Not always in life, that you are super motivated or charged up and that ‘not always’ gets longer when you don’t find a reason to rejuvenate your mind or your thought process to be precise. I hate myself for being lazy and pretending to be busy , just so that I can get away from what I used to make time for, earlier. To be honest, I was trying to ignore what I like to do the most and kind of accepted the failure. And why or how is that? I will tell you. There is a thing called “approval”. Getting approved or accepted by the society and the world around you is a very keen need people seek for, and so did I. Call me immature but we all go through it someday. But does it all that matters? Does getting recognized for what you do is everything for you? Cant you just do anything for your own-self and not for the sake of how the world will take it, or if the world will ever absorb it? If you like it, you would do it. Not for the acceptance from people you don’t know , but for it satisfies your soul, for it gives you peace of mind and for it gives you a better sleep at night.
There was a time in my life not too long ago, when I believed in doing it all. May be it was a very small span of time in this long life of mine, but it was there. I would cook, do house chores besides a full time job along with weekend birding, blogging about them, recording husband’s guitar videos and spending hours in editing them. I thought this is the best version of me and this is the best my life can offer so I pour it all, I pour it all ,just except the soul.
” Don’t gain the world & lose your soul,wisdom is better than silver or gold”. -Bob Marley
When you don’t feel it from inside, that will to push your limits, when you start getting thoughts like ‘its not worth it’ or ‘I cant do it anymore’, that’s exactly when you start to getting ‘depressed’ without realizing it. I am not going to bore you on ‘in and out about depression’ now, (or should I? OKAY! may be some other time) not today. When your brain stops pulling the positive strings and starts working on the weak ones, you surely know that its not the best of your time. But if you have HOPE, you will make it. You will definitely get out of it, just like how you get over after loosing a very old friend of yours, who used to share every little secret over lunch break, but now won’t even aid in your life’s hardest time. Yes, you will get over it, if you are willing to praise yourself. If you think, you are capable of more. Yes, you will get to the bright side, if you have the strength of letting go, if you believe in ..
‘ There is a sunrise after every darkness’.
I did what I thought I need to do then but somewhere deep inside , I knew I am doing it all just for the sake of doing it,for getting that one praise or for the welfare of getting all the credit. Not getting the credit that I thought I deserve would make me sad.Just like any other human being not getting praises for baking a beautiful chocolate cake that he/she put so much effort in. I would get sad, I would get annoyed and I would get furious at times. It was just beginning of the worst for the impatient person that I was. It could be anything, but definitely not the best of I.
I was not low on my will power that is what I realize now. It took time, it definitely did but what is more important is that it happened. Giving up on something ‘you may be good at’ can never be a solution of your frustrations. Time lets you realize a lot of things. And CHANGE is one big thing that helps in CHANGing you, positively. When the forwarding time fails to claim, sometime in your own company does the job.
Now that I don’t seek for the fake praise or the unrealistic credit for everything, now that I don’t look up to the numbers but the value of the precious,I have decided to come back here, to write my heart out, to create a space for each and every bit of emotion that I or you have. Because now is the best we have known,
‘Time and tide waits for none. And if you keep waiting for it, believe me , its never gonna come.’
You take charge on life before it does. You be the warrior of your own fights. You be the light to your own darkness. And you be the HOPE to your own sadness. Lets have a great time here sharing some optimism with lots and lots of love and laughter.
Just thinking how the world will turn out, after all the blues is over. Will it be green Or will it be red?
Just thinking how will the nature accept us, after all the blood our hands shed?
Just thinking how will we come across with the faces of ours, with the occupied minds being misread?
Just thinking how the waves will be in time , will they be silent or will they be overheard?
Just thinking how will the flowers bloom in this Era of gloomy mindsets?
Just thinking how will WE turn out to be, will we be HUMANS or yet another junkie following trends?
Just thinking how the world will turn out after all the blues is over.. Will it be green or will it be RED?
Just thinking……
~Riya
4th April 2020. I woke up this morning a bit late to usual as it is one of my work-from-home quarantine days that is happening 3 times a week during the nation-wide lockdown in India. Seeing the COVID-19 growth rate and all the negatively spread videos could spoil anyone’s mood for a beautiful day ahead. So I decided not to go through my social media-s ,first thing in the morning and instead look at some beautiful bird images clicked by me (which are finally processed and lying in my phone for quite some time now). So I picked up this very bright and multi-colored bird called Chestnut crowned laughing thrush, that I had taken various shots of in Neora valley National park. Talking of Neora valley, what reminds me of is the calmness in my mind that it gave me. That was a trek which will forever be in my memory as a treasure just for the silence it offers, the silence that Nature offers. So, looking at the image , I started thinking of a good caption to justify it (proving myself as an avid Instagram-er 😉 ). I kept thinking looking at the colors this bird possess simultaneously at the beautiful trees outside my window with the videos,I saw yesterday on the spread of corona virus in India, being mingling in the frontal lobe in one side of my cerebrum, I could come up with this ‘some-what-like-poetry’. Ths is not one of those days that I want to do a lot, but this is one of those days when I want to contribute a lot by doing nothing. You should do the same now too. Stay Home Stay Safe.
What Can I say more about Old Magazine House that hasn’t been already said by the bird
watchers since ages. A birder’s paradise is what we all know this place being called. And its true to its word. You will loose your mind to reach up little close to your soul in the nature that this resort provides. I had very high expectations (I know one shouldn’t have when it comes to our avian friends who have full freedom to fly away wherever they want) when I booked room in here and let me tell you, I wasn’t at all disappointed even for a minute, not only because it was my first birding trip outside Goa but also because you will be so busy listening to the chirps and watching their tantrums on the bird bathes, that you will be forced to forget everything else in the world and just live in the moment. And these moments aren’t limited there. You just need to grab your camera or binoculars(if) and jump into the moment.
In my last post I have already discussed every keen details about the resort including stay options, activities, staff, food etc. You can always go through it from here– Old Magazine House, Ganeshgudi
In today’s session I would be concentrating on the variety of birds that I got to see in the first day of my 2 day trip, mainly that is what we want to know right? Lets jump in then.
We left Goa early in the morning but it took time on the way due to deforestation after entering Karnataka. When we reached at around 1pm, we checked in within minutes, settled in for a few minutes, freshened up took my camera ,binocular, tripod and went straight to explore the place. Just outside our building with rooms, a few old people from England were having their silent time watching birds sitting on the edge on chairs, with whom later I made good of friends and shared some nice evening time. I felt calm looking at this view. Moving on amidst the beautiful jungle resort, we reached where we needed to be. The hide and the food court. As soon as I set up my tripod and camera, it was time to feed our starved stomachs.
Malabar giant squirrel
By the time I went to have lunch, we had an awesome session by two Malabar giant squirrels. I was immensely happy looking at their activities. They are so naughty and cute that I wanted to bring one of them home 😀
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After having an amazing home cooked veg/non-veg buffet, we were back to the hide by
2.30pm that is when the most activities can be seen. If your are there, don’t miss the evening birding session in the hide between 2.30pm to 5pm or till dusk. There were just a few other birders beside me as it was mid week that we went to avoid the weekend rush, who waited patiently for the birds to come and take bath one by one or all at once sometimes 😀
The first bird that came for me was a yellow browed bulbul and a few oriental white eyes. White eyes are quite common there and gives you poses every now and than. The maximum number I could capture in one frame is 6.
yellow browed bulbul
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The next bird I would like to talk about is a stunning yellow body with black head and red throat is the flame throated bulbul,the state bird of Goa that I saw for the first time in Ganeshgudi. It was quite the show stopper for the day that I personally loved capturing.
Flame throated bulbul
The Indian yellow tits were also there peeping once in a while on the bird baths along with other yellow feathered species.
Indian yellow tit
The dark fronted babblers took their positions on the perches to stare at us and giving angry looks. I say this because whenever I go through the images I clicked of this babbler are all with the almost the same look. They depicts the perfect ‘angry bird image’.
Dark fronted babbler
Another stunning bird that caught everyones attention was the Indian black bird. It should be named as the ‘Indian black beauty’ with its sharp features and eyes. Here is the image of one such rare moments where the Indian black bird is posing for me on the bath while the background was being designed by the very beautiful and colorful Emerald dove.
Indian black bird
Here is the close up of Indian black bird after a quick bath.
Indian black bird
How can I miss the color popping bird out of all. The definition of cuteness Black naped Monarch who is also a known attraction of OMH.
Black naped monarch
The monarch came quite a many times to attract our attention but failed to when the majestic Emerald doves arrived. It is said that a maximum of 4 emerald doves come there and I was lucky enough to witness them all together.
Emerald dove
Now its time for some very pretty flycatchers as they are the highlights this season. The whitebellied blue flycatcher to get started with. Here is one pretty male.
White bellied blue flycatcher-male
Here comes the female with no blue patches on it. She became quite common in sometime for the next two days just like the flame throated bulbul.
White bellied blue flycatcher-female
When we get to click frames like this with 3 species on a single perch 🙂
Oriental white eye, black naped monarch,Yellow browed bulbul
Another stunning bird without which my OMH would not have been accomplished. When I planned for this trip,this bird was on the top of my list which I only got to see in the 3rd day morning before leaving that amazing stay. White rumped shama for you all. I will talk to you about the next two days in my upcoming blogs. So stay connected. Lots of beautiful bird images on the way 🙂
White rumped shama
We were talking about flycathers, so here is one cute migratory flycatcher. Taiga flycatcher.
Taiga or red breasted flycatcher-female
Other birds that we got to see in the campus but did not give us a perch in light were, racket tailed drongo, leafbirds,munias, a few more flycatchers and the great of all- the trogan couple.( wait for my next post )
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One or many, A dandeli related blog cannot end wihout a hornbill photograph. So here is one Malabar Pied hornbill couple roosting under the sun.
Malabar Pied horbill couple
A few more images from the same hornbill sighting that we got to witness when we were taken on the jeep by the OMH bird guide to the exact place-the bridge where they come to roost everyday after taking dips in the river kali.
Malabar Pied hornbill pair
Malabar pied hornbill in flight (low light evening shot)
So, this was almost all about my first day in Old Magazine house. Hope you have enjoyed reading the blog as much I have while curating . Stay connected. Be healthy. Spread love and happiness 🙂
Me with husband on the River kali bridge after hornbill session
Tell me in comments if you would like to know details of any particular photograph and I would be happy to share 🙂
Yesterday, an often regular old lady entered the bank and the first thing she uttered was “Hey you are wearing a beautiful top that makes you look pretty”. I smiled and only smiled. I could hardly respond to her. Instead of feeling nice and happy about it, I slightly panicked inside. What I was taken aback with that she has grown old , we had some good moments and one day she will leave us all . I know this sounds weird to our ears when everyone knows its a fact, and still doesn’t like to be reminded . What this very little incident reminded me of that “There was this really really really nice lady customer who use to come to my bank branch quite often , who had a loooong name . I called her Maria ma’am ( which was neither her first or last name, I liked it that way ) .She was around 85 to 86 years old and had super glow with calmness on her face . Her personality somewhat personified my character( I think) . She seemed to be a satisfied person with children and grandchildren settled in country and abroad. She walked nice and tall for her age and took care of every banking need mostly on her own. She was too polite in nature. But why am I talking about her all this while ? Read on ……
The thing with her was that i really liked whenever she came . No matter what the situation i am in she made me feel calm with just her presence . And the most significant thing was that she liked me the exact way back . Her job was mostly done by the branch manager but without fail , she came to me every time to talk to me for a few moments , while we looked at each other with Awe.
She was a real fan of the constant smile on my face and my cheerful attitude . Every time we talked , she cued me how delightful it is to feel the positivism and calmness when in the same room as me . Irrespective of the crowd handling and the other work pressures, I spread laughter that help her relax and vice versa. And I used to reply her with ” Your presence is the reason behind my smile and it usually broadens when you are around ” . She was really a nice lady with a warm cozy heart , I could feel that through the glass shield between us.
A few days went by , I didn’t see her . One day one of her grandson came to deposit some cheque , I have seen him with her earlier, so I asked him about why isn’t she coming on her own , if she was okay due to her old age ? What he replied was really hard for me to digest and I knew , maybe I would never see her again . She had throat cancer, last stage and due to the old age she couldn’t tolerate the chemotherapies as well . I showed my helpless concern and he left. A few weeks later he came again and this time before leaving the premises he came to my counter to forward the good wishes that directly came from Maria ma’am . He said that she was happy to hear from me .That was the very last time I heard anything from her. She couldn’t survive to see the new year calender of 2019 . She left us . What she left with me was her optimism towards life and the temperament that we shared .. I will always remember her.
And then comes the most sad part of being the banker , no matter how much you are emotionally attached to the person or how awful you feel , you have to do the banker’s job.We settled her death claim towards her children . I have always been this emotional kid , but only did I realize after joining a PSU , Where we directly connect to public and their almost personal lives. I had this type of connection with people in Kolkata before , but I had hardly imagined this would happen in a state where the language is also unfamiliar to me . I guess that sums up to just being me all the time .Its just me !!!!!
When I write this, consider me in that mode, where your eyes are open but all you can see are some random faded lines and lights that cannot form a shape, when you can’t hear to the person speaking right beside you, but all you can hear is your inner voice, talking to yourself in your own world of thoughts…
White throated kingfisher
When I think of birds, all I can think about them is their simplicity towards life. Might not be easy but such a simple life they have. They have their goals fixed and they need to accomplish them before the end of the day. To feed themselves and their young ones. Unlike us, with so many duties and responsibilities to carry on your shoulders with mind being visiting some other world.
Green bee eater with fly kill
Life can be easy if we want it to be. But no! we are human, we have an intelligent brain and a stupid heart. Most of the time what we do is, listen to our brain and think with heart. I call us stupid as we are not satisfied with tonight’s meal, we are hoping better in tomorrow’s breakfast.
White cheeked barbet with preying mantis kill
Like birds, we don’t leave our children to choose their own prey and live on their own after a certain while. But unlike birds, we make noise in the night and sleep in the early morning. The day we all start waking up with birds and sleep with them, our lives will be half sorted. (oh ya, without a materialistic alarm clock)
Greater coucal with snake kill. (such a grainy picture, very late evening high ISO image. I didn’t want to miss out on my early prey shots. )
We all nature loving people love to watch birds. But whats more exciting is to watch them in their original form without any kind of disturbance to them in their habitat. Birds perch, they preen, they call, they sing, they mate, they kill, they feed just like humans. But we humans are civilized and we usually don’t have to find and kill prey to feed ourselves. But they need to maintain the cycle and be alive. And by now you all must be guessing my new obsession which is watching and capturing predators and prey. Yum 😛
White throated kingfisher tossing its meal. Timing matters
I will keep this post really short with the pictures I could manage to click of birds hunting and having their meal. Basically, when I go out for birding and I get to capture any with prey in their beak, its a trophy for me. I get super excited and it just makes my day. Though I have not got enough opportunities to click a lot of different species with prey but I am optimistic about my future endeavors. 🙂 Hope you enjoy too 🙂
Baya weaver- female (All they like are high perches when it comes to having meal and having a prey is a delight to watch)
Black headed Ibis with snake kill. ( This shot was taken from a wetland near the road and it was impossible for me to go any lower, hence the output)
Indian pond heron catching pair of fishes in a pretty wetland.
The heron and I ,both were settled with one fish by the time.
My first kingo prey shot, that too with a lizard. My happiness had no boundaries, only didn’t I know was that it was just the beginning.
Kingo (White throated kingfisher) with cockroach kill ,one evening.
Another day, another kill. Kingo again with fly
From my very recent captures. Kingo never disappoints me when I want a good click.
With a bug this time 🙂
Indian lored tit with its big meal. We were in mahabaleshwar park roaming with a 18-135mm in hand. This tit took all its time kill and finish its meal in one of the high branches of a tree. Though I couldn’t get a better zoom but I was a little satisfied watching it.
Green bee eater. One of my favorite birds when it comes to prey. Such a delight they are to watch. All their activities are pretty to my eyes. This particular view made my very morning the other day after having a very unsatisfying birding out.
I am not perfect but may I will be someday.
Hope you have enjoyed my predator-prey sum up. I will keep on updating as I get more opportunities and learn in the process. There is no end to learning as I always say.
Being lived half my age in cities where people crib about rains due to their inconvenience in transportation,etc. I never felt a dime of difficulty in my life due to rainfall. In cities like Kolkata and Mumbai, where monsoon comes as an alert to buy and keep groceries packed at home and be ready to reach office/college late or even skip sometimes. Well, the reason being of course non-maintenance of roads and overflowing of rainwater from every corner possible. But I grew up in a city where I hardly faced any such issues, though the roads are hardly maintained there too :P. I remember pulling my ‘way back from school friend’ to jump on the rainwater stacks again and again getting ourselves wet and dirty while we also prepare ourselves for a mumma’s scolding. 😀 Though my mom is a sweetheart in these cases. She will take the badla (revenge) in some other mean situations :P. Childhood and its memories has no comparison at all.
Ashy prinia enjoying rain droplets.
Another drenchful memory from my childhood was when I went to a friend’s house on my favorite ladybird cycle. There were no cell phones back then. It was almost time for me to return home and it was raining heavily. Mother at home, sat at the main door worried. I on the other hand, was pulling my cycle hard to reach covering the upward slanting road when there were hardly anything visible. Anyhow I reached home as quickly as possible, completely drenched (like I was inside a pool for many hours). Seeing mom was the best thing that day as she smiled and took me in with all the pampering. Moms are the best you see.
Greater coucal enjoying a shower.
Now-a-days I don’t crib about rainfalls at all when I am living in the state with 2nd largest rainfall in the county, not that I have done that before. I always liked rains. Specially after the sweaty summer, when monsoon arrives with the wet sand smell and flower buds. My favorite part had to be the special hot-khichdi that mummy dear used to make for lunch on a special rainy day .And for now, I love it, I love everything that rains bring with it. The cold breeze, the water droplets on the wires and leaves, the wet sand smell, the washed roads, the farms, happiness on farmer’s faces, the bird calls which are more audible in monsoon as its the breeding season for many Indian birds, the cute insects, snakes, toads,colorful flowers, too many butterflies and above all the greenery everywhere. I have certainly stopped saying that winter is my favorite season anymore. Though spring can be comparable with rains. But monsoon is love.
Rose ringed parakeet here looks worried though! 😀
Birds also love rains as much I do I guess, otherwise why would they call me so much to get to the balcony and watch them every now and then 😛 . Watching birds perched on the top of a branch calling for its mate just before the shower hits, is one of its kind of pleasure that only a bird lover can understand. And afterwards when they decide to get with the flow and get wet in the rain. Aah.. I can watch them all day.
Cute little tailorbird taking a leaf shelter.:)
They are in their own world without any knowledge of being watched by us, is a power they hold that makes them fearless. Plus obviously they don’t have to worry about changing clothes or going to a doctor to feel better. And that is what I call nature. Earth belongs to them. Nature is their home and we are just the watchers in this world.
Black hooded oriole after a fresh shower.
Also minding our own business is the best thing we humans can learn from them. Isn’t it? Preying, eating, sleeping, mating and living a life making it a worth. Why can’t we do the same. Well we all know the answer for that. We have brains… just too much of it..For giving it a rest,let’s just enjoy the showers as they do.
Oriental magpie robin calling for its mate to join him 🙂
In some of the occasions while observing them, I managed to click them enjoying rains as this would be the best thing I can do. Well obviously I just cant mind my own business but interfere into theirs.. Actually it has become a part of my daily life. The most beautiful part.
A group of most loved birds.
Usually when it rains, I can’t get out to photograph much and it stretches for months in this state. Hence the best I could do is to watch the visitors and taking some habitat shot (okay from a long distance but I wouldn’t mind that too till they are birds and they are visible.:)) All the photographs you see here today are taken from my bedroom balcony.
cute little white rumped munias. Count the number for me 😀
Now its almost time for bidding the monsoon until next year. Oh ya, by now you all must be knowing that I missed mom a lot this season, as always though.:) 😦
My absolute favorite feeling. And this is the branch that gets clicked the most 😀
Other birds that are common in rains here are Asian koel, scaly breasted munia, red whiskered bulbul, red vented bulbul, white cheecked barbet, greater flameback woodpecker,etc.
That is it for today’s post guys. And my apologies for not absent all this while.
Until next time, keep spreading love and laughter 🙂
Well, of course this day is been celebrated all over the world by photographers, photography lovers and also who loves to get photographed. Hence being a beginner in photography this day means a lot to me as well. Also, on this very day, a year ago I started my blog with no prior knowledge of blogging at all. I thought I could write and showcase whatever I capture on my camera. And this makes this day a very special one as I celebrate my 1st Blogversary. As days went by I became more indulged into writing poetries and photographing birds. And blogging about them has become an integral part of my life since then.
Nature person There are so many kinds of people on this planet. Out of hundreds of billions, I am one of those million people who loves to stay close to nature. Being in nature makes me feel alive and fills my heart with desires and reasons to live more each day. Getting closer to wildlife makes me realize that there is so much more to life that we actually go through and understand. The green grasses, colorful wings, cheerful chirps every morning is an alarm for me that there is so much more to do. To do yoga, to cook, to paint, to play, to write and to capture each and every moment that is worth framing. You know when you will die, you will die with the memories and not with the money you made. At least I will. Making bird photographs began with my first ever DSLR Canon 1300D which was my 27th birthday gift from my husband and the journey just began. Getting longer lenses just to be a little close to them makes me really happy from inside. Their beautiful feathers, speaking colors, those eyes, those details , beaks, tails, wings, legs, I can’t never get enough of them. Getting as much closer as possible is my only wish when I am in the wild (but ofcourse, I never get too close to disturb them). This never ending want of knowing more and more about them makes me read books and blogs. (I am not of a reader person, more of a writer person, But to be a writer, you need to learn to read first). And this leads to my 2nd love.i.e. Writing.
Poet person I won’t and will never call myself a writer unless I am ONE. But whenever I feel low, I write. Whenever I feel happy, I write. Whenever I feel love , I write. Love is a very important part in my life. I can’t live if I am not allowed to love. Falling in love again and again is my genre of interest. Love for the beautiful people in life, love for your oldest friend, love for your first crush, love for your grand parents, love for the up growing kids, love for cooking, love for writing, love for nature, love for photography, love for music, love for that faded love of yours, love for those cherished memories, love for school days and love for the days yet to come. Love is everywhere around us and we just need to find them. And whenever I fall in love again with any of these or anything new, I write. I write my heart out untill it rhymes with my beats. My poetries are my flow of heart beats in rhythm.. just like a piano tune..a soulful music. I wish to get better on it with all your love and support each and everyday..
Blog person I am so gay to realize that I started my blog on world photography day. Though it wasn’t anything I planned for, It just happened like everything else in life happens without any alarm or prior notice. Ever since I started writing posts on birding, photography, poetries and what not, I feel very light and connected to so many people at the same time. I cant get to each and everyone and let them know what am I going through but that is exactly what my blogs can. I love to talk and hence I am an avid writer of my feelings. But blogging about nature and photographing them is more of a passion inside. All my thanks will never be enough for the one who encourages me the most in my life to do what I am made for. Obviously I was not born to be a computer geeko or a note counting machine. Right? I was born to be independent and that is what I feel here with you all. I have the freedom to speak and write and to fly high.
Conclusion. What will ‘Just earning money and getting your materialistic demands fulfilled’ get you in the end? What matters is what do you want to die with. I want to die with so much of knowledge and love from people and animals around. I want to work for nature conservation if I get a chance. I want to see my husband getting on that stage and perform in front of a crowd of thousands. I want this for him because he is one of those very few people who dared to dream in this world. I want to make my parents proud on me and get a pat on my shoulder for keeping their heads high. I want to love and be loved. And at the end , I just want to live till the end. Because you know, happiness is just a dilusion. So live it as much as you can.
Last, but not at all least, I wish you all a very Happy World Photography Day !
Earlier as I said, and I will say it again as its the fact, the truth that life withstand us every time. Life is a series of chronological events that happen for a reason. People come, you become friends, get comfortable with and then they leave. It’s not always in our hands to control them no matter how much we want to. I work in a nationalized bank in India and my service of 5 years has taught me this. To get stronger day by day, to not get attached to anyone soon enough, to have just professional relations because you know, they have to leave .Today or a few years later. But they have to. I was not much a socio-famous person before I joined my workplace. I didn’t know too many people. But I do now, I knowand have met a lot of people, or rather I should say bankers. People who I just know and people who I have been along with. When in Kolkata, I had some really close-to-heart people in my life. To name a few, a motherly senior maa’m at branch, A best friend like gossip and foody branch buddy, A collegues’s little daughter named Arikta, One didi (elder sister) from different branch who I met just a few times, Another didi who used to be my landlord for 2 years and her 7 yr old son who I still miss a lot. Leaving every one of them behind I shifted to a new city with my husband after marriage. New people,collegues, neighbor etc, with whom I was mentally prepared for not having such attachment. But well, I am me, and I can’t just be practical and do my job. In short I am an emotional fool who cries for no reason (well, there is always a reason behind, always). But life and banking goes on. It doesn’t wait for you to loosen up the knot you tied. I am not loosing people in my life, in the process I am only gaining them with experience. But why is it so important ? Why can’t time just wait with us as long as I want it too.
The departure
Some people really clicks at the moment you meet them. It happened with one of my new office-mates. But they as I said, everything is just temporary. They leave and you have to move on. The last week 30th july to 4th of Aug 2018, I named the week as ‘the departure’. I couldn’t stop myself from writing this at the end. The week started with a retirement of the oldest member in our bank.Well that went off well.The very day I returned home to find out one of my goldies (gold fish) died. All 5 of them were keeping really good for so many months in my tank. Another day a very beautiful lifer -emerald dove (a bird I have never seen before with my eyes) hit an electric pole and fell down in front of me. I was there, I fed him water but he couldn’t survive for more than a few seconds. It died in my palm. Its the first time that someone died on my hand. And I can’t really explain how bad it felt. I came home with an already heavy heart because a
very close friend had to leave too by this weekend for another state. I worked with him for 2 years and it was so much fun.And with that, I ended up my weekend loosing another friend with whom I have talked like crazy. To top of that, one more senior had to be relieved too the very same day who understood my photography and passion for birds and encouraged.
Emerald dove that I will remember forever.
Sometimes, it feels like who-ever is close to you is so far. Thousands of kilometers away from you but they will say, they care. But does that really matter? You can’t have them when you need and they can’t have you when they need. Well that’s life I guess. Our times are different from what our parents had. They used to stay at the same place for years and make friends and memories, a lot of them to cherish later. I have them too. The Memories. But I guess, that’s not just enough for me. I feel bad, and I will always feel bad no matter how strong life makes me.
Well CHANGE is the only constant thing in life and no matter what, things will keep on changing and life will keep on moving. Well that’s life’s job and my job is to get emotional and sob alone. I guess that’s the reason we get married so to have someone with you forever to laugh, to cry and to live until life takes it all…
“I have numerous pictures, but I like the ones I can flaunt my tattoo in.”
~Riya
Today is 17th july 2018 and is being celebrated as ‘World tattoo day’ to promote tattoo art and artists all over the world. A tattoo is a form of body modification where a design is made on your skin with ink,dyes and pigments either temporary or permanent. This art is known as tattooing and is very popular in today’s western culture. A permanent tattoo is a small or big mark on your skin that you are going to live with. Hence people choose the tattoo according to their personality, choice, way of living that can show/depict their character.
Me flaunting my bird tattoo, June 2018 at home
I got this tattoo in January 2017 as a part of my new year resolution 2017 as I always wanted to have one. That time, I didn’t know I am going to be a birder/ bird photographer in the recent future. All I knew was, I want something on me that I will never regret of. The one that shows my free spirit. The one that is a sign of independence. And a flying bird is all of them. I was always a bird lover and always envied (cutely ;)) them for having wings. Their power of getting far and away from everything is something my character matches with. My mom used to be always worried as she knew I can’t stick to one thing for very long. Well, she is MOM and we don’t really have to tell her anything. None-the-less to say, she knows me the best and yes, she was right. My heart is a flying bird and cannot be CAGED. My tattoo symbolizes me perfectly. And also particularly I wanted a single bird on my wrist unlike the series of 5 or 7 flying birds in a row that was/is in trend. I am a single soul,so is my bird.
“We get members to share life with, but well, life is a journey of single soul.”
I got this picture clicked at a strawberry farm in Mahabaleshwar, May 2018
My post on Mahabaleshwar ~ https://riyasownspace.com/2018/06/08/mighty-mahabaleshwar-and-birding/
HISTORY
The history of tattoo making takes you back to the 1500BC. Tattoo markings have been found in mummies preserved since ancient times. Not getting into that part,well its quite complicated to me as well. But I would like to gain some knowledge on that as well if anyone wants to say something.
Indian History
Tattoing was very common in south India way before 1980. And permanent tattoos are called ‘pachakuthu’ there while in north India ,it is known as ‘Godna‘ , that is what I had heard my grandmother’s say about it. Mostly the people who belonged to lower caste used to have godnas on many parts of their body, specially women. They sometimes have religious values ,sometimes a proof of being married with husband’s name inked and most of the times as a must-follow-tradition. They used to be permanent and ink used to be green in color or the ones I saw were green.
Got this clicked at Dehradoon Zoo with my MIL’s sweater on. I love it when unintentionally my birdie show up. I am basically like my tattoo. 🙂 October 2017
I have heard, who once had a tattoo, he/she must have another one. And I guess its 100% correct. I just wanted one for my life but as I love it so much more now, I want another one that shows power, a symbol of continuous strength and optimism. I will talk about it definitely, once I have it. Well,its a just a future plan for now. But for sure I will be marking my body once again in coming future.
My husband clicked this portrait at cabo-de-rama fort in January’2018
My post on cabo-de-rama fort ~ https://riyasownspace.com/2018/02/07/cabo-de-rama-south-goa/
In recent times, it is a popular trend to have a tattoo to be cool and stylish, but what I think is you should always do things that satisfies you and not other’s eyes. If it gives you happiness, go get a tattoo, but if it doesn’t , do what gives. Having a tattoo doesn’t make you cool but responsible towards it. Don’t change your personality too much that what you loved once, starts to crib you. Be the way you have always been and then if you want that thing on you permanently, go get one!
One of my personal favorites Two of my loves in one frame. It was in march 2017 ,the day when I first got my hands on my very first DSLR. Canon 1300D with silver body
Happy tattoo day to those who got inked ever in life. Enjoy 🙂
Hello guys, so it is 10 past 10 now and I finally sat with my laptop to talk to you all. Why today? Why Tuesday? I think Tuesday is one of the most monotonous days in a week. Monday blues are completely not gone plus the thought of a long working week ahead. Also I feel the most talkative on a Tuesday for no particular reason. Or may be because Talk goes well with Tuesday 😀 who knows ! haha… Anyways, jokes apart. Today is Tuesday and welcome to my 2nd episode of Let’s Talk Tuesday.
Newly married birds
Today’s talk is about the newly weds. Well you can take it as an advice (or experience talk :p) . No, I wont talk just too much because if I do, it will not be digestible to many as we all know everyone has their own way of viewing and taking things. This might be awkward or old fashioned but this is mine. So if you got married recently or going to,then just read on. Trust me you will agree to me at some point of time, may be today, may be somewhere in future.
About me: I am 28 and I got married at the age of 26 with my college buddy [a punjabi-bengali love marriage] with zero family issues. Now lets begin the talk.
White rumped munia’s in discussion
Since a last few years, our generation of 90s kids has suddenly grown up and started to getting settled by buying houses, cars and starting a family. Well a few years ago was way too early for that. But still a few of my friends did. Some of them are parenting their toddlers now and it is really so good to see their happy families. Most of my friends who got married in the last 3-4 years almost had a love marriage, and it all seemed to me that marriage means love first and then a happily ever after ..la la la lallaaa…[ till I became one of them 😉 ].
Cockatiels (love birds) in love
Since last year, in India I am seeing new trend of this arrange-cum-love marriage. No offense to my beloved people. My brother and closest friends have done the same or on their way. It would be a such a whole new experience to fall in love with the one, you know you are going to spend your life with. Such fascinating, Isn’t it? I also found it the same and felt a little jealous of the newly buds falling in love and getting engaged and also very happy to see my people so happy. So what is my take on it? This all looks so ordinary and simple as arranged marriage has been a part of our history and lives for so long. So whats the new fuss? The new thing is social media and its role. Changing of status from single -to- engaged- to- married has become the main aim of our lives and getting numerous congratulatory messages. I also did,I also got (Don’t get me wrong on this, I have a little experience out of which I am speaking). No problem in that either.! Then what is the thing I am worried about that made me write this post. It is the HURRY. What is it that makes you intolerant about meeting your significant other? What is this rush of getting into the line of being called “love-birds” ? What is it that makes you crazy about going on-line and announce to the whole world that you have got the best spouse in the whole damn world?What is the excitement that you can’t hold inside and tell your partner in ears that “you love them” ? What is this trend of showing off? What do we want to show to and to whom? Everyone is doing the same thing. Isn’t it? Just that everyone has a different story but at last following the same path.
Male Asian koel trying to woo his lady asian koel
My take: A very simple and non-alcoholic advice to all of you going through this phase.
Just take it slow.. Just take it slow my friend. Your parents have found you the most suitable partner for you. Its one of the best things you have been offered. What you need to do is that take everything slow, slow as in into its own speed. There is no rush in falling in love. Love is not a race. Love happens eventually. Love takes way more time than we think it would. The first time we meet someone, we like them. Its all infatuation. The second time we meet them its the liking (simple physics of attraction). And for love, it takes way more than that. Years and years of understanding, dozens of each others habits, loads of fights and limitless romance. Best example most of us can find in our homes, in our parents.
House crows in morning sun
When you will start to love their stinking feet and not just their odor , you will know you are in love. When you stop thinking about what you wanna eat,and starting making their favorite dishes without even asking, you will know you are in love. When their stupid annoying habits have started to annoy you back, you will know you are in love. When you see them changing and won’t feel like asking for more, you will know you are in love. When their attachment with their parents/friends wont hamper you anymore at all, you will know you are in love. When you look back and find that you don’t remember anything bad and remember just the good, you will know you are in love. When the day will come, YOU WILL KNOW YOU ARE IN LOVE.
Great egrets
Little egrets in disagreement
Rose ringed parakeets kissing
Till then, just relax and go with the flow, don’t try to run or fly because we can’t. we simply can’t. Life is not a race and so is not marriage. Marriage is a collaboration of two souls who can tolerate each other till the end. And all that you have visualized about the happily ever after,etc,etc.. you will find its just a part of the long life. We just get someone to walk along it, thats it.
MARRIAGE is a MIRAGE
of distant love. In fact, marriage has got nothing to do with love. It only works when the mirage becomes real, else love is just the endless wait… the romance of eternal hope…
Red whiskered bulbuls-together forever
I would like to write a book on love and eternal hope someday…
Till then I wish you all a brilliant week ahead and be blessed. And oh ya happy married life to all my buddies.. Love you all..
Riya's own space 