Perhaps it’s not that uncommon, but I don’t often see a monkey sitting in silence, taking in the beauty of the open land.
I took this photo at the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Thekkady. Most people ride the boat there, but we took the untrodden path and cherished the lake from a distance. And, we found a monkey that agreed with us.
It doesn’t always look like this, but there’s always tea in my mornings. It’s more than a ritual; it’s passion that makes me reach out to that cup letting off slow steam and steady scent.
I took this photo during a holiday in Thekkady a few months ago. I woke up to the little light seeping through my bedside window, illuminating my cup of tea and my soul.
It was one of the best days of my life. I had crossed the border and into Nepal. I took off alone to explore while my team devoured on souvenirs in the shopping zone.
It was a cold evening, and I was all covered up in a sweater and heavy boots. As I went on, I came across a Hannuman temple. It looked rich, golden, and deserted. I wasn’t sure if I could go in, so I lingered walking around the vicinity taking photos.
The temple was guarded by a huge metal gate, walking to it, I saw a narrow opening through which I saw Hanuman standing in all glory.
I’ve spent many a night waiting for the sun to rise. I’ve always wanted to be the first one to welcome the sun as it discarded its canopy of black velvet, reaching out to the skies.
It was a treat well worth the wait. I’d wake up earlier than the earliest birds and head to the terrace to watch the glory unfold in front if my eyes. I would be happy just looking at the sky turning from deep blue to purple to pink and then orange and then a deeper shade of orange until the sun was all out.
But then one day, I got a little more than I had asked for. I caught the moon lingering just before the sun was set to take over. It had been a full moon the previous night, and it’s one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. I had asked for the ice cream but got a surprise cherry first.
I had read fiction where the hero would lie on soft green moss after a long tired day of battle. I had even seen a lot of moss, sure. But I never thought them beautiful. How could something that grew in dark and damp clusters look nice?
But then I went to Thekkady, Kerala. I was roaming around in the Periyar Tiger Reserve when I saw the true beauty in moss. It was the first time I had seen a sheen of green I couldn’t look away from. I had to get a closer look. And a photo. Because I do that now.
The Chaos Within 