve. I think I have become wiser from the experiences I had. There are a few ever-cherishable moments and a few forgettable moments. But then, what is life without ups and downs?

So, here I am - trying to do what I enjoy most. The new year is already almost a week old. I seem to have started it on the right note, by doing things that matter to me and my dear ones. I have decided to concentrate on the positives and try not to be affected by the negativities around. There is more to life in reality - let me get going...

Protecting the Environment - Time to Act

I am an accidental environmentalist (or rather, trying to be one) and a nature enthusiast. As a person who has grown up in a village of Kerala, spending most of her childhood with trees and trying to live in a world of fantasy where she could talk to the trees and birds and the little animals inhabited in them, it is but natural that she carry a bit of that little her wherever she goes. In the past decade and half, I have had the opportunity to live in many cities of this amazing country, but I have always found that home is where the heart is – I never really grew up from being that silly girl talking to the trees and butterflies.

Being a homemaker and later, a quasi-entrepreneur who work from the comforts of the home, I had very little opportunities to get out there and do things that I really wanted to. However, having a like-minded life partner made my life a lot easier than I ever cared to admit and his switching career from a busy banking sector to something else gave us a moment to catch up with each other and the life around us – literally. His involvement in the nature club activities at his office made him a birder and a nature enthusiast like never before. As he went on nature camps and other environment related activities, I used to eagerly wait for him to be back and listen to all the wonderful tales he had to tell. Through him, I got to know many wildlife and nature enthusiasts by name and was in awe of the level to which people would selflessly go for the sake of nature and life.

Soon, we started going off on little birding trips every now and then – sometimes only the two of us, sometimes with other enthusiasts from his office or nature club. It was during such a trip that we proceeded to the Athirapally – Vazhachal forest area.

Athirapalli Waterfalls - pic courtesy google images

Anyone who has grown up in Kerala would have heard about Athirapally at least once in his or her lifetime. The place is well known for the breath taking waterfalls that has become an iconic post card for Kerala tourism. The beautiful waterfalls at Athirapally merits visit at least once in a lifetime. The sheer joy of watching the water cascading from the heights is a magical scene in itself. Along with the Vazhachal waterfalls, which, some might feel, is not as magnificent as Athirapally, this area has become a hot spot for tourist activity. What was a lesser-known destination of unspoilt nature has now become a hub of tourism. As commercialization set in, the precincts of the water falls saw a theme park being set up, and this ensured more and more people visited the place. And it sure did; schools and colleges started taking students for one-day picnic to the waterfalls and the theme park.

Vazhachaal Waterfalls

As the fame grew, Athirapally became a favourite spot for filmmakers as well. A handful of films appeared on the silver screen with the now famous waterfalls in the background of song and fight sequences, making the place all the more famous. More and more people started pouring in.

As the place hogged limelight, certain vested interests too started noticing the place. For them, Athirapally seemed the ideal place to promote a hydroelectric project. Soon, they huddled together and tried to promote the idea as the solution for the unending power problems of the state. The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) proposed to set up a 163 MW hydroelectric project at the Athirapally waterfalls. In 2007, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest gave clearance for this project, much to the dismay of environmentalists, who have been opposing this project right from the beginning.

Now, I confess that I take pride in belonging to one of the most literate states of the country and that the general standard of living and social awareness of the people of my state is high. However, of late, I am discovering that it could not have been far from truth. Despite being an educated Malayali, I am not fully aware of the consequences if the proposed project comes here in Athirapally. Furthermore, if I had not taken an interested in birding and associated nature activities, I would not have gone to Athirapally and Vazhachal and I would not have discovered for myself the hidden gems of nature. So, if a fellow Malayali is ignorant of this project and the harmful effect of it, I guess I can’t blame him too.

Flock of Malabar Pied Hornbills

For instance, if I had not gone there as a birder, I would not have noticed the beautiful pied Hornbills that flew to a tree near where I stood in awe of them. I would not have delighted myself by watching and taking numerous pictures of the Malabar Grey Hornbills as they flew from one tree to another without any care in the world. Nor would I have lost myself in the joy of watching the countless Malabar parakeets in their pleasant green shades and red bills having fun in the sun. I would not have had the chance to admire the chestnut bee-eaters and Blyth’s starlings from a closer range than I have ever seen them.

Malabar Grey Hornbill

Neither would have I realized that it is one of the rare areas where one has a great chance of seeing all the four hornbills – Malabar grey, Indian grey, Indian pied, and the Great Indian Hornbill (which is the state bird of Kerala). If one has seen, at least once, these beautiful creatures and have had the pleasure of observing them, even a few seconds, one would realize what a wonderful treasure trove the nature is! And I have not even mentioned other birds like sunbirds, trogon, tree pie, kingfisher, myna, spider hunter, leaf bird, shikra, eagles and many more species of birds, which bring inexplicable joy to our minds. For, me it was like a trip back to my childhood, where I had no worries than watching these birds enjoy their life.

Malabar Pied Hornbill

A friend visited the place recently, and she was treated with the sight of a flock comprising of 27 or more hornbills in the area. Birders, naturalists, environmentalists all who visit the area are excited and thrilled at the sheer number of species of birds and animals that inhabit the area. The Chalakudy River, which is the lifeline of the flora, fauna and avifauna of the area is the ideal habitat for many unique amphibians and fish.  According to the National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources Lucknow, the Chalakudy River is one of the richest rivers in the country as far as fish diversity is concerned.

Furthermore, the river is one of the hotspot of bio-diversity. It is said that out of the 319 species of flowering plants identified in the area, 24 species are endemic to the Western Ghats and 10 of these are rare and endangered.

Great Indian Hornbill

Avid birders, nature enthusiasts and photographers like Sangeetha A Balakrishnan, V M Dileep, Krishnadas Mallya, Sreelal, naturalists like Daniel V Raju and many more have voiced their concerns about this rich eco-spot. They all hope that people will understand the need to preserve the nature and not to destroy it further before it is too late. Efforts are on to educate people on the need to protect nature. I do hope that many more nature enthusiasts and environmentalists will take up the issue and work together to keep our forests and rich ecology intact.  

Indian Grey Hornbill - picture courtesy: Google

By proposing the hydroelectric project, the KSEB has sounded the death knell for these priceless treasures of nature. And by clearing the project without really studying its impact on nature and environment, the centre has also taken an irresponsible stand on the matter. If the project takes off, it would do irreversible damages to the environment, because if the course of the river were diverted for generating electricity, then the waterfalls would soon dry up. It may also displace and lead to eventual extinction of a primitive tribal clan in the area named `Kadars.' All this will happen, over and above the loss of flora, fauna and avi-fauna and the equilibrium of nature if the project takes off.

I hope that people will stand up for nature and see through the hollow reports generated to serve vested interests, which say that the only hurdle to the project is the Hornbill, which can be rehabilitated to some other area. It is an insult to the common sense of people that in this age and time, people are being given such incredulous justifications for destroying nature. If we won’t wake up from the slumber of indifference and inaction, soon, our very existence can be a big challenge. 

The board says it all:
one pond equals ten wells
one lake equals ten ponds
one son equals ten lakes
one tree equals ten sons 

The day we realize that money can’t buy us everything and unhampered destruction of natural resources has led to our own downfall, it will be too late.

So, if not for us, but for our kids and future generations, let us try to be a little less selfish and try to preserve a bit of earth for them in livable state and not as a waste!

Staying Inspired

Recently, I read somewhere that the greatest challenge that one faces is to stay motivated. I could easily understand that. Numerous are the times that I have failed to stay motivated. I start something and continue it for sometime and then gradually, all the enthusiasm that forced me to start it gradually wanes - and one day, I completely lose the interest and give up. I am sure that many of us have gone through the same phenomenon at least once in their life time.

If you are a blogger, the greatest challenge you faced would not be writing your blog or getting readers for it. I am sure that after a while, once the initial enthusiasm faded, most of us found blogging a big burden and not the enjoyable hobby that it used to be. Perhaps the single largest reason for people quitting blogging is this gradual lack of interest or the failure to sustain their motivation.

As far as I am concerned, there has been plenty of reasons for the long gap between my blog posts. Some of them were genuine, while most were make believe ones. I had wanted to write, but the urge was not too strong. So I took every opportunity not to write in my blog - the reasons I gave myself were, alas, stupid, to say the least! Just see for yourself - I am busy, I need to give more time to my job/kids/family/reading, I am writing in my other blog and so if I don't write in this, it doesn't matter; there is nothing new to write about, well, I will start writing again, but not today - definitely tomorrow.... the list goes on and on. I am sure that you will also agree that these are mere excuses.

Finally, the guilt of not writing caught me by the neck and I sat down to write - and lo! how wonderful I felt getting back to doing something I love! The joy of blogging is incomparable. I am now remorseful of the fact that I wasted so many days inventing all sorts of excuses for not writing anything, rather than devoting at least half of that energy to write something.

Anyways, as I mentioned earlier, the greatest enemy is within. It is not the lack of subject or readers or comments or anything else that stops you from writing. Most of the time it is pure laziness and at other times self-doubt and lack of self-motivation. And as I see the rising number of bloggers who were active initially, but goes into hibernation sooner or later, I feel that no one else can help you, but yourself.

So, what is the solution for this? From my experience, I would like to point out a few points, which I think might be helpful to at least a few fellow bloggers:

1. Your Blog is your responsibility - As I have mentioned in one of my earlier posts, your blog is your responsibility. You cannot expect your friends or readers to love it more than you do and keep it going. So, if your blog is almost dead or is forgotten, you have only yourself to blame.
2. Stay Inspired - The major factor that distinguish a winner and a loser is that the winner stays inspired - no matter what. Most of us get tired of routines and stop doing something because it becomes a routine - uninspiring and less colourful. There can be no blunder bigger than this. Just because something becomes a routine is no reason to discard it. Make it a habit and stay put. Then you will not lose. 
3. Write Everyday - Even if you don't feel like, take up your pen (or type away on your keyboard) and write something daily. That way you will beat the urge to remain inactive. Although my reading habit has taken a beating, thanks to a hectic work schedule, I try to read some inspiring books in between. This is one useful tip I got from one such book. Write everyday - if possible, at the same time/hour on each day. Although this tip has not helped me much in my blogging, as far as my work (which involves writing) was concerned, I succeeded in overcoming the inertia or the urge of not wanting to write on the same topics over and over...
4. Read - One of the most important tool for writing is reading. Read as many authors, books, write-ups, magazines, blogs and articles you can. Read on different subjects and different people on same subjects. This will broaden your vision and knowledge. Although the result may not be instantaneous, sooner or later it will pay off in the form of better knowledge, vocabulary, and many more. 
5. Take Time to Observe and be with Nature - For many of us, this could be a luxury. However, a look at one's surroundings is highly inspiring and gives us an insight that we never knew existed within ourselves. If you open your eyes and ears to the nature, many are the delightful sights and sweet melodies. Open your heart to them and see how wonderful it feels.

There could be many more ways that can help one to stay motivated. Spend some time with yourself in silence and speak to your inner self. Soon, you will find answers and a way forward!

As always, keep on writing and inspire others with your writing!

Picture Courtesy: Google Images

उम्मीद ???

बोलो टूटे हुए पंखों से कोई कैसे उड़े

पिंजरे में बंद चिड़िया जैसे मन तडपे

कोशिश तो हमने की थी बार बार

लेकिन डूब गए नाव नदी के इस पार||

उम्मीद पे दुनिया कायम हैं, लेकिन

उम्मीद करना भी हुयी हैं नामुमकिन

ज़िन्ग्दंगी जैसे डूब गयी हो बीच समुन्दर

बचाने आया नहीं कोई भी अब इस बवंडर||

हजारों ख्वाब थे रोशन इन आंखों में

न जाने किसने बुझादिये सारे दिए एक पल में

अब तो चारों और झाए अन्धेरा ही अन्धेरा

न जाने कब टूटेंगे सासों की यह सिकुटती डेरा...

picture courtesy: google images 

The Journey

The silence spoke loudly

I cringed at my folly 

How can the dead talk?

But who am I to judge?

As the digits remind me 

The birth of a dead person,

The irony strikes me hard -

I keep wondering should I cry

Or should I shove him into 

The bottomless abyss of fugue?

Birth and death are but 

Two phases of the jaunt

Life is nothing but an inn,

The journey has to go on

Birthdays mark days of arrival

The exits marked by funeral 

For if there is an entry,

Be ready to go away

For life is nothing but an inn

The soul has now moved on... 

Picture Courtesy: Google Images