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Published: January 12th 2011
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start the fire
The bonfire was started as hunger crept in. We ate sweet potatoes, tuna fish, and bread, with wine (of sorts) As he watched the intoxicated crowd reeling to the sound of electronic music he was brought back into himself when she leaned toward him, pulling back his shoulder and said, “The moon!” He turned to the direction her glazed eyes squinted at, “The moon is calling me!”
He reassured her that the moon was fine and directed her toward their group of friends thumping in the new year with their souls, and then glanced at the moon. What was it saying? It was telling him something. He needed to go closer. He started out across the open field and through the forest of tall timber trees. He could not see where they began nor where they ended, they were all about him. They were parting the way for him to the moon. He could see its siver path across the water’s surface. A branch caught him, but now was not the time for conversation, he freed himself, had to reach. The beach was vast, the sand soft between his toes. Before him was a short distance before the wide silver path to the moon began. It was showing him the way. By the time he was waist deep in water, something
ruhi
Ruhi sang for us yanked him back into himself – he had a bag on his back with electronic equipment too valuable to be lost – The spell was broken. He turned and walked back, never daring to look at the moon again that night.
Such is the power of the moon…at least in the Andamans.
Even crabs are known to be entranced by the power and light of the moon in all its glory. They go hungry. They throw their claws up and just walk aimlessly all night going hungry for nights on end, which is why it is said that one must never purchase crabs nearing full moon nights, they have no meat in them during that time.
A group of friends had come down from Delhi to bring in the New Year in the Andamans. They almost never left. Unmotivated by city life they wish to come settle here in these magnetic islands. “Dude, there’s something wrong with your skies, man! Look at it! I’ve been seeing a rainbow almost every day!”
The only thing that separates us from the rest of the living organisms on this planet is our ambition – which is nothing more than
parvati, draupadi and shorty
my three kayaks :)
We went for a round around the island the next morning followed by a little spice tour.
Totally rocking time the motivation to live.
There have been days when I have asked the sun 'why did you rise today, what do you want from me?'
Now, I just do. Just like the sun rises, I wake. And like any other 'uncivilised, uneducated, animal,' I do – whatever I find there is to do. Today this, tomorrow that. Time means nothing. The thing means nothing. It makes no difference if I am stitching my shoes or drying plucked black pepper. If I am sweeping my house or sitting in someone’s office, I do because.
I don't know what is worse, to live a life of complete freedom – free even of motivation – or be imprisoned by your wants and ambitions to excel within the rules of society's prison.
They traveled to the islands to take a break from the monotony of ambition. After Havelock they came and stayed with me at the farm. It was wonderful. Chef Caelisa Barbecued the most delicious pepper garlic tuna, Ruhi sang for us, while Lakshman captured the night in motion. “The sky was moving in fast forward while someone hit the pause button on the sea!” Exclaimed Lakshman, “It just stopped; not
giant jellyfish
It was like something out of 20,000 leagues under the sea...it was huuuuuge.
All photographs in this post are courtesy Lakshman Anand a sound, nothing moved; So he took a photograph of it as proof, keeping the shutterspeed at 63 seconds to test what moved and what didn’t. The clouds streaked the sky, the water seemed to have adjusted itself, if only slightly, and the stars whose sly movements we had not noticed, stretched from east to west in the photograph.
But even he admitted that there were some things a camera could not capture. One of which is the magic of phosphorescence in the sea. It remains elusive.
Traveling is inspiring, it gives you a much needed break. It provides a different perspective, it teaches, but it also perturbs; it churns a life you know, a system you have set for yourself. Which is why I don't travel since having decided to settle here; because I’m afraid of yearning for a life I do not have without understanding what I can have within the life I already have. I am blessed.
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abhi
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