Month: August 2007

Goa in the rains!

Published by Anita

Most people would probably stay away from Goa during the monsoons. But somehow, I like this season. Maybe, because one of my fondest memories was going with a few friends to Goa in August of 1998. We found a magical beach way back then – no people, no crowds – just us and the rains! Of course, things have changed since then. The beach got discovered and became like any other Goa beach filled with shacks and stalls all along the main road. During the rains, however, the shacks close down and the vendors move elsewhere in search of business. And so, I return to the same beach, in search of some peach and quiet. All along the stretch of the crescent shaped beach are just a few others who have braved the rains, and a few dogs. And so we take long walks (mostly in search of meals). Read, sleep, gaze into the sea and listen to the sound of the roaring surf. There’s little else to do and little I want to do. …

Plant those trees!

Published by Anita

I’ve already posted this in Metblogs, but I wanted to make a personal appeal too. It’s about a lady called Janet who plants trees. What you can do! You can have a tree planted on someone’s behalf to commemorate a birthday, anniversary, ceremony, or just another day you’re glad to be alive. Just for about 10o bucks, which I am sure all of us spend that amount without much thought. So far she’s planted over 650 trees…She’s looking for people who can become members of her charitable trust and contribute 100 rupees per month. She’s also trying to get in touch with companies to see if the corporates can accommodate her mission – The Rajanet Yegneshwaran Charitable Trust. She plants trees anywhere and everywhere – sidewalks, schools, churches, company compounds, houses… If you know any place where there’s place for a tree, get in touch with Janet on 9845449703. I’ve talked to Janet also and she said she would love more help, volunteers, corporate sponsorships for tree guards, so if you can help in some …

Tryst with nature

Published by Anita

If I write a book, I’d like to do it in a quiet place like this one. Sitting outside a cottage, looking over a beautiful mist covered valley. Watching the rolling hills and catching a glimpse of a shimmering lake in the distance. Enjoying a hot cup of coffee and the company of Deku (the cute dog we adopted for the weekend). It was an outing with the girls and four of us set off to spend some time at this off-the-beaten-track village in Tamil Nadu. It was magical. One of those places you don’t want to tell anyone about because you don’t want it to lose it’s quaint and quiet charm. And you definitely don’t want to see it teeming with truck loads of loud touristy families with a bunch of badly behaved children. No… this is one place that will go un-named. Just a few pictures to capture it’s beauty. Some places, I feel, are best left un-discovered! The Album

And then there are those people…

Published by Anita

There are some people you meet in the course of your life, that leave an indelible impression. They become a part of your memory. They bring a smile to your face when sometimes the memory flits across your head, unbidden but most welcome. Pasupathy amma is one such lady. And what a lady she is too. Bustling with energy, she runs a small tea / snacks shop in a small village*. It has one main road and her main customers are travellers who pass by that way and want some refreshment. We met her on the first day of our stay and we had to keep going back to her tiny shack to eat whatever she would cook up for us. She was so cheerful that it was difficult not to smile when you saw her. And all this despite the fact that she knew only Tamil, and I couldn’t understand a word of anything she was saying. And yet, she was thrilled with her four city visitors, all women, might I add. She proudly …

The thing about pets…

Published by Anita

When she came into my life in 2001, I didn’t know a thing about cats. But being an animal lover, I took to her like a fish to water. I read about cats, went online, talked to my vet and then realised that they’re the unfussiest of creatures to keep at home. Morever, you don’t need to take them out for daily walks. They’re independent and don’t go into depression if they’re left alone. During her growing up days, Kit Kit used to be a riot. Sleeping on the tummy, or curling up into a small ball next to the pillow, swinging from bags, hiding in drawers – she would keep me entertained all the time. Now she’s all grown up and full of feline grace. And totally lazy too. She only comes looking for me when she needs the warmth of my blanket, in the evenings when it gets a little cool. When I moved from Mumbai to Bangalore, I put her in a basket and booked an Indian Airlines flight (which claimed that …