What I miss most about staying in Uttaranchal is the daily interaction with Nature. Had an opportunity to stay in Gopeshwar for a while, which was a memorable experience even though I was an infrequent visitor. On any given morning, a discerning eye could spot so many different species of birds in the garden and in the nearby trees. It was like being in a National Geographic feature. Of course the lush garden that Ba keenly nurtured did its bit to attract our feathered friends but residing in Uttaranchal has its pastoral merits. It was quite common to spot Ba very early in morning, at the window or in the garden, behind the lens.  The poem titled ‘The Window’ captures those moments and the photographs here are a result of those ventures.

The photos are accompanied by a verse or two, inspired by the pictures. Hope the verses will do justice to them.

The Window

The Window

That’s a familiar face at the door
Going about his daily chores
I see him often at the window at sunrise
And he has a sharp eye 

I remain suspicious of an object he wields
Raising it to his eye frequently
Though my observation and analysis
Confirm it to be harmless

Glimpses of the life within those walls
Keeps me enthralled
This branch is thus a favored spot
When such moments are sought

I’ve risked sorties on the other side
Dodging ambushes by the wily canine
But every adventure further stokes in me
The irrepressible curiosity
*****

Void



Void

To dust, the promise of spring
Am coming to terms with it
Just me and this tree
A harsh winter for company
It was just yesterday
That we contentedly shared
This forsaken bough
It’s a different picture now
Winter is here to stay
Plucked off in mid flight by fate
The garden where you now reside
Is beyond my farthest flight
*****

Vantage Point



Vantage Point

I survey the country side
Perched atop my vantage point
Under a canopy of gentle blue
My brown is a tranquil hue
And the gentle breeze eggs me to
Touch a cruising altitude
Rest assured, unsuspecting preys
Today is not a predatory day
For all my worldly worries lie
Beyond this speck of time
*****

Home



Home

Our wanderings were not in vain
For this garden is a peaceful haven
Creatures like you and me
Thriving under the verdant canopy
Mark the contentment
Of other feathered inhabitants
The flora promises nutrition
For and in every season
And we are spoilt for choice
For our nest, many wonderful sites
Twig and leaf and before we know
This garden will be home
*****

Spring

Spring

The garden revels in a merry breeze
Flora and fauna are at ease
The gardener appears content
At the splendid flower beds
A pageant of impressive hues
As many more colors brew
Ready to surface one fine morning
To dazzle, without a warning
To blue, green and such hues mellow
I add a whiff of yellow
*****

Beyond the Woods  

 

Beyond the Woods

 It would be quite a thrill

To venture beyond this towering hill

I’ve heard so much of the plains

They must lie beyond the hill range

So much I seek but little I’ve strived

Much procrastination, many a sighs

Let not my frame discredit my quest

My untiring wings will stand the test

So let me boldly launch myself 

The sky beckons, I’ll begin my ascent

 
Chef d’ Oeuvre 

Chef d’ Oeuvre

Cupid Exults:

My bowstring’s twang is yet to die,

Still distant, the first lovelorn sigh

But I’m sure the flèche lodged in her heart

Will embellish her, will set her apart

Behold her eyes, their promise of love

This will be my masterwork

 
Verdure

Verdure

It’s reasonable to suggest

That ‘green’ is contagious

Look, I seem to have acquired too

A tint of the verdure

 Photographs by Ajay S Nabial