Everyday Moments (#SOL- 2021)

10-08-2021

This morning we woke up to the sound of rain. Saturday and Sunday were sunny days. Sunday evening, we drove to Baje about 20kms away, to see the dam across the river Swarna. In 2019, rains did not start in June , there was very little water in the river and we had acute water shortage. Later there was desilting of the place. Water was pouring out from the gates and the river was flowing on serenely. We see the river from endpoint winding its way to the sea. It is so satisfying to see a flowing river in rural surroundings. There are no high-rise buildings nearby. There are forests and areca plantations.

The dam across River Swarna from the bridge

On the far side is the road bridge. This photo was taken from a place behind the dam. The grey clouds and light on the water. The river is flowing towards Arabian sea.

Yesterday we went to Endpoint for a walk. We like going there. It is a pleasure to see the greenery around us. We stopped to talk to a security officer. He is from Assam, in North East India. He asked us whether we had been there. He was pleased when I told him my father was posted there in early eighties. And he had started his career in The Indian Railways with his first posting in Assam. The officer told us if they go by train it takes four days to reach their home town. So usually they save money to go by plane from Bangalore. It takes only two days. He went to his village early this year. Most of the security people leave their families in their villages.

Last month we had posted some books and two cross stitch mats for our grandchildren. I enjoyed making them😊. They got it on the 6^th. Advaith and Kavya gave me double thumbs up 😊.

I finished listening to Swami Vivekenanda by Chaturvedi Badrinath in Audibles. It is a wonderful book. Letters written by Swami Vivekananda and letters by so many others give us a glimpse of that great person as an individual. I am now listening to Paradise Lost. I enjoy listening to audiobooks. Life is going on with Coronavirus in the background. It has become a part of our lives.

Calm and serene

Quietly flows the Swarna

Meandering towards the sea

To make the lands fertile.

Quietly flows the Swarna

Stopped for a while

To make the lands fertile

By a dam across her.

Sunset on the waters

Reflecting silver lights

Swarna flowing on

To join the sea.

Reflecting silver lights

The river flows gently

To join the sea

Calm and serene.

(The pantoum is a poem of any length, composed of four-line stanzas in which the second and fourth lines of each stanza serve as the first and third lines of the next stanza. The last line of a pantoum is often the same as the first.)

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