PhotoQuote: Close Inspection

PhotoQuote: Close Inspection

Thursday Challenge:  "LEAVES" (Trees, plants and leaves of autumn colours just simply green,...)

India - Nation of villages - II

India - Nation of villages - II

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A typical view of a village from Konkan

Vivid Konkan - I

Vivid Konkan - I

Konkan region is a narrow land almost about 100 Km, lies between Arab sea and mighty Sahyadri range or western ghats. A part of world receives heavy rainfall of about 1000 mm in only four months of the year - from June to August. Small river streams, often hardly 20 -50 m wide flows down east-wet and meets Arab sea. These streams carries mud in rainy season and seen red for most of time. After January or so, these rivers dries up and in some places causes scarcity of water. Inability to build the dams and geographical restrictions is the reason for a contradictory situation - drought situation in summer in heavy monsoon rainfall region. 

These rivers are often crossed with narrow, old and un-maintained bridges. In some places these are concrete built with the aid of government. However, on small streams usually it is built by local person leaving in near by houses. The village I visited, Chafed in Ratnagiri, has banned selling and production of liquor in its territory. The drunkards now cross this particular bridge and drink alcohol in near by villages and come back home in late evening. These absolute drunk fellows manage to use this bridge without fail. Ramesh, local guy wandering with me, told that there had been no single accident of a drunkard as far s his memory goes. When these bridge collapses, it takes long to rebuilt the bridge because of red tapes.

Presence of a Banyan tree in village serves many roles - a bus-stop, a worship place, and even a landmark . Our ancestors recognized the importance of such trees and made sure to have them growing in the vicinity by hook or crook. In konkan, such vital trees are often related to religious practices and customs. We all know about Vat-pournima, a day where married Indian woman prays to god for long life to her husband. Almost all major trees have added advantage of being used as herbs. Banyan tree is an excellent indication of healthy eco-system present as this tree provides shelter to many life forms like birds.

Green paddy fields, obvious crop in monsoon blessed region, is usual picture in months of July-August in Konkan. Walking among patches of cultivated area bifurcated by walking-roads is mesmerizing experience. Konkan is hilly area, which is is prime reason not to have wide-n-large spread fields. Often even the small fields is owned by multiple houses and sometimes the only source of making money. Poverty is forever and people are touchy.

Black and White

Black and White

Powai Lake as seen from IIT Bombay

पत्रातले शब्दनाते

पत्रातले शब्दनाते

लेखनाचा विषय जर पत्र असेल तर सुरुवात ही - 'आजच्या या इंटरनेटच्या युगात' - अशीच होते. कारण इंटरनेटच्या आवाक्यामुळे, सुलभते मुळे रुढ अर्थाने पत्र लिहिणे मुळी बंदच झालाय असं कित्येकांना वाटत. तात्विक दृष्ट्या बरोबर असलं तरी मला ते तितकस बरोबर वाटत नाही. उलट पत्र लिहिणं वाढलय, सोप्प झालय. ई-मेल, फेसबुक, ट्विटर वापरून आपण दररोज अनेक पत्र लिहित असतो, आपल्याच नकळत. यांच स्वरूप मात्र शाळेत शिकवलं  जाणाऱ्या साचेबद्द, मायना असलेल्या पत्रांसारख नसत इतकच. हि ई-पत्र मिळतात ही पटकन - एका क्लिक सरशी.

असे काही भौतिक फरक सोडले तर उरतात ते भावनिक फ़रक, खुपसारे. पूर्वीसारखी ही पत्र अचंबित करणारी, आतुरतेने वाट पाहायला लावणारी उरली नाहीत. त्यातला प्रेमाचा ओलावा डिजिटल पत्रांना येत नाही. हटकून होणारे शब्दप्रयोग उदा. शि. सा. न. वि. वि. , लहानांना गोड गोड पापा, कळावे लोभ असावा, हे सर्व कधीच हरवलेत. जिथे आवश्यक शब्द आपली कुकुली रुपं घ्यायला लागलेत तिथे ही  लांबलचक शब्द्वजा वाक्य कोण लिहीणार.

बरं, ही नवीन पत्रही आपसुख येउन पडलेली असतात, जेव्हा पाहिजे तेव्हा वाचा. नको ती पत्रच जास्त - स्पॅम मेल या गोंडस  नावखाली मग फ़िल्टर केली जाणारी.  पोस्टमन सारखी यांची कोणतीही ठरलेली वेळ नाही. बाकी  कुणाची नाही एवढी वाट पोस्टमनची बघितली जायची, खासकरून एखादं पत्र अपेक्षित असेल तेव्हा.   पोस्ट बंद झाली तर अशी बरीचशी गुपितं, गुपितच रहाणार. असो. बर, पोस्टमन दिसला की आपसुख प्रश्न व्हायचा - "काही आहे का, पत्र वगेरे ? ".  बऱ्याचदा ठरलेलं उत्तर ऑफ़िशियली मिळण्यासाठी केलेली प्रश्नोत्तर एक पूर्तता असे. महिन्यातून पंचवीस दिवस तरी त्याच्याकडे आपलं पत्र नसायचच.

Kaas - Plateu of flowers

Kaas - Plateu of flowers 

Glimpses of landscapes at Kaas plateau, famous for its rich flora. Kaas is situated in Satara district of Maharashtra.