pursuit of man

Excerpt from the book The Wayfinders by Wade Davis

The hunt is the metaphor that brings us into the very heart of San life. A man who does not hunt remains a child. To marry, a man must bring meat to the parents of the bride. A first antelope kill is the high point of youth, a moment recorded for all time in the skin of the hunter by his father, who makes a shallow incision with bone, and rubs into the wound a compound of meat and fat, scarring the right side of the body if the kill is a buck, the left if a doe. The tattoo marks the boy with the heart of a hunter - a potent source of magic, for the San do not simply kill game. They engage in a dance with the prey, a ritual exchange that ends with the creature literally making of itself an offering, a sacrifice. Every hunt ends in exhaustion, as the antelope realizes that whatever it does it cannot escape the pursuit of man. It then stops and turns, and the arrow flies. 

~~

It is very interesting to read about evolution and it is even more interesting to know that San were the first people in what became the family tree of humanity. San is quite possibly the oldest culture in the world. When the rest of us decided to travel, the San elected to stay home. 

Srik

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always there

the day I first spoke to you

you never sounded like a stranger

you were the first person, rather

to make me feel happier 

you created a zone of comfort

not only that I wanted, but also

that I lacked when I joined here

you picked me up by making you hear

you called me during mornings

to ask me what’s going on

I happily answered your calls

and turned my good days on

I shared with you all that I did

of my crazy hikes or biking trips

you asked me if I really did what I did

including my half decent camera clicks

you empowered me to do more

and asked me to share with you more

you shared about it with your peers more

and made me meet people more and more

we met face to face on a fewer occasions

(precisely seven times in six years)

we’ve had hearty laughter on various things

and I always looked forward to such occasions

you always cared for your team

comforted us on many concerns

you were restless when something happened

and you ensured we’re all safe

I enjoyed listening to your stories

of your trips and vacations

I admired your thoughtfulness

of a wonderful life at large

I am amazed by what you are

a being in his wholeness

and people around you will always say

you’re always there…

Srik

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missing rollers

roller couple lived on a tree
displaying their bright blue colors
flying around here and there
at times on the tree, or on the wire

every time I see them, life was on a pause
I used to visit them very often,
and wait for their flight (a colorful sight)
pause for a while, and make my day

I knew them for five years
they hardly knew me, not anymore
many people stop there, but who cares
some see them or just pee, ignoring them

it was an interesting story, always
for me to tell visitors on my bike
they lived those moments, fully
knowing something new, worthy

once I stopped and tried calling them
they ignored me and just flew away
their world is different, perhaps
much better than mine

on a bright sunny summer day,
I noticed the roller was lonely
perhaps, its partner flew away
or something bad happened?

I visited again after a long time,
waited for the bird for sometime,

tree was lonely, so was the wire,

I had to moved on without any luck

no luck for me since several visits
I return sad without seeing them
no idea where they've gone
or where they're living

or not?
they're missing for sure!

Srik

roller is a bird ~ it is called as Indian Roller

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holding breath

tis' that moment, when time stands still
just before the big day, I eagerly await

taking over the task, surely tough enough
of all the hard work, in an endless search

restless mind, a recalled experience
empowered within, with an eye outside

recovering from the lull, clouds turned white
to open the door, when the chance knocked

jiff of happiness, writing the future notes
freezing on the sigh, a big day in anticipation

as it gets closer, there strikes a long pause
fixing me in void, without a plan but to wait

tis' that moment, when time stands still!

Srik

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letter from a little boy

I received a letter from a little boy today
just as good to make my wonderful day
the letter was folded, so was the message
I opened it with much curiosity, and wonder!

as I read the letter, my eyes turned wet
not that it had a picture of a flower in it
or the paper was reused, the way I like it
but also it had a nice little story to be told

I liked the way the boy had written it,
thanking me for a book I gifted him to read
all the letters appeared to be dancing
each had a story, unfolded in style

I am moved by the letter today, really
and I cant thank the boy enough
for touching me with his cute act of
eagerness, to read more stories, of course!

Srik

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geckos and moths

Excerpt from the book Butterflies on the Roof of the World by Peter Smetacek

Having nothing urgent to do is one of the prerequisites for observing nature. If one wants to observe the lives of geckos, one needs lots of time, for they spend up to half an hour stalking each moth. A casual glance will show a few geckos adorning the wall around the lamp. Greater familiarity with their lifestyle will reveal that each position has been hard fought for and won. When the first moth appears and circles the lamp, each wing beat is carefully observed by the waiting gecko. As soon as it settles, the stalking begins. To the observer, it might not appear to have begun, for the gecko does not move at all. This seems to be the period when the gecko allows the moth to settle down and feel secure. Then, slowly, very slowly, one leg is lifted and moved forward. After a few minutes, the next leg follows. The course is not directly towards the moth. Instead, it is directed so that the gecko approaches from behind its intended victim. A step a minute marks a rapid advance. When it feels it is close enough, the final distance is covered in an all or nothing dash and bite. Often, the moth flies off. In such cases, the gecko retreats to a safe distance and begins its vigil all over again.

~~

Well, the first line says it all. And there is so much learning in just observing whats around us in nature. All it requires is a careful eye with abundant patience.

Srik

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Channa Rayana Durga - A Panorama

Channa Rayana Durga (Fort) is a beautiful backdrop of a village near Madhugiri in Tumkur district. It is at a distance of 85 kms from Bangalore. As per the history, this fort belong to the Maratha rulers and then got transitioned back and forth to the Mysore Wodeyars. Most of the fort is in ruins without anybody to take care of the same. There are some old structures, huge pond and some temples that are worth seeing. The hillock is a monolith and it is a nice place for a small trek. There are not many tourists who visit the place and hence the place is free of litter and looks neat. Blue sky as a backdrop for these lovely rocks is a treat to watch. Here are some of the panoramic shots from the fort. 

(Click on the photographs to enlarge them)

Older structures that are in ruins all along the way (Looking South)

Backdrop of the mountain ranges around Madhugiri. This one among the nine forts.

Beautiful blue sky as a backdrop for these lovely rock mountains are a treat for sure (Looking South)

Dried yellow grass and many cactus plants on the way to the fort (Looking East)

Lovely rock formations (Looking West)

The fort stands on this huge monolith. (Looking East)

The fort atop the hill, watch tower to the right (Looking West)

The huge (or small) pond which never dries up even in summer. (Looking North)

Watch towers and the older structures are stronger to this day. (Looking NE)

Entry door to the fort. And there are many such doors in the fort.

Many such mantaps decorate the fort landscape. And they are the best places to rest. 

Looks like very old dried up well/tank. Wonder why they had built this.

The best view of the rocks and the fort from here. 

Channa Rayana Durga village at the base with the backdrop of lovely ranges of rocky mountains

2013 (C) Srikanth Parthasarathy

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