WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE

SPLIT- SECOND STORY – Capture an image that tells a full story in a single frame,

Grandfather and grandson enjoying their moments together.  Grandfather is enjoying watching his grandson and remembering his younger days:)

Memories of Childhood; Temples and daily Life

Temples have always been a very intrinsic part of our lives through the ages. They have always played a very important role in not only the personal but also in the social lives of the people. My father writes about a temple in a place called Hosur , near the town where he spent his childhood.
“In my High School, I had a close friend and classmate,
Sesha. We studied together. Sesha’s father lived in
a house at Hospet on the Railway Station Road. They
were Madhva Brahmins. Sesha’s father was a priest or
Purohit. He was invited to houses for performing Poojas,
marriages and religious functions. He was also a teacher.
Sesha was also trained to perform some religious functions
and joined his father sometimes. I used to go to
their house for playing and studying. I liked the family
The Tungabhadra river flowed about 3 miles north of
Hospet. There was a small village, Hosur on the south-side
of the river. A famous temple was in that village, with
the headless body of Renuka as the idol. On the north of
the river at Huligi, a small vilage was a temple
with Renuka’s head as the idol.

Renuka was the wife of Jamadagni,one of the
Saptarshis (seven sages). They had five sons.
The last son was Parasurama – considered as a partial
incarnation of Vishnu. Once, Jamadagni suspecting the
fidelity of Reuka ordered his sons to behead her. The
first four refused and were cursed. Parasurama obeyed
and cut off his mother’s head with his axe or Parasu.
Jamadagni was pleased and offered a boon to Parasurama.
He prayed for the life of his mother and withdrawal of
the curses on his brothers.

Sesha often worked as the priest of the Hosur
temple. Many times, I went with him, watching the
devotees and eating the prasadam. It was a great
experience. A few years after finishing our school,
Sesha suddenly passed away. It was a great loss for
his family. For a long time, I could not believe that
he was no more.

There are many stories about Parasurama. Once,
to create a lot of land between the Western Ghats and
the Arabian Sea, he threw his axe from the top of
the Ghats towards the sea. A beautiful land was
created between the place where the Axe fell and the
Ghats, called the ‘Parasurama Srishti’ or creation of
Parasurama. Dakhina Kannada and Uttara Kannada
Districts are this ‘Srishti’ . We live here now.

( I could not find a photo of the temple my father has written about. This is a photo of the outside of a temple near our home.)

Ese’ s weekly shoot and quote challenge.

“Every moment has its pleasures and its hope.”
― Jane Austen, Mansfield Park
We were crossing this bridge across the backwater of the Arabian Sea, when we saw this boatman on his boat. That was a moment of pleasure.

CEE’S FUN FOTO CHALLENGE

Water: rain, puddles, rivers, lakes, ocean, sea
Our village is a very hilly region and the areca nut trees are grown on the terraced hillsides. Usually the houses of people who settled in this area, long ago are in the valleys. Once the monsoon starts in earnest we have this beautiful waterfall. Water falls down from more than 100 feet. This waterfall is only during the monsoons. Children through the years have enjoyed playing under the falling water. The monsoon season starts in June.

Share your world 2014 Week 20

If you could go back and visit any time period, what time would you travel to and why?

I would like to go to early 20th century, My father’s father has written about his life and I have read it, he passed away in 1980, but we loved him so, I would like to see him growing up:)

If you could have three wishes granted for you alone, what would they be?  This is a time for you to dream and have fun.

Ours was an arranged marriage (1982) and we are really lucky  to have found each other, and my  first wish would involve him and my children . My second wish would be that never should women fear rape and such humiliations. There will always be problems in life and my third wish would be that our grandson will always have the courage to face and overcome them, he is now only 10 months:)

Wanting something to quench your thirst, what would you drink?

Water

If you watch TV what are your favorite three television shows?

I don’t watch TV much:)))

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

Actually last week my father’s elder passed away at the age of 91, we will miss him, but I am very grateful that he passed away peacefully and never suffered any major health problems all his life, except this last one month.  Next week I am going to Mumbai to spend a few days with my aunt ( his wife, she is 83) and cousins. It will be nice to spend some time with them

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE

TWIST – This is from my cousin’s Bonsai garden. The twisting trunk of this little tree is fascinating and beautiful.

A WORD A WEEK PHOTOGRAPH CHALLENGE

CARRY – This is one of or country roads, this man is carrying fronds of the coconut tree. These fronds have been woven and will be used for various purposes in his house.

W P WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE

WORK OF ART – The worship of Lord Ganapati is a very intimate part of our lives. In August or September , there is a grand festival. Artisans everywhere make beautiful idols, real works of art. These idols are worshiped and on the last day of the festivities, they are immersed in water. These beautiful works of art bring so much joy to people. This photo was taken two years ago in Mumbai.

CEE’S FUN FOTO CHALLENGE

Ground: rocks, sand, dirt, paths, walks, trails
This photo is of a a foot path and steps down the areca garden. Our place is a hilly region and areca nut trees  (palms) are grown on different levels. We have to go up and down many a times from our home.

All that is left are memories

My father’s elder brother passed away on the 17th at the age of 91. All that is left are precious memories. Memories spread across our life time. They are all happy memories of a loving person who loved us. He is not with us physically but these memories will always be with us. I suppose that is what is meant by the word ‘forever’.

My father’s father passed away in 1980 but our memories of him are always with us. We may not be thinking of him all the time, but his presence is there. He is alive as long as we are alive. And lucky are they who are able to leave behind happy memories. Of course it is not all luck.

I remember my friend telling me about a relative who passed away many years ago. Memories about that person still hurt. She wishes that it had been possible to cremate those memories along with body. But, unfortunately those memories live on. She says she has learnt how not to behave with others and hopes she will never knowingly hurt others and leave hateful memories.

It is said memories fade away with time but I have heard so many of the older generation say that their memories of their past are much stronger than of the recent past. It is sad when people live in only their memories and the present is not so real for them. But they are so very important, what would life be without them?
“Memories warm you up from the inside. But they also tear you apart.”
― Haruki Murakami ( Japanese writer)