ಸೌರ ತೇಜದ ಕಂಬಗಳ ನೆಟ್ಟು
ದೂರ ಸಾಗರದಿಂದ ತಂದ
ಮುತ್ತಿನ ಹಾಸಿಟ್ಟು
ಬಣ್ಣದ ಬಿಲ್ಲನು
ತೋರಣಕಿಟ್ಟು
ಹಸಿರುಸಿರ ಹಣತೆಯಿಟ್ಟು
ನಮ್ಮೆದೆಗೂಡನು ಬೆಚ್ಚಗಿಟ್ಟು
ಬಾನ ತಾಳ ಮೇಳಗಳ ನಡುವೆ
ಅಪೂರ್ವ ಸೃಷ್ಠಿಯ ಹಬ್ಬಕೆ
ಕರ್ತನು ವರುಷವೂ ಕೊಂಡಾಡುವನು!



Well, the pictures speak for themselves - we had been to peNambur beach (Oct 2) and rafting (seetha nadi, Hebri), the next day. Rafting was great experience, but a little disappointed that we didnt have waterproof camera - we couldn’t capture the rough rides.
One of the great survival stories in history:
Everybody wanted something more. So, our instructor(K) planned raft capsize. Well, the instruction given to us was not to panic. But, I did exactly that. I went beneath the overturned boat. Didnt know a thing what was going on. Gasping for air, searching for something to grab, drinking a lot of water - I was horrified. Soon I realized to stay calm (that I was wearing a life jacket & I would eventually float). In the meantime, K pulled me out with a lot of effort.. and so.. I am alive!
More!
In a place where the stream was slow, we all jumped out to float for a while. Soon, it started to rain heavily - so much so that we could hardly open our eyes. It was bliss! (Do I need to describe more?)
In the Ghats:
But, as always happens, there will be an unexpected package that made me more happy.
While going to mangalore, because of the bad roads, we were delayed. But, that made us start descend the ghats at the dawn (just what I wanted!). I was @ the window seat and my head was literally out, trying to grab as much as I could! If we were travelling in our car, we could have stopped to take some mindblowing, wallpaperable snaps! Well, no substitute for snaps but here is a poem I wrote:
Wild splendour
In the wee hours of
this day of october,
everything is damp
mist all-over,
I wait for him to lit
to see the wild splendour
Across the hill, along the edge
As I pass, I see this valley
more beautiful than before,
for, there is a cloud,
sailing through - the wild splendour
I see streams white
run down in haste,
a river in its birth -
flowing fierce
down the steeps,
over the rocks,
into - the wild splendour
I see this village -
with walls and roofs,
all turned green,
how it would be like -
(as always) I wonder
to have born here,
amidst - the wild wild splendour
with plenty for life
to savour.
__________________
A Journey and a Greeting:
On the day we left for mangalore, these things happened:
[I still believe that (a) is no way related to (b)-(g)]