Om Shanti
Hi Friends,
Its great to welcome you all to enjoy the spirits of Kerala.
Long before it was identified as a "Must See Destination by Nat Geo", this land has lured mankind from acoss the oceans...
from pepper to kalari, it has longstanding bonds with Romans ,Chinese ,Arabs and later on Modern Europe.
It was the search for her and her Spices that led to the "accidental"Discovery of Modern day -Americas.
It was her enchanting beauty that led friends and foes to the Great Indian lands.
She befriended all, irrespective of their intentions -traders and traitors, warlords and warriors.
From Dravidan Tribal ways to Jainism,Hinduism,Budhism ,Judaism,Islam and Chritianity and later on Communism, she embraced all.
Like the curries of the land each religion and way of life ,pholosophy added to her flavour making her more lovely and an envy so great that men had no less a word than to call her Gods Own Country.
Bathed by the first untainted showers of the monsoon, her mystical backwaters,enchanting beaches,majestic hills and the magical plains, she is a world in herself.Cut off from the mainland by the Great Western Ghats (if not for a few mountain passes), she has remained an unsolved puzzle for all those who befriended her.
From Vedic villages to modern metros her landscape is changing...
As the Globe Warms up, what does the future hold for her.
From Kuttanad (well below sealevel ) to a coastline of almost 400kms, what will the rising sea mean to her?
Afterall she belongs to the Sea ...will she go back to where she really belongs ?
(According to the folklore, Sri Parasurama with his Holy Axe made Varuna (The Sea God) retreat and claimed the lands of modern day Kerala).
During the Tsunamis when the Seas came in without knocking , crossed over the backwaters into the plains,i was away from home.
Panicked by the scenes on the islands of the backwatyers on TV i called home (6 kms from the backwaters) and asked my mom if she was keeping well.
Her reply was a calm and composed one.
We are ok but except me none are at home,they are all near the shores helping out those in need.
Though we are at the upper reaches of the plains i asked her..."Do you need to be relocated to some safer grounds?"
Where to she asked with a mild laughter, and continued...This my child is my home where i was destined to be born,where my forefathers lived ,loved,fought,befriended the elements and foes alike...this is where i belong to...as a good friend, i cannot leave her at bad times, i shall stand by her side right here even if it means going down with her to the deapths of the oceans...
"thanks Amma, i love u"- i said and cut the phone.
Everytime when i go back home passing across the bridges and highways that criss cross the waterbodies , those words come back to my mind and i promise myself that come what may, whrere ever i am , i shall go back to my land like my mother said at the times of her need, and be by her side like a good friend...for thats where i was born ...in her laps and what better place would i ever have than her...so i go with her wherever that means...
Om Shanti
Hi Friends,
Its great to welcome you all to enjoy the spirits of Kerala.
Long before it was identified as a "Must See Destination by Nat Geo", this land has lured mankind from acoss the oceans...
from pepper to kalari, it has longstanding bonds with Romans ,Chinese ,Arabs and later on Modern Europe.
It was the search for her and her Spices that led to the "accidental"Discovery of Modern day -Americas.
It was her enchanting beauty that led friends and foes to the Great Indian lands.
She befriended all, irrespective of their intentions -traders and traitors, warlords and warriors.
From Dravidan Tribal ways to Jainism,Hinduism,Budhism ,Judaism,Islam and Chritianity and later on Communism, she embraced all.
Like the curries of the land each religion and way of life ,pholosophy added to her flavour making her more lovely and an envy so great that men had no less a word than to call her Gods Own Country.
Bathed by the first untainted showers of the monsoon, her mystical backwaters,enchanting beaches,majestic hills and the magical plains, she is a world in herself.Cut off from the mainland by the Great Western Ghats (if not for a few mountain passes), she has remained an unsolved puzzle for all those who befriended her.
From Vedic villages to modern metros her landscape is changing...
As the Globe Warms up, what does the future hold for her.
From Kuttanad (well below sealevel ) to a coastline of almost 400kms, what will the rising sea mean to her?
Afterall she belongs to the Sea ...will she go back to where she really belongs ?
(According to the folklore, Sri Parasurama with his Holy Axe made Varuna (The Sea God) retreat and claimed the lands of modern day Kerala).
During the Tsunamis when the Seas came in without knocking , crossed over the backwaters into the plains,i was away from home.
Panicked by the scenes on the islands of the backwatyers on TV i called home (6 kms from the backwaters) and asked my mom if she was keeping well.
Her reply was a calm and composed one.
We are ok but except me none are at home,they are all near the shores helping out those in need.
Though we are at the upper reaches of the plains i asked her..."Do you need to be relocated to some safer grounds?"
Where to she asked with a mild laughter, and continued...This my child is my home where i was destined to be born,where my forefathers lived ,loved,fought,befriended the elements and foes alike...this is where i belong to...as a good friend, i cannot leave her at bad times, i shall stand by her side right here even if it means going down with her to the deapths of the oceans...
"thanks Amma, i love u"- i said and cut the phone.
Everytime when i go back home passing across the bridges and highways that criss cross the waterbodies , those words come back to my mind and i promise myself that come what may, whrere ever i am , i shall go back to my land like my mother said at the times of her need, and be by her side like a good friend...for thats where i was born ...in her laps and what better place would i ever have than her...so i go with her wherever that means...
Om Shanti
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India
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