27-09-2022
On the 25th, we left early in the morning to a religious function. We call it Ashtage in Kannada. The last fortnight was Mahalaya. People in different parts of our country offer prayers to our ancestors. The ritual varies from place to place. Members from five families attended and one cousin sat for the rituals. This function hall is in a place called Uppinangady, on the banks of River Netravati. It was a pleasure to see the river flowing on serenely and something to smile about. There are many such halls here and people come to perform these rituals. Offering prayers to those who lived before us is a very important occasion of our lives. We were back home by 6.30.
Yesterday we did not go anywhere. We were feeling the after effects of the previous day 😊. The rains are stopping and from now on we will get a few occasional rains unless Nature has other plans!! Radhika tells me that soon it will be time for harvesting paddy and if it rains the harvest will spoil. We have to keep our fingers crossed.
On the 24th evening we went to the lake for our evening walk. The sky was bright and blue and water looked a beautiful blue too. My husband and Aravind walked around the lake. My mother and I walked for fifteen minutes and walked back, stopping now and then to look at the lake. I saw the colour change and then it started drizzling. In a few minutes there were grey clouds everywhere and it started pouring. Fortunately, we had an umbrella, but we got wet 😊.
On the 21st and 23rd afternoon I went to Asare. Friday afternoons students from the Physiotherapy come to teach simple exercises to the members. Some are excited and greet the students happily and others stand still. I was happy to see the students making the extra effort to help those who found it difficult. It was sad to hear that a caregiver’s brother died by suicide. He was an alcoholic and has left behind a huge debt for his sister to clear. It will be a burden for her. A house keeping staff, Vimala’s seventeen year old granddaughter ran away with her nineteen year old boy friend. The family gave a police complaint and the couple were caught in another state. Both are students and unemployed! The police told the girl she could marry the boy when she became a neighbour and now she should complete her education. Both agreed. Vimala said they had not thought of the future.
Suddenly I realised I had stopped writing haikus or any form of poetry. I don’t know why I had stopped. I tried writing Sijo.
Problems come and go, they are a part of our daily lives
Their solutions are not to be found in two extremities
But in the balance we find when walking on the middle path.
Mukhamani 
Comments are welcome :)