ROAD LESS TAKEN

Fast moving life, menacing sounds of the vehicles, polluted environment, sultry weather, junk food and skyscraper buildings are the common terms anyone might come across by living in the city. On the contrary, I live in a house surrounded with lush green trees on a sloppy mountain of St. Thomas Mount. The entire vicinity reverberates with the sounds of the birds since dawn to dusk. I enjoy watching the squirrels digging at the ripen jack fruit, cuckoo birds singing in its mellow voice, the mongoose roaming around for its prey and the leaves effortlessly falling from the trees. A Sapodilla left by a bird With all the little creatures, in the green environment, my life here moves swiftly and I gradually built a bond with these plants, trees, birds and animals. After a few months, I began keeping some food and grains on the terrace for the birds and animals. The squirrels, crows and cats come rushing and fight with each other for the food. It became a routine for me and following...

Despite my unstable economic conditions, I manage to make single trip each month to rejuvenate myself from the monotonous lifestyle. This time, my trip was intertwined with my home visit, as I live far away from my home. My cousins and I decided to visit Kumbaratty falls, also known as Achankovil, is located in Kerala. Lying between the borders of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Achankovil is 30km away from Tenkasi. Riding on the bike through the zigzag mountains, we were engulfed by the cacophony of deafening outcry of the wild insects. Throughout the way, we feasted our eyes to the lush green gigantic trees and beautiful mountains. As we rode on, cold air filled our body and relieved us from the sultry weather.  After passing through eleven hair bin bends, we reached the main spot and availed our tickets to enter into the falls. Main spot to avail the tickets It’s half a mile walk from the counter, and on our way we witnessed a small snake lying on a rock and red squirre...

I packed my bag to an one day trip to Pichavaram mangrove forest from Chennai. Travelling along the East Coast Road, on a windy morning with the view of Bay-of –Bengal until Pondicherry and the green carpeted paddy fields with the pleasant smell emanating from the crops along Chidambaram road was a delight on the journey. From then on, it was a jostling ride until reaching Pichavaram, along a narrow road through the countryside. As I was traveling alone, I paid three hundred rupees for two hours of boat ride. A frail looking boatman, Suresh, ushered me into his boat and soon we embarked on a fascinating journey. Spread around three thousand acres, the mangrove forest is a natural wonder, which protects this coastal region from any kind of sea calamities. With more than twenty types of woody trees and shrubs, the entire region is filled with numerous narrow canals. Suresh demanded me a tip to venture into those narrow canals, without which the trip would have been worthless....

Statue of St.Thomas at the entrance Welcoming with the historical arch built by Armenians, St. Thomas Shrine is above the hill top, which is also the martyrdom place of St. Thomas, the disciple of Jesus Christ. Snaking its way up through the zigzag steps, the entire mountain is dotted with numerous neem trees. As we climb up, we pass through Stations of the Cross until reaching the top of the hill. The monumental church built by Europeans, during the 15 th century stood as the converging point for all the Europeans during the colonial era. The chapel consists of invaluable paintings of each disciple of Jesus Christ, which also describes the execution of each of them in a different fashion. With possession of various relics, the centre of the altar is adorned with a stone cross chiselled by St. Luke. Right behind the church, we can witness an age old banyan tree, with several branches penetrated into the ground.  Several religious orders, convents and an orphanage ...

Marriage is one of the most defining moments in our life. I was attending my friend’s wedding in Ongole, Andhra Pradesh. Being an interstate, inter-religious, and inter-caste marriage, it was not an ordinary wedding. The bride’s family from Tamil Nadu had to stay in Ongole for the occasion, as the bridegroom’s family played the role of host. It was interesting to watch both families use gestures to convey their needs. Though communication seemed a barrier, it never diminished the charm and enthusiasm of the event. The rituals were alien to the bride’s family but were all performed with utmost importance and eagerness. My friend acted as the mediator and translator between them and oversaw all the activities. I realized that it takes so much courage to marry someone entirely from another state, religion, and caste. I am proud of my friend, who stands as the perfect example of breaking all societal barriers . My Friend's Wedding in Progress

Soaking in the beauty of Back Waters In Kerala  With the kind hospitality of one of my friends, it was a golden opportunity to visit one of my most dreamed tourist locations, Back Waters in Azhapuzha. The endless waterways connecting all the villages in the district are the main attraction for the tourists. Cruising on the river, you can witness the ceaseless beauty of the countryside. Myriad paddy fields, simple but elegant houses lining up the banks of the river, locals ferrying goods in their canoes and children learning to swim and paddle in front of their houses are the vivid images of the place that will ever last in your mind. The entire lake is dotted with boats ranging from gigantic house boats to small canoes. If you are a lone traveler, it is best for you to travel in the public boat service provided by the Kerala government, which is economical and it gives you the chance to experience the local flavor of the place. Tasti...

A Precarious and Adventurous Journey at Kannupulimettu - Shencottai Kundaru Dam My cousin and I were on a trip to a waterfall in Kannupulimettu, a place near my home town. The place is surrounded with lush green mountains, numerous waterfalls across the rivers and a dam (Kundaru Dam) that collects the water from the hills. We have been visiting this place for the past four years, and to make this trip extraordinary we set out to look for a new waterfall in the region. Journey Through the Valley We began to climb up the streaming valley. The journey was treacherous as the path was filled with huge rocks and skewed waterways.  After passing through a kilometre, we were stopped by the barbed wire, erected across the valley. It seemed to have built to keep the perpetrators away. We stood there for a moment and starred at each other whether to cross over or return to the falls which is easily accessible down below.   We spotted a passage beside the barbed wire w...

              My cousin and I were on a trip to Tirunelveli to apply for a passport. It was summer; the scorching heat was quite unbearable. We had to wait until noon to get our work done. Hence, we had to look for a shady place to rest for a while. We seated ourselves on a cement platform, under a Neem tree, in front of a house. Of course, there were so many houses lined up in the area. After a while, a man came in a scooter and alighted to enter into his house. He gave us a sinister look as if we were there to loot his house. He disappeared into his house, locking his gate tightly behind him. I told my cousin that our land has lost its kindness and hospitality towards strangers over the years. We were sharing our nostalgia for the good old days when love-centered human life and money were only part of it.             Suddenly, I heard the gate opening from another house, and a frail old lady c...