Harmony in Chennai

It seemed as if the plane was making a larger loop than necessary over the coastal waters of the Indian Ocean before coming in to land into Chennai. A few months ago, I had departed from Chennai on a ship and had sailed into the Indian Ocean. Going seawards, slowly and gently, as the ship parted from the port, seemed natural. Gradually the land dimmed away in the distance. However, seated in a plane flying high, and watching the land-sea boundary dip in and out of view seemed a bit too much to take in. Seeing things on a grand scale was not the norm in life; I was used to seeing things too up close and personally, to be able to appreciate the overview that the plane ride was offering me. The landing was smooth, as it always tends to be in the subcontinent, from my experience. My heart though heavy from the worries of recent events in life, sang out weakly, “Hello Chennai! Here I am!” Every place has an abstract personality to it, perhaps it’s the energy associated with it, which I refer to as its spirit. The spirit of Chennai seemed to me a sympathetic observer that evening. The place appeared to be unusually quiet and nonchalantly peaceful, as if letting me be, the fragile emotional state that I was in. The winter monsoon rains of December had washed off the dust and dirt. Christmas stars lit the doorways of some shops and houses in the streets, next to brightly lit temples. A thin evening mist hung in the air. A short taxi ride brought me to my destination. I thanked the Universe for its kindness, after I had questioned it in a brazen way only a few days ago concerning the events of my life. The Universe had stayed quiet then, and it listened quietly to my heart’s gratitude now.

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The sun always shines in Teignmouth

I spent 3 days in Teignmouth last week. Teignmouth, at the mouth of the River Teign, is a coastal town in South Devon (http://www.devon-online.com/towns/teignmouth/teignmouth.html). I went along with the Ocean Science students to assist with the coastal oceanography field work. The weather was gorgeous all throughout, and the distractions were plentiful -- Oyster Catcher's Cafe, Amanda's Bakery, Harbourside Fish n Chips, pubs, bookshops, u name it.

There were various activities going on through the day; my task was to get the students to assess the grain size of the beach using a technique of sediment-scanning and image analysis, somewhat different to the traditional method of sieving sediment. Of course, I had already sieved many samples of the beach sand to establish a calibration data set against which the scanned images were compared in MATLAB. Needless to say, I spent my entire time roaming the beach, getting students to sample various parts of it. The back beach is so different to the front beach, in every way! I can't decide which one I prefer. I'll probably go back and decide.

A New Beginning

Hello!

I've finally joined the blogging world. I've had it on the periphery of my mind to set up a blog, but never got around to doing it, until a conversation with a friend last night inspired me to do so.

So, I've started Curious Ramblings with great aspirations, to let out the pent up creativity in me! Here goes..

A Sunday Medley

Felt justified in being lazy this morning. Some audacity in thinking that it was okay to sleep in. Made it to the meditation venue well before time, but it was not to be. Jonathan did not turn up. Karen turned up just before 10, predictably. Lingered around for a bit, dutifully waiting for any late comer who may turn up, but none did. Walked back home in the biting cold, feeling humbled. Now feeling, as I sit here in the B-Bar café (or the Thai Noodle Bar), trying to make something of the day, that if the commitment to doing something is not there 100%, then there’s no point in doing it. There may be no fruitful outcome to a half-hearted effort. I see it often around me, in fact almost always, everywhere. Incompleteness in the human effort. The inadequacy of the human effort. Hah. Much like the inadequacy of the fossil record – it’s just not there, the missing bits, they’re absent. Hence the story cannot be complete. Only windows to what might have been, or might be.

On a lighter note, this is the perfect moment – just like the girl said in the movie ‘Me, You and Everyone Else We Know.’ A moment steeped in opportunity. So live in it, fully. Thus live it fully.

On another note, can’t help noticing how blends turn out to be far more interesting, colourful and lively than originals. It’s true for cultures (and the people influenced by it), food, music, costumes. It’s true for tea, e.g. PG Tips! The same could be true for transitions in nature, when the night blends into the day, i.e. dawn, and when day blends into the night, i.e. dusk.

Neil Young is lovely, all the time. His song is playing in the background...'The Old Laughing Lady'. Women in this café resemble a Leo woman that I know at work. Perhaps there’s a Leonine atmosphere here. The place is certainly steeped in art – a strong Leonine trait. And this place has got me writing, after ages. There’s also a strong red hue and other bright colours dominating the place. The woman at the counter, keeping the place going, is a Pisces, a creative sign. Besides, I’m wearing an Amethyst-Quartz bracelet. Amethyst is a stone that inspires spirituality and harmony. Quartz is supposed to channelize energy. I do feel the creative energy flowing harmoniously! Recently, I’ve been feeling a strong connection with gemstones. I feel the need to have as many of them as I can. I also want to understand their significance fully. Perhaps it’s a precursor of things to come.

On yet another note, perhaps family members derive a strong sense of self-worth from each other. If, at the end of the day, we do live for others, then perhaps it is important that we play out the role model that we are expected to be...?

Coming back to the café, the art work of a Mongolian artist Tod Otgonbayar are displayed on the walls. It gives a feeling of being bold and unabashed in doing what one does. This feeling has been on the revival of late.

A Saturday Stumbling on Mountbatten

There’s an exciting appeal to islands, however lowly in size or distant from the mainland they may be. The journey involves being waterborne, an unusual means of travel, we being terrestrial and generally land-loving creatures. Sitting in a refreshment hole on one such small island, Mountbatten, an annexe of the Plymouth Peninsula, I contemplate the importance or unimportance of this small landmass jutting out of the waters called Plymouth Sound. Looking across the water, the scenery is one of a seemingly bustling city, a deep-water harbour, of old and new establishments, broken by patches of green grass, a lighthouse and a fort, amongst other things. Breaking this view is a more scenic one, of sail-boats dotting the water. The water itself is a big distraction, its rippled blue surface exuding a magnetic charm. An inviting medium, putting everything else in the backdrop. The narrowness of the strait and its proximity to the city is even more inviting than the open blue sea stretching out of the Sound. The strait of possibilities. Where everything is an idea worthy of being explored, and fulfilled. I wonder if the famed buccaneer of the past, Francis Drake felt similarly..